Before Malaysia and Singapore gained independence in the mid-twentieth century, popular Mandarin songs were commonly referred to as Guoyu Gequ (國語歌曲). The term Guoyu (國語) denotes the Mandarin language and literally means “”national language.”” However, with the independence of these regions, Malay was designated as the national language. This shift highlights the complex interplay between identity and nationalism among the Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaysia during that period. While Mandarin popular music has been extensively studied in the contexts of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, other Chinese-speaking regions have been mainly overlooked. This study examines Mandopop in mid-twentieth-century Singapore and Malaysia to explore its role in shaping local cultural identities.
This paper analyzes selected Mandarin songs from two distinct categories. The first category consists of cover songs that constructed a sense of “”Malayness”” by adapting melodies from Indonesian popular music. The second category includes patriotic songs from China, which blended revolutionary ideology with popular musical elements. By incorporating perspectives from Singapore and Malaysia, this study broadens the discourse on Mandarin popular music. Firstly, it demonstrates that the development of Mandarin songs was not a unidirectional process from China to Hong Kong and Taiwan but rather evolved concurrently in multiple regions. Secondly, it challenges the portrayal of Singaporean and Malaysian Mandarin pop as merely “”exotic””—a narrative often perpetuated by Chinese and Hong Kong media—by emphasizing its autonomy and authenticity. In other words, Mandarin popular music was not a monolithic cultural entity but instead exhibited distinctive characteristics shaped by the sociopolitical contexts of different Chinese-speaking communities.

Keywords: Singapore, Malaysia, popular music, Mandopop, Chinese hegemony

This research focuses on the performances and cultural impact of “The Samoans,” a Pacific Islander music and dance troupe that was active in Shanghai during the 1920s. It reconstructs the troupe’s touring activities, specifically in the Majestic Hotel, and their influence on Shanghai’s music and cabaret scene by delving into archival materials, including advertisements and reports from resources such as ProQuest’s Historical Newspapers – Chinese Newspaper Collection and the Shanghai Library’s National Newspaper Index. Set against the backdrop of semi-colonial Shanghai, “The Samoans” represented a third culture that blended Pacific Island traditions with a Western entertainment framework. Both the promotion and reception of their performances were commodified to fit into colonial and capitalist systems. From a postcolonial perspective, I argue that “The Samoans” exemplify cultural hybridity stemming from the dynamics between colonial powers and local resistance unique to Shanghai’s concession situation. By carefully examining the content, wording, and layout of newspaper coverage about the troupe, I further observe a hybrid phenomenon in Shanghai’s cultural life shaped by Orientalism, exoticization, and fetishization. In addition to critiquing the narratives presented in the newspapers that contribute to forming biased images, this article also addresses the archival neglect and violence associated with the preservation of historically underrepresented subjects such as “The Samoans.”

This paper explores the impact of Tainan May Jam, a fringe festival in Tainan, Taiwan created by and for immigrants to nurture community participation, cultural exchanges and a sense of belonging. Music festival organizers in urban settings tend to create and implement cultural diversity strategies by establishing celebratory multicultural imagery. Through a culturally diverse network, Tainan May Jam music festival organizers have attracted popular music lovers who have immigrated to Taiwan, to establish music sharing for multicultural exchanges. They have successfully involved Taiwan local music participants with a cross section of immigrants. The result has been over two decades of Indie music activity in Southern Taiwan. Over the decades, popular bands such as the Combobulators, More the Merrier, Guhit Band, Lemon Grass, and Akuba Funk have entertained May Jam audiences at the two-day outdoor festival held at Hutoupi Reservoir Park in Tainan, Taiwan. However, in terms of the promotion strategy of cultural diversity, the rigid social lines between ethnic groups are often obstacles hindering the festivals growth. For this reason, this study uses Seye’s use of the ‘third space’ (2022) concept to explore the liminal, hybrid spaces where cultures and musical traditions intersect which is particularly relevant to music festivals. Through in-depth interviews and field research this paper focuses on the reception of the festival through the experiences of musicians, audience and organizers. Interview data shows issues such as immigrant lifestyle, group philosophy, transnational marriage, family-friendly soundscape, anti-drug venues, non-commercial operations, are just some of the issues relevant in the May Jam festival. Founded by German musician Axel Schunn, the festival creates social networks for leisure, hobbies, and community connections among migrant workers. It is argued that fringe festivals provide crucial platforms for Taiwan nationals and immigrants to interact, promote understanding, respect and integration among different cultural groups.