Wikipedia

Kimberley Chen

In this Chinese name, the family name is Chen.

Kimberley Chen Fang-yu (born 23 May 1994)[1][non-primary source needed] is an Australian singer, actress and model based in Taiwan. In 2009, she landed her first hit with the love ballad "愛你" (Aini, "Love You").[2] In 2012, she became a professional singer in Taiwan, singing in both English and Mandarin.

Kimberley Chen
Born (1994-05-23) 23 May 1994 (age 30)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • model
Years active2012–present
Musical career
OriginTaiwan
Labels
  • JYP (2005–2009)
  • Sony Music Entertainment (Taiwan) (2012–2014)
  • B.ANGEL (2014–2016)
  • Sharp Music (2017–2019)
  • Chynahouse (2020–present)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese陳芳語
Simplified Chinese陈芳语
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinChén Fāngyǔ
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTân Phang-gí

Chen briefly worked with the B.ANGEL production house in 2014 before signing with Hong Kong–based company Sharp Music, eventually appearing in the Chinese version of Produce 101 in 2018. She was appointed A+, the highest ranking in the show, and received over 4.3 billion views for each of her performances. In 2019, Chen left Sharp Music due to Sharp Music's breach of contract. She dropped all charges in hope for peace but they continued to defame her using the media. She then filed for defamation and they were forced to stop harassing her. According to sources they unrightfully took a lot of her money.[citation needed]

In 2020, she signed to Chynahouse, belonging to Kkbox, the first streaming platform and largest digital conglomerate in Taiwan.[3]

Chen has been banned in Mainland China as a result of the song and music video "Fragile" a collaboration with Malaysian-Chinese hip hop artist Namewee which went viral in October 2021.[4][5]

Early and personal life

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Chen grew up in Melbourne as the daughter of Malaysian migrants.[6] She attended Tintern Grammar[7] and the Victorian College of the Arts.

Chen began her singing career at the age of four,[7] first coached by her father. She performed regularly at charity concerts and clubs. Later, she was trained by Vladimir Vasilev, the conductor and musical director of the Russian Bolshoi Ballet for over five years.[citation needed] She learnt Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, HipHop, Locking, Popping, acrobatics and acting. She was offered 3 scholarships by the age of 10 but had to turn them down due to her other work. She was the only child model on Nine Network's The Price Is Right. In 2005 and 2006, she appeared as Young Nala in the Broadway production of Disney's The Lion King in Melbourne and Shanghai.[8]

From a young age, Chen was active on media and appeared in a McDonald's commercial that aired throughout Asia.[citation needed]

During the East Timor Crisis, she donated to Caritas Australia to directly aid East Timor. At the age of eight, she sang and danced a rendition of Jennifer Lopez's song, Let's Get Loud, with back-up dancers on the Royal Children's Hospital's 2003 Good Friday Appeal fundraiser on the Seven Network.[citation needed]

Discovered by Grundy Television executive director Michael Whyte, Chen was offered an ongoing role as the featured child model on The Price Is Right for its 2003 revival.[citation needed] She performed in over 400 episodes on the Nine Network over 21⁄2 years.[citation needed]

Later in 2005, Chen was selected by JYP Entertainment in New York City as a trainee to debut in America. Yolanda Wyns trained her in singing, dancing, and acting. She left JYP Entertainment in 2009 when the company decided to close down their U.S. operations. She was offered to become a trainee in South Korea instead but since her parents didn't have any plans to relocate to South Korea she turned down the offer. Chen recorded with Grammy-award winners Gordon Chambers and Barry Eastmond. She was also trained by Jermaine Browne and Jazzy J. In March 2007, Chen was selected to sing the national anthem at the Australian Football League NAB Cup Grand Final.[6]

Chen's whole family relocated to Taiwan in 2009 to pursue her professional singing career.[8] When arriving, she had little command of Mandarin. She studied the language intensively, which was key to her ability to succeed in the Asian music market.[6] In March 2010, she was invited to compete in the Taiwanese televised singing competition One Million Star.[8] She was then asked to be the guest singer for Kelly Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted World Tour in Taipei. Chen has released five studio albums and is currently signed to Chynahouse.

In 2022, she came out that she is pansexual.[9]

Music career

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2012: Debut with Kimberley

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After nearly three years of preparation, Chen's debut album was released on 27 April 2012, featuring six Mandarin songs and five English songs. Two of her songs were featured on the Taiwanese series Fondant Garden starring Park Jung-min. Her debut single "愛你 (Love You)" has been a success on YouTube, with over 106 million views and generally positive comments.

Chen's second single, "Never Change," co-written with Australian artist Don Bianco, was the first for which she contributed music and lyrics. Chen has released music videos of her two singles: 愛你 (Love You), also starring JPM, and "廖允傑" (LilJay). They have been a success on YouTube, gaining over 15 million views. In Taiwan, she has come first in KKBOX charts with her debut album ezPeer, 台灣大哥大, 中華電信 and 遠傳電信, topping ringtone download charts.

2013: Kimbonomics

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Sony Music announced on 16 December 2013, that Chen would be releasing her second studio album, Kimbonomics.[10] The album was released on 25 December 2013 and contained 10 tracks.[11] It placed 4th on the weekly music charts of KKBOX in Taiwan on 25 January 2014.[12]

2017–2018: #Tag Me and Produce 101 China

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In late 2017, Chen released her third studio album, #Tag Me. In 2018 she was one of the participants in Produce 101[8] and finished No. 26.[13]

Discography

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Main article: Kimberley Chen discography
  • Kimberley (2012)
  • Kimbonomics (2013)
  • #Tag Me (2017)
  • Princess Tendencies (2020)
  • Up on the Roof (2022)

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Network Ref.
2003 Good Friday Appeal Seven Network
2003–05 The Price Is Right Nine Network
2007 2007 NAB Cup Seven Network
2010 One Million Star China Television

Music video appearances

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  • 2012 – "Internet", from Kimberley with JPM
  • 2021 – "玻璃心 Fragile", from 鬼才做音樂 Ghosician with Namewee 黃明志

Awards and nominations

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2012 Metro Radio Mandarin Hits Music Awards Presentation

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2012 Metro Best Overseas Rookie Herself Won [14]

Global Chinese Pop chart

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2012 Most Promising Rookie Herself Won [15]

2012 Metro Hit Awards

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2012 Metro Best New Media Song Love You Won [16]
Best Overseas Rookie Herself

2012 Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Top 10 Songs Love You Won [17]
Best New Artist Herself
Gold Award

2012 Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award Concert

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Best Mandarin Song Love You
Gold Award
 [18]
Most Promising New Artist Herself Merit

Canadian Chinese Music Pop chart

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Top 10 Songs Love You Won [19]

KKBOX Music Awards

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Top 100 Songs Love You 2nd place
Top 100 albums Kimberley
Best New Artist Herself Won

Global Chinese Golden Chart Awards

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Best New Artist Herself
Silver Award

2013 HITO Music Awards

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Most Popular New Artist Herself Won [20]

Neway Karaoke Songs chart

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2013 Top 5 Overseas Songs Love You Won [21]

2015 Music King Awards

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Year Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2015 Best New Artist in Taiwan Herself Won

References

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  1. ^ "Kimberley Chen (kimberleychen) on Myspace". Myspace.
  2. ^ Kwan, Rhoda (14 November 2021). "Interview: 'Proud to be on the right side of history,' says Australian singer Kimberley Chen after China parody censored". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  3. ^ Kimberley Chen (18 December 2013), 全民寶貝Kimberley陳芳語《Good Girl趕快愛》 Official MV (HD), archived from the original on 15 December 2021, retrieved 21 November 2016
  4. ^ Backhouse, Andrew (19 October 2021). "'Insulting': Singers instantly banned in China". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ Hsia, Hsiao-hwa (21 October 2021). "'Fragile' song pillorying China's online troll army gets millions of views". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Xiao, Bang (28 October 2021). "Australian Kimberley Chen says 'no regret' after China censors her song mocking Xi Jinping". ABC News. ABC News. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b Kuang, Wing; Bagshaw, Eryk (19 November 2021). "The Australian singer behind the viral pop hit that infuriated Beijing". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d De Pacina, Michelle (2 November 2021). "'I never regret speaking up': Taiwan-based singer Kimberly Chen on 'Fragile' being banned in China". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  9. ^ 陳芳語首次公開出櫃！Eko被讚英文最有質感?? 七分編湊合兩人竟是失散知音???| ( ft.@Kimberley Chen）驚奇脫口秀#45, retrieved 11 April 2022
  10. ^ "Hitoradio‧Hit Fm --華人音樂入口指標". Hit FM. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  11. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kimbonomics 金式代 by Kimberley Chen". iTunes Store. 25 December 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  12. ^ "陳芳語 (Kimberley) – Kimbonomics金式代 專輯 – KKBOX". KKBOX. 25 December 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  13. ^ "陳芳語遭101淘汰鏡頭慘被剪光光" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 17 June 2018.
  14. ^ "2012 Metro Radio Mandarin Hits Music Awards Presentation Winner List". Metro Radio (in Chinese).
  15. ^ "12th Global Chinese Pop Chart Winners List". MeRadio (in Chinese).
  16. ^ "Metro Music Awards 2012 Winners List". MetroRadio (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  17. ^ "2012 Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation Winners List". my903.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  18. ^ "2012 UTop Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award Concert Winners List". RTHK (in Chinese).
  19. ^ "2012 Canadian Chinese Music Pop Chart Winner List" (in Chinese).
  20. ^ "2013 HITO Music Awards Winners List" (in Chinese). June 2014.
  21. ^ "2013 Neway Karaoke Songs Chart Winners List" (in Chinese).
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