499: Make Your Own Music With Jen Shyu

Jen Shyu is a groundbreaking, multilingual vocalist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, 2016 Doris Duke Artist, and was voted 2017 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Female Vocalist. She has produced seven albums as a leader, including the first female-led and vocalist-led album Pi Recordings has released, Synastry (Pi 2011), with co-bandleader and bassist Mark Dresser. Her critically acclaimed Sounds and Cries of the World (Pi 2015) landed on many best-of-2015 lists, including those of The New York Times, The Nation, and NPR. Her latest album Song of Silver Geese (Pi 2017) is receiving rave reviews and was also included on The New York Times’ Best Albums of 2017.

Jen shares the events in her life that gave her the confidence to make her own music and be the successful person that she is today and inspiring others to do and be more.

Bio

Jen Shyu is a groundbreaking, multilingual vocalist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and dancer.

Cultural Background

Jen is of Taiwanese and East Timorese descent.

Favorite Self Confidence Quote

You Are Everything.

Definition of Self Confidence

Self confidence is the unwavering belief in yourself as unwavering as your own breath that keeps you alive. A constant support that you have within yourself.

Her Life Before the Discovery of Self Confidence

Jen used to need for others’ confirmation and approval.

The “AHA” Moment

Jen’s 1st AHA moment was when she quit everything to go do research in Taiwan and Cuba and move to New York City. This is when she realized she can do anything she sets her mind to. Her 2nd AHA moment was when she started touring my solo piece Solo Rites: Seven Breaths in 2014. She realized that she could sing and act her own personal yet universal story and that she could perform in multiple languages with all her instruments all her myself and that no one else could do what she could does.

Her Life After the Discovery of Self Confidence

Jen has continued her work, she is currently in a 50 state tour and wants to be a role model for the younger generation to follow their dreams. She is a student of life and always creating in her own art form instead of trying to fit in already-defined ones.