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5 Sep 2006

china singer releases first lesbian song

China's first out lesbian artist, who also operates Beijing's longest-running dyke bar, has released her first single "Ai bu fen" (爱不分) along with a music video depicting two women in love.

At last, China's lesbians have something to sing about.

China's first out lesbian artist, Qiao Qiao (top), has released "Ai bu fen" (爱不分) - the first openly lesbian song in the country.
A young woman, who has already won fans for running Beijing's hottest and longest-running dyke bar - has released her first single.

"Ai bu fen" (爱不分), which means love does not discriminate, is the first openly lesbian song in the People's Republic, a country where homosexuality has long been fettered by tradition and the pressure to marry.

The single makes Qiao Qiao, who has been with her girlfriend for three years, China's first out lesbian artist. With her sharp, pretty face and cropped hair, the 28-year-old strikes an alternative pose in the otherwise straight-laced world of Chinese pop.

"The first time you hear it you might think it's sappy," she says. "But then when you listen again and again it grows on you."

"Ai bu fen" was released over the Internet last month, tagged as "a song of brave love." Two stick-figure girls holding hands under a heart make up its icon.

The song is available on popular Chinese web portals Sina.com and Tom.com and has been a big hit in lesbian chat rooms. In sharp contrast to its relatively conservative society, China has a vibrant online gay community.

"This is a real lesbian story, a real melody," writes one chatroom contributor who calls herself No Wonder. "I hope everyone supports it."

The brains and courage behind the project is Wang Yidian, a director at NMG, Qiao Qiao's record company. Wang, who is also lesbian, started the ball rolling about five months ago by contacting gay Taiwanese songwriter Hou Hua and asking him to write a song for dykes.

"When we were in the recording studio I started crying," Wang says. "I know lots of lesbians will feel the same way. The words really touch you."

The lyrics talk about one woman's feelings for another girl and how this is no different from other kinds of love.

"Love has no right or wrong," the lyrics run. "Love is not affected by rumours, I will never stop looking for you, You are my everything."

But 'Ai bufen' is not just for lesbians, stresses Wang. "It is about how love does not discriminate. And that could be about age, country, anything and not just sexuality."

Qiao Qiao has recorded a video to go with the song which is available online and has been broadcast on domestic TV. But in contrast to its openly gay marketing online, the MV (music video) is far more subtle.

The story follows two ballerinas as they come to realise they are in love. But with no overt sexual or romantic content a non-gay audience may interpret their relationship platonically.

"Online media is much less traditional so we felt free to launch it as a song for lesbians, but we couldn't make the lesbian content explicit for TV broadcast," explains Wang. "It just wouldn't be okayed for broadcast."

The two actresses in the video - Nizi,22 and Zi Shang, 24 - say they only recently started thinking about becoming lesbian.

Doe-eyed and sylph-like, they pull their long hair into loose pony tails. On screen they are lovers, but how about in real life?

"No way!" jokes Zi. "I prefer somebody more boyish."

Nizi says she has been with her first girlfriend, a T (for tomboy), for about one month.

"I think Qiao Qiao is really brave to come out," she says. "And I really wanted to support her by helping with the MV."

On screen, the two girls hold hands, share sips from a water bottle and muck about on a beach. In one clip one of the girls rests her head tenderly on the other's shoulder, but that's as steamy as it gets.

It is inconceivable, Wang says, that they could show the two girls kissing on screen.

But to local lesbians the message is clear. The kiss is most definitely there.

Watch Ai Bu Fen (Love No Difference)

China

Reader's Comments

1. 2006-09-05 19:34  
thanks.. can i hav this song?? can burn for me? or send this song to my add.. Ariesqq@hotmail.com
2. 2006-09-05 20:25  
Dearest aunt-agony-for-the-lesbos,

I'm overjoyed that we finally have an Asian lesbian song to sing to at the karaoke, but does it have to be right up there with the rest of those Chinese cookie-cutter ballads? How can anyone even try to recall the melody?
3. 2006-09-05 22:00  
brave attempt, and unique vocals. But the overall feel of the song sounded a bit 90s....
4. 2006-09-05 22:52  
Wow! Even in China they are letting her to do such public appearance. We really need such people to stand out... to make it les as a normal... But I don't think the MTV will be able to show in Singapore channel. She can forget about Singapore market. We are so protected and filter by the governement.
5. 2006-09-05 23:32  
Just WHEN is singapore gonna be like this OUT???
*fainted*
6. 2006-09-05 23:39  
i like ai bu fen...tat song let me thinking many things..i n my partner no contacts 3 months, any news about her i aslo din get it...i worry she until now..her father know about us...but if she wan find me, y din give me a call or sms...me last time receive her msg on 5/6..she js say sorry 4 me n told me her dad know us already...i dunno how to say my feeling...anyway i aslo choose waiting her..wait her give a call or sms aslo can...s.k, i wait u...
Comment #7 was deleted by its author
8. 2006-09-06 01:02  
Hmm...
Just get to Listen to the song..
Sounds quite familiar and very oldies...
Wonder if the melody is taken somewhere...
*ponders*

Don't really like it though..
=/
Comment #9 was deleted by its author
10. 2006-09-06 02:13  
FREAKING MUSHY

made my hairs stand on end. this brings the term 'sapphic sisters' to a whole new soap opera level. dainty princesses, bubbles in the sky and glittery dancing shoes. the only other thing they forgot to do is to take a NEOPRINT.
11. 2006-09-06 05:32  
well i think the songs sweet - even if the clip's a bit corny and all and the melody's like 'oldies' stuff. ok i dont live in china, but isnt this what they typically listen too anyways? the lyrics are clearly sending a message for acceptance of love amongst everyone, but i think using this melody (whether its deliberate or not) will embrace the older generation to listen to this song and get the message, rather than just doing a rock or rnb song or w/e that mainly targets a younger and already more open minded demographic.
*shrugs* just my two cents
nways kudos to her!
12. 2006-09-06 09:11  
Excellent stuff :-) ! Way to go, girls, you're opening the road for us boys too :-) !
13. 2006-09-06 11:52  
great job...song is sweet...MV was superb..but why must it be a sad ending....?...
14. 2006-09-06 13:35  
Thanks to Qiao Qiao and her step to bringing The Lesbian to mainstream Chinese music. It's really great a gay girl can release a song written by a gay songwriter, and be supported by a gay director at a recording company. I hope this gives a lot more possibilities to queer youth out there. No, you don't HAVE to be a bum for the rest of your life and YES you can be out at work. (LOL)

But think about this: what's the message the song/MV is sending out? That anyone who is queer, (comes out), falls in love is bound to come to a nasty end? Did one of them really have to suffer that (slightly predictable) crash? And well, although the lyrics were positive and strong, it didn't help that someone had to umm, possibly die after finding her true love.

Is the song, the concept, about surrendering to the status quo of 'anything subversive and not the 'norm' will end terribly and unhappily' here? If anything, this could be the reason why this song/MV would, and could be, accepted by the mainstream.

Okay, look at T.A.T.U. Even though they were revealed to be closet heterosexuals, (thanks to their manager who decided (pseudo)-lesbians have more appeal than straight chicks), their songs were still fearless, tough, and well, 'Screw the World, we're in love'. That gave a whole different perspective to any baby dyke looking for a positive role-model. (Kinda.)

And they didn't come to a horrible end. (Sorta.)

So, Qiao Qiao, Wang Yidian, and any other media power people, if you're reading this, let the Queer be positive; let the Queer be successful, happy and live a life with a great ending. Or, at least, how they try to, like we try to.

Venusa
Comment #15 was deleted by its author
16. 2006-09-06 14:38  
Hmmm, am I the only one who groaned at that oft-duplicated MV script technique? Hint: Korean Kiss' Because I'm A Girl.

As role models, I thought t.A.t.U was promising until I heard about their closet boyfriends, and Olinda Cho was inspiring until she let out a dedication to a future 'husband'. Till the day we get a bona fide, fearless lesbian with Ellen's wit and Dilana's spunk (drool!), I know I'll look somewhere nearer if I want a lesbian role model.

But Qiao Qiao has done well for a first step. What is more crucial, are the lesbians who will follow after her and lay the roads for even more others. Qiao Qiao got her foot in to mainstream media, and the rest of us must take our first steps through that door as well, in our myriad ways.

While not all of us can be out and proud and a positive role model as a singer, we certainly can in all our relationships and at work. (YES, you can!)
17. 2006-09-06 15:56  
Well... the style of tis song sound reali like my idol's songs! btw, my idol is Pan mei chen...
Nice song.... MV... sad tat itz a sad ending....
on the whole... gd song!
18. 2006-09-06 18:30  
aight i'm back to comment again - the mv's just a love story gone wrong i suppose... when i first saw the mv... i swear its like.... the lesbian version of 'tong hua' all bout love and tragedy, obviously the singer's not sending a message that if ur gay u'll end up dying a tragic death, clearly only idiots would see it that way... although i suppose there are quite a few idiots in the world
19. 2006-09-06 19:45  
'The two actresses in the video - Nizi,22 and Zi Shang, 24 - say they only recently started thinking about becoming lesbian.'

*cringes big time* think about becoming lesbians???!! That is so lame! It's just like thinking if I should have instant noodles for dinner!

Aside, I'm not too sure about the song/video.the music just goes on and off and it feels more like i've got a streaming problem (although I am aware it's deliberate...what's the point though??!)

All in all, i think it's just a lame attempt.
20. 2006-09-11 01:30  
http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/aibufen = her blog.. pls support this brave gal
21. 2006-09-11 02:28  
I want to hear and see...looks so beautiful.
congratulations!
22. 2006-09-11 19:40  
Even though i dont really understand the song since my mandarin sux!! But i'll try my best to listen again n again to actually understand the song because it should be a meaningful song. Those people out there in the straight world should listen and understand that sometimes we lesbians might be happier then you all who has a (guy) as a boyfriend. So stop discriminating and look at us as if we are some alien from planet MARS!!
Comment #23 was deleted by its author
24. 2006-09-15 14:17  
When is the Philippines going to be OUT like this??? Especially those of Chinese descent.

I hope more people here read this article and see the video.

Qiao Qiao, you go girl!!!
Comment #25 was deleted by its author
Comment #26 was deleted by its author
27. 2006-09-16 20:36  
Here's the song: http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=5F1FF81D5D444D65 (paste it on your browser and download away!!)
28. 2009-10-23 13:07  
FULL SUPPORT!

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