Ponpon Chen is, a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Taipei, Taiwan. In 2022, she made the bold decision to pursue her musical dreams in the United States. Music has been her lifelong passion, beginning with my exploration of classic tunes and forays into jazz on the piano at a young age. Additionally, she has honed her craft as a professional singer for over 8 years. Over the past decade, her musical journey has been filled with diverse experiences—competing, appearing on TV, recording sessions, collaborating across borders, and even dabbling in theatre music design. Before her venture to the U.S., I organised and performed in several concerts in her hometown.
Her journey truly took off at the age of 12 when she began competing in music contests. She has been fortunate to have many performance opportunities, especially in Taipei and China, thanks to her major in Drama both in high school and college. Those years were a whirlwind of musical growth and exploration. Then came the pandemic, completely altering her plans. Confined indoors, she delved deeper into her aspirations, stumbling upon a transformative video of George Benson on the guitar. Inspired by his mastery, she made the decision to pursue jazz guitar in the U.S.
Thankfully, her family fully supported my dreams, allowing her to leave college after first year. “I dedicated myself to mastering the guitar, refining my skills, and immersing myself in jazz. In my second year of learning guitar, I chose to study at the Musicians Institute, which was pivotal for me! It was there that I met my first jazz guitar mentor and delved into the rich history of jazz music. Through hours of practice and immersion in jazz records and literature, I aspire to follow in the footsteps of jazz legends like George Benson and Chet Baker, blending guitar melodies with scat singing while infusing my cultural roots into my music. I’ve been fortunate to have the support of incredible mentors, friends, and fans who have stood by me through it all. Their unwavering belief in me fuels my determination to keep pushing forward, trusting in myself as they do in me.”
She is especially proud of her performance with the renowned Chinese pop singer Roy Wang on the TV show “Come Sing With Me 3”. The first night of the show garnered an astounding 540 million views, making it the top-rated program of the night!
