2001 studio album by Jolin Tsai
Lucky Number is the fourth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on July 7, 2001, by Universal and D Sound. The album was produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, Paul Lee, Chen Wei, and Kay Huang, and blends elements of pop music with R&amp;B, disco, and hip-hop influences.
Music critics named "Lucky Number" as one of the singer's best releases under Universal. However, its promotional efforts were hindered by contract disputes between Tsai and her management company, D Sound. Despite this, the album achieved commercial success, selling over 150,000 copies in Taiwan and ranking among the top 20 best-selling albums of 2001 in the region.
Background and development.
On December 22, 2000, Tsai released her third studio album, "Show Your Love", which sold over 260,000 copies in Taiwan. On June 19, 2001, it was announced that Tsai would perform the Mandarin version of the theme song "Where the Dream Takes You" for the Disney animated film "". Tsai became the third artist, after Coco Lee and Jacky Cheung, to sing a Chinese-language theme song for a Disney film.
On June 21, 2001, it was revealed that Tsai's new album would be released on July 13, 2001, with pre-sale orders starting on June 28. She was also scheduled to hold a concert in mid-July. The media further reported that Jay Chou had composed a new track, "Can't Speak Clearly", for Tsai's upcoming album. On June 30, 2001, Tsai held her first live performance of "Where the Dream Takes You" at the Jih-Hsin Theater in Wuchang Street, Taipei. On July 3, 2001, it was announced that Tsai's overseas management would be handled by the same agents who managed singers Faye Wong and Na Ying, with plans for Tsai to embark on a ticketed concert tour by the end of the year.
On July 4, 2001, it was reported that the release of Tsai's new album would be brought forward to July 7, 2001. According to Universal officials, the album's pre-sale had been extremely successful, with 28,000 copies already sold. The pre-sale included tickets to Tsai's upcoming concert at the Nankang 101, which had a capacity of only 7,000 people. With demand surpassing capacity, the album release date was moved up to avoid disappointing fans.
Writing and recording.
The lead single, "If You Don't Want", is a melancholic ballad that portrays Tsai as sincere, persistent, and forgiving, offering a glimpse into her more authentic emotional world. Tsai described the song as "absolutely tailored to me." The second single, "Lucky Number", is an upbeat track with a strong rhythmic pulse. Paul Lee, the song's composer, stated that the inspiration for the song came from Tsai's stage presence, and he envisioned her dynamic and graceful dance moves while creating the music.
The third single, "Can't Speak Clearly", explores the inner conflict of a girl torn between two boys. The song's lyrics were initially written by Tsai herself, drawing on her observations of relationships among her classmates and originally titled Dialogue. However, lyricist Hsieh Meng-chuan felt that Tsai's lyrics were too idealized and dreamy, so they were not used in the final version. The fourth single, "Bridge over Troubled Water", originally by Simon &amp; Garfunkel, blends gospel and R&amp;B influences. The lyrics express the importance of friendship, which, like love, can be a source of support during troubled times. Tsai performed this classic with a rich and powerful vocal style, giving it new emotional depth.
Title and artwork.
Tsai's debut album, "1019", laid the foundation for her popularity, and she believed that the number brought her good luck. As a result, she named her next album "Lucky Number". The album cover features a fresh makeup look and simple styling, with a black off-shoulder tank top and a gaze that hints at a more mature, confident aura, showcasing Tsai's growing sensuality and maturity.
The album was released in two editions: standard and deluxe editions. The former included four photo cards, while the latter came with two photo books. The photo books were produced with a budget of NT$1.5 million, featuring over 3,000 photographs taken in ten different everyday settings, including a pool, library, record store, supermarket, campus, and stage. The final selection was curated into the photo books.
Release and promotion.
On June 28, 2001, Tsai held a pre-order event for her album at the Hanshin Department Store in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The pre-order gifts were initially limited to 20,000 copies, but an additional 8,000 copies were later made available. The gifts included the tracks "Where the Dream Takes You" and "Bridge over Troubled Water". On July 3, 2001, Tsai held a press conference in Taipei to celebrate the album's pre-order success, announcing that over 28,000 copies had been pre-ordered within just 50 hours. She also revealed that the album's official release date would be moved forward to July 7, 2001.
On July 14, 2001, Tsai held an autograph session for the album in Ximending, Taipei. On July 21, 2001, she held the Lucky Number Concert at Nankang 101 in Taipei, which attracted over 6,000 attendees. The album ranked among the top 20 best-selling albums of 2001 in Taiwan, securing number 19 on the Rose Records year-end sales chart and number 20 on the Tachung Records year-end sales chart.
On March 21, 2002, Universal released the video album "Lucky Number Karaoke". The album includes 9 music videos, along with 6 television commercial clips featuring Tsai for MoBiTai Communications.
Live performances.
On July 29, 2001, Tsai performed "Take It Easy" at the closing ceremony of the 30 Hour Famine event organized by Formosa TV. On August 12, 2001, she performed "Take It Easy" and "Can't Speak Clearly" at the High Sense Concert hosted by GTV. On August 19, 2001, Tsai participated in the Summer Music Summit organized by MTV Mandarin, where she performed "Lucky Number", "Watch Me Closely", "Can't Speak Clearly", "Let Me Alone", "If You Don't Want", "Bridge over Troubled Water", and "Take It Easy". On October 10, 2001, Tsai took part in the National Day Concert organized by CTS, where she performed "Take It Easy" and "Can't Speak Clearly".
On December 24, 2001, Tsai performed "Can't Speak Clearly" and "If You Don't Want" at the Christmas Party organized by MTV Mandarin. On December 31, 2001, she performed "Lucky Number" and "Bridge over Troubled Water" at the New Year's Eve Concert organized by TVBS-G. Later that evening, she also performed "Lucky Number" and "Can't Speak Clearly" at the New Year's Eve Concert hosted by GTV. On January 25, 2002, Tsai performed "Lucky Number" at the 8th China Music Awards. Following this, she continued to participate in various events and performances, showcasing songs from her album across different locations.
Music videos.
The music video for the song "If You Don't Want It" was directed by Chin Cho, with Ryan Kuo featured as a guest appearance. The music video for "Lucky Number" was directed by Milo Hsu. The music video for "Bridge over Troubled Water" was directed by Marlboro Lai. Additionally, the music videos for "Can't Speak Clearly", "Watch Me Closely", and "Catcher" were all directed by Px3.
Contractual dispute.
In early July 2001, Tsai's father, Tsai Chu-Chen, sent legal complaint letters to several companies that had previously collaborated with Tsai, expressing dissatisfaction with the management of her career by the record label, D Sound. The letters stated that D Sound did not have the rights to manage Tsai's affairs and accused the company of underpayment for her work. Tsai Chu-Chen clarified that his intention was to resolve contract-related issues with D Sound, emphasizing that they had no immediate plans to take legal action. In response, D Sound's head, Tso Ke-hui, sent a legal complaint letter to Tsai's side, alleging defamation and accusing them of spreading false information. Subsequently, Tsai Chu-Chen decided to suspend Tsai's entertainment activities starting August 20, 2001.
On August 15, 2001, lawyers Ting Hsi-cheng and Sun Shih-chun, representing Tsai and her family, held a press conference where they unilaterally announced the termination of Tsai's contract with D Sound. In response, D Sound and their lawyer, Chang An-chi, held their own press conference, declaring that Tsai's unilateral termination of the contract constituted a breach, and they demanded a public apology and compensation for damages amounting to NT$10 million. At the same time, Tsai Chu-Chen accused D Sound's founder, David Wu, of pressuring Tsai and her mother, Huang Chun-mei, to sign an agreement during the Examination Night Concert after-party on July 10, 2000. The agreement purportedly authorized D Sound to act as Tsai's sole representative for all matters related to Warner, without informing Tsai Chu-Chen. Tsai Chu-Chen expressed dissatisfaction upon discovering the agreement, and David Wu agreed to retract it. However, Universal's director Sam Chen later convinced Tsai to sign the same agreement. Sam Chen issued a statement asserting that the agreement was a non-binding letter of intent and emphasized that Warner would not cooperate with Tsai moving forward. He also warned that legal action would be considered for any defamatory remarks made by Tsai's side during the press conference. Later, David Wu published an open letter titled "A Letter to Jolin and Her Family", expressing his intention to temporarily refrain from filing a lawsuit against Tsai's side.
In early November 2001, Tsai signed a contract with Angie Chai's company, Comic Ritz, prompting D Sound to file a formal criminal complaint against her. On December 4, 2001, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office opened an investigation into the matter. D Sound accused Tsai's side of defamation and demanded NT$27 million in compensation, while Tsai's side countered by accusing D Sound of embezzlement. On January 21, 2002, both sides requested arbitration to resolve their contractual disputes, with a resolution expected by June 2002. Tsai Chu-Chen also filed for a provisional injunction with the Taipei District Court, which was granted, preventing D Sound from blocking Tsai from engaging third parties for recording, advertising, or acting in dramas until the arbitration ruling was issued. On January 29, 2002, D Sound filed another criminal complaint, accusing Tsai of infringing on their recording copyrights due to her performances at the Christmas Party on MTV Mandarin and the New Year's Eve Concert on TVBS-G. To demonstrate financial transparency, D Sound also published a detailed report of Tsai's earnings during her time with the company. On January 31, both parties attended a second arbitration session.
On June 4, 2002, the Chinese Arbitration Association Taipei ruled that Tsai's early termination of her seven-year contract with D Sound, after only two years, required her to pay NT$9 million in damages. D Sound responded by stating that the arbitration ruling vindicated them, disproving the accusations of breach of trust, embezzlement, and unclear financial records made by Tsai and her family. However, the company maintained its criminal complaint regarding Tsai's violation of recording copyrights, which they argued was crucial for protecting their intellectual property rights. Tsai Chu-Chen responded, stating that the arbitration ruling confirmed his right to terminate the contract, implying that D Sound had indeed committed breach of trust and underpaid her.
Critical reception.
"Tencent Entertainment"'s Shu Wa commented: ""Lucky Number" is widely regarded as one of the most impressive works of Jolin Tsai's career during her time with Universal. The album showcases her increasingly refined mastery of R&amp;B, hip-hop, and other evolving genres, allowing her to take bolder stylistic risks. The incorporation of disco and rap elevates the album both in terms of listenability and commercial appeal. As Jolin Tsai's final album with Universal, its production quality is on par with her previous works, such as "Show Your Love", maintaining a high standard of musical cohesiveness. The album itself can be seen as a comprehensive summary of the musical styles Jolin Tsai explored during her time with Universal. It features a range of tracks—lyrical, upbeat, melancholic, and rhythmic—highlighting the diversity of her artistic experimentation. By this point, Jolin Tsai's fast-paced songs had become a defining feature of her style, solidifying her departure from her earlier 'girl-next-door' image while still retaining elements of it. Despite this, the album's overall quality was not compromised. Notably, "Lucky Number" marked Jolin Tsai's first collaborations with female producers, Kay Huang and Paula Ma, breaking away from her longstanding pattern of working exclusively with male producers. Unfortunately, despite the album's artistic merits, contractual disputes with her management company negatively impacted its post-release promotion, contributing to it becoming Jolin Tsai's lowest-selling album of the Universal era."
Accolades.
On January 25, 2002, the song "Lucky Number"