Ministry of Culture

• Chinese Name: 陶喆
• Date of Birth: July 11, 1969
• Did You Know That…?
• The singer often names his songs after women, including his mother Catherine, an acquaintance called Katrina, a fictitious mermaid known as Angeline and his ex-girlfriend Melody.

As one of Taiwan's earliest Western-influenced musicians, David Tao quickly became known for incorporating social commentary with his R&B-driven beats, such as "Dear God” (an anti-terrorism message following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001) and "Ghost” (a tirade against political corruption and manipulation).

Fluent in both Chinese and English, Tao spent his childhood amongst Hong Kong, Taipei, and Los Angeles, where he became not only acquainted with a variety of music styles, but also a witness to different social classes and living environments. Following his successful debut in 1997, the singer quickly made his mark on the Mando-pop scene with his bold lyrics and provocative themes.

One case in point would be the controversial decision to name his 2009 release "Opus 69,” a title he attributed to the two figures resembling his horoscope sign, Cancer. Censorship of several of his leading singles by more conservative parties, however, did nothing to dampen his widespread popularity; in fact, Tao was named the Best Mandarin Male Singer by the Golden Melody Awards in 2010.

Now well into the second decade of his singing career, the matured rock star remains adamant about producing "music with a message,” declaring that "I prefer to exercise my rights through my music.”