Chinese Name: 動力火車
Formed: 1994
Did You Know?
Power Station is a Taiwanese duo formed by Yu Chiu-hsin (尤秋興) and Yen Chih-lin (顏志琳), both of whom are members of the Paiwan indigenous tribe. Known for their unique and powerful voices, they rose to fame in the late 1990s in the Taiwanese music industry and were awarded the Golden Melody Award for Best Vocal Group.
Yu Chiu-hsin and Yen Chih-lin, both from Pingtung, became friends at the age of five. They bonded over their love for singing and remained close throughout their school years. After graduating from high school, they both served in the military before returning to their hometown to work in construction. They also took on jobs as janitors and newspaper delivery boys. With the desire to find work related to their passion, the two friends quit their jobs and started performing at a pub in Tainan. At the age of around 25, they officially formed Power Station. Despite their meager income, the two young men continued to sing passionately, honing their skills through their live performances. In 1996, Power Station was discovered by the record label Rock Records while performing at the pub and signed with the label.
In 1997, they released their debut album "Ruthless Love Letter (無情的情書)," which sold over 700,000 copies. The title track, along with "Wouldn't Let Go (不甘心不放手)" and "Who Else to Love But You (除了愛你還能愛誰)," became popular songs at the time. The following year, they were nominated for the Best Vocal Group and Best New Artist awards at the 9th Golden Melody Awards.
In 1998, Power Station released their second album "Tomorrow Never Dies (明天的明天的明天)." Additionally, the theme song "When (當)" sung by them for the popular TV drama "My Fair Princess (還珠格格)" gained immense popularity not only in Taiwan but also in China.
One of Power Station's most iconic songs, "Walking Along Zhongxiao East Road Nine Times (忠孝東路走九遍)," was included in their self-titled album released in 2001. The inspiration for the song came from a love story shared by one of their fans. After breaking up with his significant other, the protagonist of the story would walk along Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei almost every day, involuntarily reminiscing about the sweet moments of the past.
In 2004, "Rainbow (彩虹)" became another iconic track for Power Station. This song, which instantly ignites passion, served as the theme song for the Taiwanese TV drama "Friends (名揚四海)" and later became one of the must-play songs at many school sports events.
In 2005, Power Station, who had been nominated for the Golden Melody Awards six times, finally won the Best Vocal Group award at the 16th Golden Melody Awards. However, winning the award did not lead to smoother career development for them. On the contrary, they entered a severe downturn that lasted for five years.
After winning the award, perhaps due to increased performance fees or other reasons, Power Station received fewer performance invitations. As a result, they shifted their focus to China, and during that period, they were hardly seen in Taiwan. During this time, Yu Chiu-hsin's health began to deteriorate, and Yen Chih-lin noticed that Yu would become melancholic after every performance, even experiencing frequent insomnia. Concerned, Yen took Yu to see a doctor and discovered that he had autonomic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system disorders, which led to panic attacks. With active treatment, Yu's condition gradually stabilized, and he eventually recovered.
In 2013, Power Station held their first ticketed concert at the Taipei International Convention Center, and Taiwanese fans continued to support them. In 2015, their performance at the 50th Golden Bell Awards ceremony received great acclaim. With their powerful and resonant voices, Power Station delivered moving performances. Their undeniable vocal abilities, coupled with their humorous and witty appearances on recent shows, have gained them a significant number of young fans, leading to a resurgence in their popularity.
With over 25 years in the industry, Yu Chiu-hsin and Yen Chih-lin's exceptional chemistry and profound vocal abilities have secured Power Station an irreplaceable position in the Mandopop music scene. Even in their 50s, Power Station will continue to sing their dreams from their youth, providing a new generation of fans with music to stir their spirits.