“Mandopop Go Global International Songwriting Camp & Workshop” Breaks Down Geographic Barriers for Made-in-Taiwan Music and Unlocks Wider Global Reach

International co-production has become an important trend in the global music industry. Co-hosted by Warner Chappell Music, Hong Kong Limited Taiwan Branch (hereinafter referred to as WCM) and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), the “Mandopop Go Global International Songwriting Camp & Workshop” brought together 33 songwriters and artists from Taiwan, Sweden, the United States, Indonesia, Australia, and elsewhere. Over the three-day camp and Workshop, participants had eight hours each day to complete a full demo. This intensive process sparked creative chemistry.

The camp ultimately produced 17 high-quality demos spanning modern R&B, Dance-Pop, Rock, Folk, and other genres. Through a strategic international release partnership with Sony Music, the label selected ten distinctive tracks for streaming release. Five of them—”ALL NIGHT”, “Like A Knife” (愛像一把刀), “Halfway Love“, “Law of Attraction“, and “Zero Gravity“ (有你的日子不墜落)—were included on the EP “resonatING” (所以共振之前).

For this interview, we spoke with representatives from Vickey Tseng (曾珺萍), Managing Director of Warner Chappell Music, Hong Kong Limited Taiwan Branch, and William Hsu (許惟援),  General Manager of Mandopop Division, Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd, as well as participating artists Jocelyn 9.4.0 and TRU (高真). Together, they reflect on creating music across cultures, discuss the songs’ performance after release, and share their perspectives on the outcomes of this international collaboration.

▴Photo Source: TAICCA

I. Event Vision and Lineup

Q: What inspired the “Mandopop Go Global International Songwriting Camp & Workshop”? Why did you choose the songwriting-camp format instead of relying on traditional song pitches or one-off international collaborations?

[Co-host] WCM: Since the 1970s, Taiwan has been a major Mandopop hub. Our aim was to take high-quality “Made in Taiwan” music beyond geographical boundaries and introduce it to a wider international audience.

Most record labels relied on traditional song submissions or commissioned songwriting when making an artist’s album. Instead, we wanted to use the intensive interaction and personal connections fostered by a songwriting camp to help songwriters and artists quickly broaden their international perspectives, develop strong working relationships, and create opportunities for long-term international collaboration.

Q: This edition of “Mandopop Go Global” was co-hosted with TAICCA. Compared with the camps you previously organized independently, how did this partnership affect resource integration, the scale of the event, and subsequent promotion? How did the results compare with your original expectations?

[Co-host] WCM: Working with TAICCA created a multiplier effect by combining government resources with industry expertise. Support for both operational and infrastructural resources increased the event's overall scale and strengthened its international connections.

The results far exceeded our expectations. The camp not only showcased the professional capabilities of Taiwanese songwriters and music creators, but also enabled them to collaborate face-to-face with their European and American counterparts, laying a solid foundation for bringing Mandopop to wider international audiences.

Q: The camp brought together 33 songwriters and singers from different regions and cultural backgrounds. What qualities did you consider when selecting and inviting the participants?

[Co-host] WCM:  Taiwanese musicians possess highly diverse creative strengths. Their musical styles, lyrical themes, and overall artistic expression all reflect a distinctive blend of cultural influences. When selecting participants, we placed particular emphasis on a global outlook and strong communication skills.

To help music creators find the right place in the market, we invited 33 music creators from different countries and built a complete collaborative ecosystem of trackmakers, topliners, lyricists, and vocalists. We then paired these creative roles with the distinctive voices of emerging artists, giving each demo a clear direction for A&R positioning and commercial potential from the earliest stage of development.

▴Photo Source: TAICCA

Q: What brought you to Mandopop Go Global? When you first joined, what did you expect the event to be like, and what did you hope to achieve through this collaboration?

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: Honestly, I joined without knowing much about it at all (laughing). I’m pretty laid-back, so as soon as I heard it was a co-writing session, I said yes right away without asking too many questions! It was only later that I learned the songwriting camp would feature creators from different countries, which made me really excited. I have always believed that working with musicians from different cultural backgrounds can spark new and unexpected chemistry. I was paired with Indonesian songwriter Abeliano, so I hoped to break out of my usual writing habits and blend different languages, cultures, and musical styles to write something distinct from my previous solo work.

[Creator] TRU: I’ve regularly taken part in songwriting camps over the past few years, and each one served its own purpose. Mandopop Go Global, as the name suggests, offered an opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas with creators from around the world, while bringing our work to broader audiences. That was the main reason I wanted to participate.

II. Collision and Chemistry in Cross-Border Songwriting

Q: What was the biggest challenge during this cross-border collaboration? What cultural differences did you observe?

[Co-host] WCM: From an event-planning and execution perspective, the greatest cultural difference lay in the participants’ working methods and creative habits. Western creators tend to start with a beat or hook, while Mandopop creators generally focus more on melodic lines and the emotional expression of the lyrics. With limited time, the creators had to reconcile these differences and quickly develop a shared musical language. The outcome surprised us, as each collaboration sparked its own creative chemistry between Eastern and Western musical approaches.

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: At first, it took a while for us to learn about each other’s backgrounds and figure out how to communicate well. Since we were used to different melody and rhythm styles, we spent a lot of time talking and listening to music together. Completing a demo on the very first day was quite intense, but I actually enjoyed the excitement! “ALL NIGHT” features three languages: Mandarin, English, and Indonesian. At first, it was hard to see how we could make it all work, but those differences made the final song something neither of us could have created alone, and that was the most interesting part for me.

What makes a songwriting session interesting is that you do not spend the entire time discussing what kind of song to write. Abeliano and I also talked a lot about the differences between the Mandopop and Indonesian music markets. I was most surprised by how large the audience for English-language music is in Indonesia. With its large population, a song needs millions of monthly listeners to be a hit, and cumulative Spotify streams can even reach hundreds of millions. That is very different from the situation in Taiwan and went far beyond what I had previously understood.

Ultimately, every creator is unique and brings their own distinctive qualities to the process. Working with people from different cultures not only helps us understand how one another works, but also creates a different kind of creative chemistry with each new collaborator.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Creator] TRU:  The biggest differences came from our cultural backgrounds and how much experience people had with songwriting camps. In general, Mandarin-speaking creators are a bit more reserved than their Western counterparts. This becomes particularly noticeable when writing melodies: while Western creators often share ideas openly and readily, we—including myself—tend to take a little longer to warm up. Of course, it also depends on each person’s personality and creative habits, but that was my general observation.

Q: Co-written songs often require a balance between preserving your own artistic identity and adapting to your partner’s input. In the song you created, which elements best represent you, and which emerged through the collaborative process?

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: The melody and sensual feel of “ALL NIGHT” really reflect a certain side of who I am. From the beginning, we wanted to make an Afrobeat song, so the story and mood naturally took a romantic and seductive direction. I’ve always enjoyed the cool, sensual R&B of artists like Kehlani and Tinashe, but I didn’t often show that side of myself because of what Mandopop audiences prefer. This collaboration gave me the perfect opportunity to let go, be myself, and express that side more boldly.

[Creator] TRU: As the vocalist, my vocal tone and delivery best represent me. Even with the same melody, each person brings a different feeling to it. Many of the ideas for the melody and lyrics came from everyone in the group. Bringing together the best parts of everyone’s ideas to complete a song was the most exciting part.

III. Song Potential and Future Development

Q: As a record label, which tracks from the camp impressed you the most? How do you decide whether a song has the potential for an official release?

[Distribution Label] Sony Music Taiwan: "ALL NIGHT", a collaboration between Jocelyn 9.4.0 and Indonesian singer Abeliano, was one of the tracks that impressed us most. Built on an Afrobeat foundation, the song blends energetic rhythms with a summery atmosphere, giving it a distinctive groove and a contemporary, international sound. Compared with the ballads more commonly heard in the Mandopop market, the track takes a different musical direction and shows the possibilities of cross-border collaboration and genre fusion.

Another highlight was TRU’s "Halfway Love". The song blends gospel elements with alternative R&B arrangements and sound design, creating a layered, distinctive musical texture. With songs like this, we want to help artists expand their musical range and bring fresh music to listeners beyond the mainstream formulas.

When assessing whether a song has the potential for a future release, we consider several factors. First, we look at the song’s overall completeness and distinctiveness, including its melody, arrangement, lyrics, and production. Second, we consider how well the song fits the singer’s vocal qualities and artistic positioning, and whether it brings out the artist’s unique appeal. Finally, we evaluate its market potential and whether it offers room for further development through visual concepts, promotional strategies, and cross-market collaboration.

For us, the value of a songwriting camp lies not simply in producing a good song, but in discovering one that genuinely connects with the artist while offering originality and room to grow. When the song’s musical identity, the artist’s expression, and its release direction all come together, a one-time collaboration at a songwriting camp can grow into an official release with a life of its own.

Q: What is the creative concept behind the EP “resonatING”?

[Distribution Label] Sony Music Taiwan: In the world of sound, when two frequencies gradually align, they create what is known as “resonance.” But before that happens, different frequencies vibrate independently, move closer, test one another, and shift, altering each other’s trajectories without either being fully aware of it.  Even before they fully come together, they have already begun to influence one another.

This is a lot like human relationships. Before a relationship is clearly defined or reaches balance, subtle shifts in closeness and emotion are already underway.

“resonatING”is built around this idea, using five songs to capture the emotions and chemistry that emerge when different frequencies meet.

The EP features five singers—Jocelyn 9.4.0, ERIKA, 2000wtx (王泰翔 2000wtx), TRU, and SHIO (郭修彧)—who worked with creators from different backgrounds to complete five songs. Each artist brings a distinctive voice and emotional perspective, developing a unique sound through the collision and exchange of different musical styles.

”ALL NIGHT” explores the boundaries of sensation and desire through its late-night energy; “Like A Knife” confronts the emotional intensity of love tearing people apart; “Halfway Love” portrays the push and pull of a relationship that cannot fully align; “Law of Attraction” explores attraction and fate; and “Zero Gravity“  conveys companionship and emotional support. The five songs approach relationships and emotions from different perspectives while presenting a diverse range of musical styles.

This EP is not merely a compilation of five standalone singles, but a shared space where different voices and emotions intersect, collide, and influence one another, gradually forming a bond. Long before true resonance takes hold, those seemingly independent vibrations have already subtly changed one another.

▴Photo Source: SONY MUSIC

IV. Market Response & Observations

Q: Since its release, how has the EP “resonatING” been received on streaming platforms and social media?

[Distribution Label] Sony Music Taiwan: Spotify is currently the primary source of streams for this EP. Upon its release, “ALL NIGHT” by Jocelyn 9.4.0 ft. Abeliano was added to official Spotify playlists in Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Being featured on playlists across these markets has gradually helped the song reach more listeners overseas, highlighting the importance of both editorial playlists and algorithmic recommendations in driving streams. Over the past month, the EP has accumulated over 200,000 streams, indicating that our cross-regional collaboration and multi-market release strategies are already working.

In addition to our streaming strategy, we developed a custom visual system specifically for the lyric videos. Built on a GLSL shader—a program that generates real-time visual effects—the system combines JavaScript audio analysis with particle-driven logic to translate each song’s frequency spectrum, rhythm, and energy into real-time visuals. This allows the sound to flow between abstract and concrete forms, bringing the concept of “making sound visible” to life.

Through a visual approach that differs from conventional lyric videos, we aimed to strengthen the project’s identity and offer listeners an experience beyond simply listening to the music. Since the release, YouTube views have also increased.

Q: What notable differences have you observed between local and overseas listeners in terms of listening habits, musical preferences, or engagement? What new insights have you gained?

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0:  Personally, I found the market response quite realistic. Songs with a higher proportion of English lyrics still take Taiwanese listeners time to process, especially since Afrobeat has yet to gain widespread acceptance in the Mandopop market. I feel that overseas listeners tend to respond more instinctively to a song’s rhythm and vibe, while Mandopop listeners focus more on lyrics and are more accustomed to forming an emotional connection through words.

[Creator] TRU: Since “Halfway Love” is entirely in English, the most immediate feedback was that it was less readily accepted in Mandarin-speaking markets. Besides the language, the genre itself is also a challenge. Because R&B has a more Western sound, it has long been difficult to promote in the Mandopop market and often needs localized cultural references or Mandarin lyrics to help local listeners connect with it.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Distribution Label] Sony Music Taiwan: For us, developing overseas markets is not simply about releasing music in more regions. It involves gradually building connections between the music and local listeners through playlist strategies, artist collaborations, and content planning. We will continue to monitor listening data and audience responses across markets to refine our release and promotion strategies in each market.

V. Tangible Benefits and Practical Advice

Q: Beyond producing songs, what tangible and long-term benefits can international songwriting camps and workshops bring?

[Co-host] WCM:  For Taiwanese musicians, the long-term benefits of international songwriting camps and workshops lie in strengthening their ability to collaborate internationally and building connections within the global music industry. In the future, whether they are looking for overseas artists to collaborate with or receiving international songwriting requests, Taiwanese creators will be able to connect directly with potential partners, opening doors to the global market.

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: This kind of collaboration expands my sense of what is possible and gives me more room to explore. If I have the opportunity to enter overseas markets in the future, I now have a wider range of songwriting approaches to try. In that sense, these sessions are like a warm-up exercise for me. Meeting musicians from around the world and taking part in more exchanges like this help us build connections, learn about each other’s music markets, and prepare for future collaborations.

[Creator] TRU: For creators, continuous songwriting practice is absolutely essential, so taking part in a songwriting camp is a no-brainer, and it provides a great opportunity to practice. Furthermore, international songwriters who make the journey to Taiwan are usually highly experienced, making this a valuable learning opportunity for Taiwanese songwriters with relatively less experience. Of course, building industry connections and creating potential collaboration opportunities are also valuable benefits.

Ultimately, I simply hope there will be more workshops and songwriting camps like this.

Q: If similar workshops are held again in the future, what would you do differently or improve? What would you hope to achieve next?

[Co-host] WCM:  In the future, we hope to strengthen the connection between songwriting and the market. This means clearly defining the target market and artist direction before the writing process begins, while establishing a more comprehensive follow-up system after the event to track potential releases and help unreleased demos find an audience.

Our goal extends beyond hosting a one-off event. We aim to gradually build a long-term international co-writing ecosystem that helps more high-quality Made-in-Taiwan music reach markets across Asia and around the world.

Q: What advice would you give to creators interested in taking part in international collaborations in the future?

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: Don’t be afraid to share your ideas. When I attended my first songwriting camp, I had only recently debuted. I was shy, nervous, and worried that others might look down on me or be unwilling to consider my ideas. Even when I had something in mind, I was afraid to speak up. In the end, I felt frustrated because I hadn't made the most of the opportunity and felt I hadn’t contributed anything.

The most valuable part of a co-writing session is bringing distinct aesthetics, cultures, and experiences together to create something new. If everyone simply accommodates one another, it becomes difficult to create anything fresh. Even if your idea doesn’t make it into the final song, don’t hesitate to share it, because unexpected sparks often emerge from those very differences.

Don’t think too little of yourself. Everyone’s perspective has value, and the fact that you are in that room means you have something to offer.

[Creator] TRU: Songwriting camps featuring international creators are usually faster-paced and more intensive. If you are not fully confident in your abilities yet, I recommend practicing with local creators first. Once you become familiar with the pace of co-writing and learn to manage the pressure, you can give it a shot. 

Besides musical skills, communication skills (usually in English) are also important. Your English doesn’t need to be perfect; simply being willing to express yourself can make a huge difference.

▴Photo Source: TAICCA

Q: The concept behind Before the Resonance states: “Through cross-regional collaboration, sounds that once vibrated independently meet and gradually draw closer across time and distance. Ultimately forming a new sonic pattern.” How do you visualize the sonic pattern of your own work?

[Distribution Label] Sony Music Taiwan: We imagine Before the Resonance as an ever-changing sonic pattern with no fixed shape, like a wave woven from different sounds.

Water has no fixed form. When different sounds are brought together, they resemble waveforms drawing closer and overlapping. Sounds that were once independent begin to change as they interact: they may rise and fall, intersect, or form new rhythms. These changes represent the chemistry that emerges when different sounds meet.

Each artist brings their own musical background, language, and creative identity. Like sound waves of different frequencies, they initially travel along their own paths. Once they meet, their rhythms, melodies, and emotions begin to interact and collide, becoming essential elements of this sonic pattern.

The sonic pattern we imagine is therefore not a uniform wave moving in a single direction, but a collection of waves, each with its own shape and rhythm, gradually drawing closer and intersecting across time and distance before converging into a larger wave. We hope the result is not a predetermined answer, but a sonic pattern that keeps shifting and expanding. When different sounds are willing to move closer to one another, they can create something entirely new that they might not have created on their own.

[Creator] Jocelyn 9.4.0: The first image that comes to mind is midnight city lights, with splashes of orange, yellow, blue, and red. Seen through what seems like a veil of mist, the scene is slightly hazy, with a psychedelic vibe gently flowing through it.

[Creator] TRU: For me, “Halfway Love” is like one of those rainbow-colored oil slicks shimmering on the road.

Editor, Translator: 劉韋琪 Yuki Liu