alan

Alan (阿蘭 or 阿兰) is a Tibetan/Chinese singer and Erhu player from Sichuan province who debuted in 2005 with the album Sheng Sheng Zui Ru Lan. She also plays the piano as well as the erhu, a traditional Tibetan instrument. She is also known for incorporating the remarkable traditional Tibetan wail into her music.
She made her Japanese language debut in 2007 under avex in Japan with the single Ashita e no Sanka.
* Stage Names: Chinese: Alan (阿蘭/阿兰), Japanese: alan (アラン)
* Real Name: Alan Dawa Dolma (阿蘭達瓦卓瑪)
* Spoken Languages: Mandarin, Tibetan, Japanese
* Blood Type: O
* Birthday: 1987.07.25
* Height: 164cm
alan was born in Kangding (Dardo) of the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, China. She spent a few years of her childhood living with her grandparents in nearby Danba (Rongtrag), also known as “Beauty Valley”. Her father was a civil servant, while her mother was a former singer. She started to play the er-hu at the age of eight. In 1997 she left her hometown for the Affiliated Middle/High School of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, after ranking first in the er-hu audition as a fourth grader.
In 2003 she was accepted to the prestigious PLA Art Academy in Beijing, and double majored in vocal music and er-hu. While still in college, she joined the “Feel Fine Band (非凡乐队)”, an assembly of young female performers of traditional Chinese musical instruments. Playing the er-hu, she performed with the band in many events, including the 2006 gala performance near Cairo, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic ties.
In October 2006, alan won second place at the 9th Asia New Singer Competition, narrowly losing to Filipina singer Maria Donna Taneo by 0.005 points. Earlier that year, alan had distinguished herself among roughly 40,000 hopefuls when the Japan-based record label Avex Trax held auditions throughout Chinese cities. After graduating with excellence, she went to Avex Trax’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan in September 2007 to launch her professional career.
In May 2008, as the designated singer of “Xin Zhan”, the theme song of Red Cliff, she performed the song live at the Cannes Film Festival. During the same month, in response to the Sichuan Earthquake she released two digital singles across Asia (“Shiawase no Kane” and “Ai Jiu Shi Shou”), and all profits were donated to the Red Cross to help the victims in her home province. She also performed at the Heart Aid Shisen charity concert.
In June 2008, she was chosen to sing the theme song for NHK TV special “Save the Future” telethon aired around World Environment Day, entitled “Natsukashii Mirai ~Longing Future~” and produced by Sakamoto Ryuichi. Starting with this song, alan’s next five singles will each deal with an element from Japan’s traditional five elements which are identical to those found in Bön.
Other than Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, alan also sings in Tibetan, especially in her native Kham Ke (e.g. “sign” in Hitotsu), and also occasionally in English (e.g. “Gardenia in Blossom” in Sheng Sheng Zui Ru Lan). alan is still learning Japanese. In addition to er-hu alan can also play the piano and the traditional instrument hulusi.
Official Website: http://alan-web.jp/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alan725
Blog: http://ameblo.jp/alan-avex/

alan