Rene Liu: Visionary Women
“Be comfortable being alone with yourself, and be comfortable being with others,” singer/actor Rene Liu tells Apple Music, offering a motto on autonomy and mobility for fellow women that echoes Virginia Woolf’s classic essay “A Room of One’s Own”: “I’ve had a room to myself since [I was] two, and I’m always ready to go somewhere. To have choices is the most important thing, and I have the final say to my life no matter what.” That independence is also key to any healthy relationship or social interaction: “Why isn’t a happy wife allowed to be sad? Why does a married couple need to do everything together?” Her essential message to “anyone who has lost themselves to a relationship” is to find autonomy, no matter what. “You need to be more courageous [being yourself] when you’re with others than when you’re by yourself,” she says. Here, she shares four songs from the playlist that are especially empowering for her as an independent woman. Sylvia Chang, “The Price of Love” “Sylvia Chang is one of the most pivotal role models in my life. As a mentor and as a friend, Chang has influenced me in terms of acting and singing. This is exactly the reason why I picked a classic by Chang. On the one hand, I’d like to encourage myself. On the other, I’d like to inspire all the women out there. As it goes in the lyrics: ‘Go on, go on. We all have to learn to grow up/Go on, go on. Life is full of challenges and struggles/Go on, go on. Find a place for your heart/You might have shed tears; you might have been heartbroken. But this is the price of love.’” Waa Wei, “Be There for You” “In February 2020, I did a remote session with my pianist, covering this track from Waa Wei. The world gave us a huge assignment in 2020, and everyone has been learning to adapt. However, wherever you are in this world, there are longings and blessings. I believe that doesn’t change. The lyrics are so beautiful, and I’d like to share with all of you: ‘Become the sunlight you wished for, then you’d be able to shower upon those you love.’” Rene Liu & Kowen, “A Perfect Imperfect Day” “[Lyricist] Davide Ke told me, ‘There have been penpals or exchange travels in the past; let’s take it to the next level and hypothetically swap souls.’ Under the production of Chen Chien Chi, I’ve taken an adventurous attempt to pretend I’m [co-singer] Kowen [Ko], bringing the nomad mindset out of me and enjoying the state of a free soul. Kowen, respectively, tried to capture the little things in life I appreciate in his soothing baritone. If you could swap souls with someone, who would you trade with? Do you dare to swap with me?” Rene Liu, “快樂天堂” (“Happy Paradise”) “This is the final song from my online concert ‘For You’ in 2020. It shows a sign of endless hope and the circle of life. I wish we can all be together with each other and support one another. Because together we are stronger, and we’d be able to brave through this journey called life. Don’t stop looking for the happy place in which the people you love and care about reside.”