Golden Melody: Tanya Chua's 'DEPART' emerges as night's biggest winner

Kaohsiung, July 2 (CNA) Singaporean pop diva Tanya Chua (蔡健雅) emerged as the biggest winner at the 33rd Golden Melody Awards (GMA) in Kaohsiung on Saturday, winning four awards, including Album of the Year, Best Mandarin Album, Best Mandarin Female Singer, and Best Vocal Album Recording for "DEPART."

While accepting the Album of the Year award for "DEPART" - a pandemic-inspired solo effort that Chua composed, arranged, and recorded at her home studio in Taipei - the singer-songwriter thanked the judges for the honor and said she hoped fans would continue to embrace her music.

"I am honored to be able to make music from the beginning. I don't think I will change careers -- unless one day you don't want to listen to my music anymore!" Chua said.

Another of the night's big winners was renowned singer-songwriter Ayugo Huang (黃連煜) who picked up Best Hakka Album, Best Hakka Singer, and the Jury Award for his album "Mountain Of Doom."

He also received an award for Best Vocal Group as a member of the New Formosa Band.

Singer-songwriter Adia (阿弟仔), the chair of the GMA jury, said the judges were unanimous in their decision to honor Huang for his excellent performance on the Hakka-language "Mountain Of Doom."

Alluding to Taiwan's history as a nation of migrants, Adia said Huang's album contained "deep explorations of our past that cross language and culture."

While accepting the Jury Award, Huang told the crowd that "now we are safeguarding the only country we have. It doesn't matter where you came from or when you came. It doesn't matter what your native language is, we are all sons and daughters of this land."

The 33rd Golden Melody Awards were held in Kaohsiung this year, the first time in 17 years the southern port city has hosted the event.

Founded in 1990, the Golden Melody Awards honors musical artists in the Chinese-speaking world, recognizing outstanding achievements from those working in the Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, and Indigenous music industries.

The full list of winners below:

★ Album of the Year: "DEPART" by Tanya Chua (蔡健雅)

★ Song of the Year: "Oh Love, You Are Much Greater Than I Imagined" (愛情你比我想的閣較偉大) by EggPlantEgg (茄子蛋)

★ Jury Award: "Mountain Of Doom" (滅人山) by Ayugo Huang (黃連煜)

★ Special Contribution Award: Chiu Chen (邱晨) and Fu Ming Chen (陳復明)

★ Best Mandarin Album: "DEPART" by Tanya Chua (蔡健雅)

★ Best Male Singer (Mandarin): Cui Jian (崔健) for the album "Fei Gou" (飛狗)

★ Best Female Singer (Mandarin): Tanya Chua (蔡健雅) for the album "DEPART"

★ Best Male Singer (Taiwanese): Wang Jun-Jie (王俊傑) for the album "Don't Know" (看無)

★ Best Female Singer (Taiwanese): Joey Chiang (江惠儀) for the album "Kuu" (空)

★ Best Taiwanese Album: "Road to…" (不是路) by Lilium (百合花)

★ Best Singer (Indigenous Language): Osay Hongay (簡燕春) for the album "Ira…a micekor" (To Wait In Silence/靜靜地等待著)

★ Best Indigenous Language Album: "pongso no Tao" by Paudull (陳建年)

★ Best Singer (Hakka): Ayugo Huang (黃連煜) for the album "Mountain Of Doom" (滅人山)

★ Best Hakka Album: "Mountain Of Doom" (滅人山) by Ayugo Huang (黃連煜)

★ Best Band: Flesh Juicer (血肉果汁機/GIGO, Matt, ZERO, Evan and sionC) for the album "GOLDEN TAIZI BRO"

★ Best Vocal Group: New Formosa Band (新寶島康樂隊) for the album "Jian Jian Hua" (新寶島康樂隊 第12張剪剪花)

★ Best New Artist: Collage (珂拉琪)

★ Best Music Video: "ganbatene" (甘吧爹ㄋㄟ) performed by JenJen Yu (余佩真), directed by Tsai Yi-yu (蔡宜豫)

★ Best Vocal Album Recording: DEPART by Tanya Chua (蔡健雅)

★ Best Album Producer: Jerry Li (李權哲) for "AI-CHING" (愛情一陣風)

★ Best Song Producer: LaLa Hsu (徐佳瑩) and Howe (陳君豪) for "None of the Above" (以上皆非)

★ Best Composer: HUSH for the song "Shadow Song" (衣櫃歌手)

★ Best Lyricist: Xinkuan Xiong (熊信寬) for the song "88BARS"

★ Best Arranger: Huang Shao-yong (黃少雍) for the song "Star" (fu'is 星星歌)

★ Best Album Design: Chen, Nien-Ying (陳念瑩) for "Road to…" (不是路) by Lilium (百合花)

★ Best Instrumental Album: "Increasing Echo" (Original Soundtrack/修行) by Chris Hou (侯志堅)

★ Best Instrumental Album Producer: Alan Kwan, Jordan Gheen and Matt Young for the album "Between Now and Never"

★ Best Instrumental Composer: YongHeng Wu (武勇恆) for the piece "On Starboard" (星板) in the album "Hydro Canvas" (海淀)

★ Best Instrumental Album Recording: "Hydro Canvas" (海淀)