鶴The Crane Goes Global: How Taiwan’s Versatile Artist Caught the Attention of SIRUP, ALI and Beyond

Author: Lala 蔡舒湉 / YSOLIFE
Venue：HELP Bar & Cafe

Taiwanese singer 鶴The Crane, born Lin Tai-Yu (林泰羽) has lived up to the promise of his name, making a striking debut and soaring to new heights in his music career. He began writing songs and forming bands in high school, playing synthesizer and drums while also performing as an R&B singer known for his gentle voice. His command of music production has made him an accomplished producer, helping singer-songwriters such as Enno Cheng (鄭宜農) and Zi-Xuan Huang (黃子軒) bring out fresh and distinctive qualities in their music. 

Following the release of his debut album “TALENT” in 2022, which earned recognition at both the Golden Melody Awards (金曲獎) and Golden Indie Music Awards (金音獎), 鶴The Crane went on to perform at Thailand’s Monster Music Festival in 2024, later attracting collaborations with Japanese artists SIRUP and ALI. When it comes to pursuing international opportunities, 鶴The Crane’s strengths extend far beyond English lyrics and R&B prowess.

*鶴The Crane, a musician, singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Male Mandarin Singer at the Golden Melody Awards for his debut album “TALENT”, and also won Best New Artist and Best R&B Album at the Golden Indie Music Awards. Photo Source: Neko Production / YSOLIFE

Playful Banter: From “Ramen Boy” to “Pad Thai Girl”

As part of the 2024 Golden Melody Festival’s strategic alliance to promote Taiwanese music abroad, 鶴The Crane gave his first performance in Thailand at Monster Music Festival, one of Bangkok’s most significant music events. His performance style doesn’t differ much at home or overseas. However, he admits he is less confident when it comes to chatting with the audience. “I’m actually nervous about what to say,” he said.

*鶴The Crane, a musician, singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Male Mandarin Singer at the Golden Melody Awards for his debut album “TALENT”, and also won Best New Artist and Best R&B Album at the Golden Indie Music Awards. Photo Source: Neko Production / YSOLIFE

That day, however, 鶴The Crane showed he could pull off some effective stage banter. He recalled making a corny joke in English: “I have a song called ‘Ramen Boy (拉麵公子)’, so I told the Thai audience, maybe one day I’ll write ‘Pad Thai Girl (河粉女孩)’.” The humor landed. By cleverly tying one of his signature songs to a beloved Thai dish, he delivered a playful, well-timed line that left the audience laughing and made him more memorable. “Telling a few jokes during a show helps people relax and makes it easier for them to connect with my music.”

 

Following Intuition: Adapting Musicality to the Nature of Language

鶴The Crane primarily composes in English. His melodic approach is influenced by the characteristics of the language, which naturally guide him toward various methods of composition and singing. With English’s polysyllabic nature, he often layers filler words and stacked syllables to express simple, direct ideas. In contrast, the multiple meanings embedded in Chinese allow him to create vivid lyrical imagery with fewer words.

When preparing for shows abroad, 鶴The Crane puts special thought into how he introduces himself and how he connects with the atmosphere on stage. At Monster Music Festival, he noticed that many Southeast Asian Indie Pop artists had a sound reminiscent of Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車) or mainly sang in English. But after performing, he realized that English is still a foreign language in Thailand, which creates barriers. To truly reach more local listeners, he believes learning the local language is essential.

For audiences unfamiliar with him, 鶴The Crane makes it a point to focus his words on sharing his music. His team is also planning collaborations with local creators on short videos, using the local language to strengthen communication. “Language isn’t always the best tool for promoting your work. Elephant Gym (大象體操) can connect with overseas listeners without relying on words at all. What matters more is finding your own vocabulary, your own voice, and building a way of communicating that helps listeners truly understand you.”

* 鶴The Crane transforms into a dark gothic style in “Same Stories, Different Narratives”, with stylist Wu Zemin (吳澤珉) in charge of the look, creating a striking image to convey the album’s concept. Photo Source: Neko Production / YSOLIFE

Cross-genre Experiments: Collaborations that Broaden Exposure

Collaboration across borders, cultures, languages, and genres has long been a powerful way for artists to experiment with new styles and broaden their reach.

Under the label ROMAD (落夢地), 鶴The Crane joined forces with Waa Wei (魏茹萱) on “Right Side of My Heart”(心臟的右邊) for his second solo album, “Same Stories, Different Narratives”. The collaboration aimed to capitalize on the Golden Melody Award winner's popularity and media presence, while harnessing the romantic appeal of Chinese-language duets to create additional opportunities for live shows. Upon release, the track earned strong recognition from Mandarin-speaking audiences, musicians, and influencers in Singapore and Malaysia. "This is a fascinating starting point, and I hope to have more chances to connect with communities in Thailand, Indonesia, and other regions that are more familiar with English and Western music styles." 鶴The Crane said.

To date, 鶴The Crane has released singles with two Japanese artists and has been deeply impressed by the professionalism of Japan's music industry. Introduced by his overseas agent, he began working with SIRUP in 2022, around the release of his debut EP “Crane Garden”(鶴園). While both pursued their own projects in parallel, their collaboration, “UMAMI”, finally arrived in 2023.

＊Both SIRUP and 鶴The Crane share a passion for R&B, which shines through in their collaboration “UMAMI”. Photo Source: 鶴The Crane

The following year, 鶴The Crane traveled to Japan as a guest artist. Looking back on the experience, he said, "Japanese audiences are incredibly engaged, clapping to the rhythm with pinpoint accuracy—like a well-trained ensemble—giving performers tremendous encouragement. I truly enjoyed performing in Japan."

“UMAMI” became a valuable lesson in cultural exchange, helping 鶴The Crane further refine his artistry. With SIRUP's support, the track was featured on numerous editorial playlists on Japanese streaming platforms, greatly boosting its streams and marking a major breakthrough in his overseas career.

The 2023 collaboration on “NEON” with LEO (LEO IMAMURA), lead vocalist of the Japanese band ALI, came at ALI’s invitation. 鶴The Crane was surprised at first: he and SIRUP both lean toward R&B, while ALI’s music is rooted in rock, with a live energy so fierce that, as he puts it, “the sweat literally flies into your face.” He worried their styles might clash, but also hoped that a cross-genre collaboration could spark something new. To his surprise, his musical vision aligned closely with LEO’s, and the two displayed remarkable chemistry on stage.

watch: ALI - NEON feat. The Crane

“The ideal form of international collaboration is not to become the same person,” 鶴The Crane said, “but for each to pursue excellence in their own music, fully retain their individuality, and then blend.”

* 鶴The Crane believes that both he and ALI are heading toward bigger stages, and their collaboration on “NEON” was one of the performances he has enjoyed most in recent years. Photo Source: 鶴The Crane

Putting Social Media Anxiety Aside, One Goal at a Time

In today’s social media era, 鶴The Crane observes that so-called “TikTok songs” are built around strong hooks, exaggerated dynamics, and slurred vocal lines—traits that make them ideal for soundtracking dramatic life clips and dance videos.

By contrast, his own music may not always fit the social media mold, which makes it crucial for him to develop non-musical content to avoid being buried by algorithms. For independent artists whose strength lies in creativity, extra effort in promotion and marketing is essential if their work is to reach audiences truly.

“Social anxiety is inevitable,” he admits. “My way of coping is not to let numbers constantly dictate my mood. I set one goal at a time, and if I achieve it, I consider it a success.” Looking ahead, 鶴The Crane plans to produce more English-language content online and is eager to embark on international tours. With a touch of humor, he declared, “My ultimate goal is to step onto the global stage and become the dominant force in East Asia!”

*Unafraid of comparisons with other artists in the same genre, 鶴The Crane believes that everyone naturally develops a unique creative style shaped by their upbringing. Photo Source: Neko Production / YSOLIFE