aDAN’s Understated Artistry
aDAN describes crafting songs of comfort, clarity, and subtle defiance.
For those who have not heard your music before, how would you describe it to them? How would you finish the sentence “aDAN is ___” or “aDAN’s music is ___”?
“aDAN’s music offers a bit of calm, whether it’s a sunny day or a rainy one, yet [it] also carries a groove that makes you want to gently move along.” I’d describe my music as “Mando-pop with a touch of R&B and jazz.” [It’s] soft, emotional, and quietly grounded.
Who or what first inspired you to pursue a music career?
My journey began in college, when I joined an acappella group with friends. It was the first time I thought, “Maybe singing could actually become my career.”
How have your music tastes changed over time and influenced the kind of music you want to make for yourself?
I was classically trained before college, but I’ve always listened to a wide range of music: J-rock, indie-pop, western rock, jazz, and R&B. My own songs naturally became a blend of different influences. You can probably hear the most [influences] in my work from pop, classical, R&B, and jazz.
Are there any special tips or tricks required to blend genres well?
I don’t really have a special trick; it just happens naturally when I write. Some might say my voice has a smooth, jazz-like middle tone, so even when I sing pop, I guess it naturally brings a warm, blended feeling.
How do you decide when to give a song an English or a Chinese title?
The answer usually comes to me during the lyric-writing process. Since my main audience is Mandarin-speaking, I try to keep any English titles simple and easy to understand. It really depends on which title helps people grasp the song’s concept more quickly when they see it.
Please describe what Goldfish in the Tank is all about and why you chose that album title.
The English title, Goldfish in the Tank, actually comes from the lyrics of one of the songs, “Goldfish.” If you translate the original Chinese title “孤獨金魚圖鑑” literally, it means “A Catalogue of Lonely Goldfish.” The idea is about observing goldfish in their separate tanks, each one living in its own little world. I use the goldfish as a metaphor. Every song is like its own tank, holding a different story, emotion, and musical color, depicting stories of loneliness, love, and longing in the city.
What are the biggest similarities and differences between Goldfish in the Tank and Flashback?
I’d say Goldfish in the Tank is musically richer and more detailed. My vocal approach is also softer and closer to the microphone, creating a more intimate sound. While Flashback explores the feeling of being trapped in personal loops, Goldfish in the Tank - despite its title - actually swims towards the light. If you listen through to the final track, “October Sunset,” you can probably feel that sense of quiet hope and release.
Please talk about each of the songs on your new album:
“Goldfish”: This song defines the entire album concept; it was after writing “Goldfish” that I found the direction for Goldfish in the Tank. The vocal improvisation at the end symbolizes the goldfish leaping out of the tank, finally free.
“Another Star”: When you deeply love someone, a lifetime feels too short. I imagined flying to another planet together, growing old yet staying forever young. It’s a simple, everyday kind of love between two people who know each other deeply, like old lovers who still hold hands.
“Tired of Traveling Alone”: I’ve always loved Jacob Collier, so I arranged some acappella sections inspired by his style. The song describes that moment when you’re traveling alone and suddenly see your reflection in a window, and loneliness quietly hits. It’s almost like a continuation of “Summer Café” from my first album, from deciding to stay single forever to realizing I still haven’t shaken off my fear of loneliness.
“A Quarter of the 21st Century”: As the title suggests, it’s about this very year, 2025. I’m still somewhere between missing and meeting, curious and observant. It’s the song I listened to the most during the final stage of production. To me, it feels like a giant piece of cotton, a place to lie down and rest for a while.
“Forget You Slowly”: When I first received the arrangement, I cried several times. It came to me during the most stressful period of production [and] caught me when I was falling. It’s about wishing to become a stranger to someone, so their happiness or sadness no longer affects you. After the arrangement was finished, I suggested lowering the key by half a tone before the interlude, to create that floating, weightless feeling of nighttime. That’s how the modulation you hear now was born.
“Almost Us” (ft. The Crane): This five-minute song took me three months to finish writing. It was almost cut from the album, but my producer, Yu, convinced me to keep it. It evolved from a simple piano demo into the more cinematic version you hear now. It’s also the first official male–female duet of my career. [It’s] a bittersweet conversation between two people who almost made it.
“Look at You!”: The title connects with the opening line: “Look at you! Keep this up and no one will love you.” It’s the most openly feminist song on the album. In many Asian families, elders love to ask about young people’s dating, marriage, or baby plans. This song is my small act of rebellion. The “La La La” choir section represents that feeling of quietly tuning them out: “You can keep talking, but I’m not living by your script.”
“October Sunset”: I wrote the demo for this song at the end of autumn 2023, and that moment sparked the idea of making this album. That day, I saw the tree outside my window glowing in the evening sun, and a sense of calm acceptance filled my heart. This song carries the message I most want to share: we all long for light, and eventually, we will see it.
What are your three proudest career milestones so far?
Releasing my first EP, Too Quiet, in 2019. That was when everything began. It was my first step into sharing my own songwriting with the world.
Creating my first full-length album during the pandemic and completing my new one this year. Both albums represent growth and resilience through uncertain times.
Having “Almost Us” reach the Top 10 on Taiwan’s Hito Mandarin-Pop Chart. As an independent artist without a record label, that meant a lot to me. It felt like a small but meaningful milestone.
What are your long-term career goals?
My long-term goal is simply to have more people hear my music. I hope my songs and my voice can bring some comfort to those who need it.
Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourself or your music?
No matter where you are in the world, thank you for finding me and hearing me.
Check out Goldfish in the Tank here!
Answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Photos courtesy of aDAN & management.