By Jocelle Koh
Filming support by Smallfry (Vivan Vo)
Special Thanks to venue sponsor Episode Da’an Taipei
A Mandarin version of this article also appears on Freshmusic SG
Each time I have the pleasure of meeting with Taiwanese singer-songwriter Zooey Wonder 黃玠瑋, I get a little nervous in the lead up to it. After hundreds of interviews as a seasoned journalist, I wondered why this was, and after some reflection, realised it was not because I was self conscious or worried about the outcome of our conversation, but because of how much I valued each opportunity to converse with this all-round creative who I have admired deeply for close to a decade.
Chancing upon her music in 2017 when I saw Wonder featured in the soundtrack for short film “Lifeline”, there was just always something about her music that made me want to stick around. But over the years, it was more than just her enchanting vocals and easy on the ear melodies – there is this definite air of persistence that winds its way through her discography.
Despite being a deeply introverted soul, I could tell that Wonder’s works were her greatest commitment to wearing her heart on her sleeve. Each beautifully crafted melody, no matter the genre is filled with a certain perseverance and honesty. No matter how anxiety-inducing, how difficult it may be for Wonder to face up to the complicated emotions that she’s crafted into song, her dedication to her craft leaves listeners absolutely confident in her ability to guide them into her world, and for them to leave with a new perspective or discovery.
The talented producer-singer-songwriter’s musical journey sees her take the path less trodden. As an artist who was independent for most of her career and one of few female producers in the mandarin music scene, she began her journey deeply rooted in the folk genre with her 2012 EP The courage to face tomorrow 面對明日的勇氣, before embarking on her most ambitious and experimental project to date; 2017’s crowdfunded album Wonderland, which pioneered and set the standard for the folktronica ambient genre in the Mandarin music scene.
2022 saw Wonder release her third album Nomad 遊牧, which incorporated versions of her past sonic identities with a pop twist. Despite the constant reinventions that keep audiences guessing what Wonder will do next, it is her unique sensibility which has become her true trademark. A gentle serenity that thinly veils a deep sense of resilience; as Wonder’s rational and intuitive sides dance in tandem.
“Human connections have always been a big challenge, when I was little I was someone who would not even speak, let alone articulate my needs or my feelings…As a kid my only means of communication were music or drawing, nothing else (laughs).”
Zooey’s relationship with music has always been a source of both great joy and frustration for her. As a DIY musician for many years, she faced many difficulties in pursuing this path; however when push came to shove, she realised that music was a non negotiable in her life. Always seen with her guitar, music has long become her most familiar language and means of communication.
“I’ve experienced multiple periods which really saw me hit rock bottom, such as vocal cord shrinking, or some other challenges. But these things have never stopped me from singing or writing. I realised that I couldn’t stop…Although I have a song called ‘Give It Up’ which talks about a situation where you’ve given it your all and giving up could possibly be a very healthy option, but when it comes to me and music, I realised that I truly could not give it up (laughs).”
While Wonder’s sound is much gentler and quieter than much of the offerings on the Mandarin music market today, every poignant song of hers, presented in the most intimate of ways nevertheless embodies a superhuman ability to touch audiences’ hearts. While many of Wonder’s folkish tracks appear simple on the surface, each song has been through the proverbial wringer, a product of much heaviness and deep consideration.
But no matter the internal struggles Wonder faces when it comes to life, she has always brought her most disciplined self to the table when it comes to her craft. During our conversation, Wonder used various means to express that she felt she ‘could be better’ when it came to her vocation, revealing a surprisingly severe side to the all-round musician. When it comes to her discography, Zooey feels that there’s not a single song that she’s extremely satisfied with, and can always see room for improvement.
“The difficult part is that I’m very hard on myself, and so I always feel that there are areas where I could do better.”
An area of personal growth Wonder also mentioned she hopes to improve on is the internal conflict she feels which applies to all parts of her daily life.
“I just keep thinking back to the areas in which I didn’t do enough or could do better, or there might be multiple things which are holding you back…I realised a lot of people are able to let go once the event has passed and move on, but I am someone that is very restless about it.”
During our conversation, we also talked about the pressures of the Patriarchy for someone like Wonder who embodies multiple roles as a singer-songwriter but also musician and producer. She shared that believing in herself has been an ongoing process, where questioning herself and having stage fright held her back previously, while now she has slowly started to appreciate and believe in her own strengths.
“Actually I think society is particularly strict when it comes to women’s appearance and bodies…I will often receive messages such as ‘Zooey, you’ve lost weight’ or ‘Zooey, you got fat again’. Because I’m somebody who does exercise and take care of my diet, so sometimes these changes are unavoidable due to my illness, I can only let it go.”
Reflecting on our conversation, I marveled at the fact that perhaps Wonder’s listeners could never have imagined that her beautiful, serene works were a product of such internal conflict and stringent quality control. As a veteran singer-songwriter, the creative challenge she currently has in her sights is “simplifying, and going back to the beginning”.
“I think what it is is that I’m grappling with more complicated things, and have access to many other people’s works and am learning many things from them, but what I should be doing instead is going back to the beginning, and not make things too complicated.”
As she embarks on this path of simplification, Wonder is also in the process of trying to overcome another big creative and personal challenge for herself – the art of putting more of her real self into her music.
“I want to try to write even more honestly, and express myself more directly. I’ve perhaps encountered situations which are extremely painful and hard to accept, everyone also has these dark periods. Even though it’s not pretty to look at, it’s something real.”
In the process of peeling apart layers of oneself, Wonder produced her 2026 single ‘An Introvert’s Love Song’. While it plays like a simple love ballad, hidden inside are Zooey’s deep insights when it comes to connections between people.
“When it comes to romantic relationships, if they’re both introverts it’s like they’re dancing a certain dance; me moving forward, you moving back, unsure how to move forward together…perhaps they’re not the best at expressing their feelings, so it’s easy to miss out.”
While focusing on pouring herself more honestly into her works is a recent focus on Wonder’s process, I in fact feel that the keenly observant singer-songwriter has always tried to reflect her point of view as astutely as possible throughout her discography.
From her pure folk moment in 2012’s The courage to face tomorrow 面對明日的勇氣 to 2017’s impulsive and ambitious Wonderland and then to 2022’s wanderlust-y Nomad 遊牧, Zooey has constantly been finding ways to express herself more clearly through her music. She shared with us about her signature sound:
“I think the skeleton of it is still folk. Just that I also really like electronic things, so you will always hear those thread in my new music.”
When folk meets electronic, the two genres become an unlikely marriage of unexpected proportions. One bringing organic, heartfelt philosophies, and the other progressiveness and infinite excitement. Through years of deep diving into these two genres and experimenting with the best way to bring them together, Wonder has long become one of the most reputable ambient folktronica experts in the Mandarin music scene.
But yet this expertise has very little to do with technique, but more with how any artist quietens down the conflicting parts of themselves; allowing these seemingly clashing elements come together so beautifully and so vulnerably to express singular stories and emotions. Wonder turns her music into both her pen and her sword, expressing all the things that she most dearly wants to let go of or document.
After many years of being an avid fan of hers, I’ve finally realised that the special thing about Zooey’s music that creates such an immense sense of comfort is that she has never presented listeners with answers of any sort; just a sense of ‘I’m here right beside you if you need me’ that is so profoundly special.
During our conversations over the years, Zooey has paid Asian Pop Weekly the highest of compliments, by sharing that our words have always written themselves into her heart. And every time I respond to her that I feel the exact same way about her music. Perhaps, this kind of spiritual connection is the power that music lends us when we treat it right. It has the ability to give us the courage to express ourselves honestly, and to value dearly every path that crosses and resonates with ours.
Despite Wonder sharing all the things she thinks she could improve on be it in her creative process or her person, in my eyes, her works are perfect as is. I am so proud to be a long-time listener and fan of all she has created, and even more so look forward to what she continues to create with her seemingly endless creative capacity and sensitive soul.
This interview with Zooey Wonder is part of our ‘Nothing Left Unsaid’ article series, which focuses on heartfelt conversations with artists or friends in the Asian music scene that dig deep and ask deeper questions about their creative vocation and more. Inspired by the multiple conversations founder Jocelle had with the late Khalil Fong, this series represents our dedication to ‘leaving nothing left unsaid’, and having the conversations that are important to us and spark curiosity while we still can. Read the Mandarin version of this article on Freshmusic SG!
