Ximending Taipei, 12 November, 2016: Jessie Chung’s brand new album There You Are has recently gone gold in Taiwan, leading to a series of promotional events to reach toward a wider audience. Not only did she get her album endorsed at the album release press conference on October 24th, Jessie Chung also performed at the Taiwan Ximending Launching Show on October 30th, donning a sexy, ebony, see-through dress embroidered with gold. With her full-flowing, lush, golden hair, no wonder the press hailed her as a “Bond girl” look-alike.
Performing four songs at her launching show in Taiwan, she sincerely opened with “There You Are”, a touching ballad, and subsequently drove the crowd wild with “Drive My Heart”, an explosive rock anthem. Her showing off of her new dance moves and the fantastic interaction between her and her male dancers induced the screams and shouts of the Taiwanese fans below the stage.
Her husband Joshua stayed below the stage to accompany her and take pictures of her, causing her much embarrassment when her team of dancers picked her up on stage, but she kept her composure as she beamed a shy smile. Jessie Chung spent more than a year in Australia to prepare for this album; under the plans devised by her Australian record company, she took on the so-called “Bond girl” style, despite her initial fears of the radical change. Changing her hairstyle from blunt bangs to side-swept fringe caused her significant insecurity, and she’s still getting used to it.
Jessie Chung reveals that “There You Are” is dedicated to the two most important men in her life, the memory of her father, and her husband Joshua. She recalls that her father passed away while she was promoting her previous album. Not being able to see her father at his deathbed, Jessie Chung wanted to use this song to thank him. The song is also dedicated to her husband for being besides her at all times. “Spend enough time to appreciate the people around us, that will save us a lot of regret when the final goodbye comes,” she says emotionally when asked about the past.
Besides performing her new songs, Jessie Chung also had great interaction with her fans, giving away James Bond-esque aviator sunglasses and heaps of exclusive heart shaped pillows to give her fans a great experience. While signing autographs, many enthusiastic fans gave Jessie and her team their praises, they were all satisfied by the electrifying event. She states that her first time in Taiwan was an unforgettable experience, and she looks forward to party again with her fans next time. Jessie Chung also reveals that her tight schedule in Taiwan has prevented her from tasting Taiwanese delicacies. She plans to wander through the night market with her husband upon completing the launching show and have an authentic taste of Taiwanese cuisine.
After changing her gender identity, Jessie Chung has received a fair amount of cyber-bullying. Even till this day, ignorant netizens still attempt to verbally abuse her, such as questioning her singing talents. Regarding these criticisms, Jessie has shrugged them off and said, “The fact that whether or not I sing well is decided by my fans; as long as my fans like it, that’s enough for me; as long as they like it, that makes me happy and content.” Jessie Chung states, “Although I feel hurt, these harsh criticisms only make me stronger and allow me to stand up and prove my motivation.” She’s very optimistic, and believes that words of encouragement and constructive criticisms alike are all helpful to her, as long as the words are spoken with sincerity.