Taiwanese artists featured at 'She Makes Noise' festival in Spain

Madrid, Oct. 5 (CNA) Three Taiwanese female artists performed at the annual Spanish electronic music festival "She Makes Noise" in Spain on Saturday as part of a special program highlighting Taiwan.

The "She Makes Noise x Taiwan" show, being held Oct. 2-9, features Taiwanese artists -- Sabiwa, Scintii and Sonia Calico, three women who each have distinctive styles in both their creative work and performances, according to a Taiwanese diplomat in Spain.

Sonia Calico is an electronic music producer and DJ who won the Best Electronic Song award at the Golden Indie Music Awards in 2020, while Scintii is an electronic music producer, singer-songwriter and DJ, and Sabiwa is an experimental audiovisual artist based in Berlin.

The festival this year showcases the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of Taiwan's electronic music scene through live performances, radio shows, and workshops, Chang Yu-hsuan (張祐瑄), head of the cultural division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Madrid, told CNA.

"She Makes Noise" is an annual music festival focused on women and non-binary people working in electronic music and contemporary audiovisual art.

For the first time, TECO Madrid is working with the festival's founder and director Natalia Piñuel Martín to help organize the program, with a focus on Taiwan, including activities to promote exchanges between Taiwanese artists and the Spanish music community, Chang said.

This development reflects strong interest in Taiwan's electronic music scene and artists, Chang said.

Artists reflect on Spanish audiences

The three Taiwanese artists featured at "She Makes Noise x Taiwan" performed at Réplika Teatro in Madrid on Saturday.

Sonia Calico said she was no stranger to Spain, having toured several Spanish cities with the electronic rock band Go Chic before launching her solo career.

On Saturday, she told CNA that her aim was to get the entire audience "jumping," and the Spanish crowd did not disappoint, dancing enthusiastically throughout her set.

During Scintii's performance, meanwhile, the Saturday night audience was immersed in the soundscape she created and responded with enthusiastic applause after each song, she said.

Scintii said she usually clears her mind before each performance and focuses on her outfit and sound to ensure she can present the show as planned.

Sabiwa told CNA that Spanish audiences were "crazy," and she enjoyed their enthusiastic participation during her performance Saturday night.

It is quite different in Berlin, where her audiences tend to be more reserved, and some members appear awkward when invited onstage to interact with her, she said.

The three Taiwanese artists will perform next at a live concert at Paral·lel 62 in Barcelona on Oct. 9, according to a post on TECO Madrid's Facebook page.

With the focus of the "She Makes Noise" festival this year on creators from Taiwan, Piñuel said, she hopes it will give Spanish audiences an opportunity to discover Asian electronic music culture and will help strengthen the cultural ties between Taiwan and Spain.