By Rita Lin, Singer, Award Winner, Leader & Lead Vocalist of New San-Geu-Tai Band
On this island of Taiwan, every community carries its own unique colors and sounds. Mine come from the Hakka people. My father is a Hakka from Zhudong, Hsinchu City, while my mother is a daughter of Meinong, Kaohsiung City. I am a blend of northern and southern Hakka heritage, fluent in both the Hailu and Sixian dialects. Today, being able to write and sing in my mother tongue, to release multiple albums, and to step onto international stages as a Hakka singer-songwriter has been a wondrous musical journey, one filled not only with personal growth but also with love and a deep sense of cultural mission.
Childhood in the Hakka Village: Rooted in Language and Immersed in Music
I grew up in Zhudong’s Hakka village, raised lovingly by my grandparents. My childhood memories are full of cousins visiting, children playing in the courtyard, and the sounds that defined Hakka village life: grand operas in front of temples, mountain songs and bayin (Hakka instrumental music) drifting from under old trees, Hakka nursery rhymes played at school, lively conversations in Hakka at the marketplace, and the soulful singing during farming seasons, mixed with the scent of earth and sweat. At home, my grandparents insisted on speaking Hakka at all times. Immersed in such an environment, I grew up speaking Hakka fluently and naturally, it was something learned through daily play from an early age. These sounds, so ordinary yet beloved, became seeds planted deep within me, slowly growing into a great tree carrying memories of culture.
Music was always present at home. My grandmother was an excellent mountain song singer, full of expression and feeling. My grandfather often played bayin records, especially on Lunar New Year’s Eve, when he would blast the music loudly at dawn, saying, “Everyone needs to hear this, this is how it should be!” My parents were also music lovers, with beautiful voices and a love of singing. Surrounded by this, I naturally fell in love with music. As a student, I joined choirs, bands, and solo competitions, winning many awards and experiencing the joy that music brought me. Since childhood, I had dreamed of becoming a singer, and today, that dream has come true.
Walking the Path of Hakka Music Creation: Telling Life Stories in My Mother Tongue
In high school, I developed the habit of writing to express my emotions. One afternoon in early spring of 2008, I suddenly felt an overwhelming longing for my late mother. Helpless and unable to process the flood of emotions, I turned to pen and paper, writing down my thoughts to ease my grief. That moment gave birth to the song Piano, a piece that remembers my mother playing piano and singing, while also serving as a dialogue with her, telling her that I had grown up and could stand on my own. The raw, heartfelt honesty of this work won an award in the Hakka category of Taiwan’s Popular Music Songwriting Contest. It was then that I realized how deeply moving it is to create and sing in one’s mother tongue, and from there my journey into Hakka songwriting began. That same year, I joined New San-Geu-Tai Band (founded in 1997), later becoming the bandleader and lead vocalist of the band.
Songs became my musical diary—writing of my love for my homeland, singing of the struggles and longing of young people who leave their villages, reflecting on society from my perspective, and voicing my own explorations of life. Many listeners have told me that my warm and penetrating voice takes them back to their Hakka villages, as if they could smell the aroma of tea and feel the sincerity of that world. At the same time, I have boldly experimented with different genres, blending traditional Hakka mountain songs with jazz, folk, and pop. This cross-genre fusion gives Hakka music a contemporary touch and invites younger audiences to stop and listen, bringing fresh vitality to the traditions while honoring their roots.
Stepping onto the International Stage: Carrying Hakka Culture Abroad
Starting in 2014, I began performing overseas, with tours across the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, and more. Meeting audiences from diverse backgrounds, I was moved by their enthusiasm and curiosity about Hakka music. In each performance, I would introduce elements of Hakka culture, so that listeners not only heard the songs but also understood the stories and traditions behind them. Many foreign audiences approached me afterward, asking about Hakka culture and even trying to learn a few words of Hakka. I realized then that even when language is a barrier, music can transcend those boundaries.
Performing for overseas Hakka communities was especially emotional. The moment I spoke Hakka, it was like meeting family in a foreign land, the nostalgia was overwhelming. Even with strangers, once we exchanged words in our shared dialect, the connection felt immediate and close. I was deeply touched by the care and hospitality I received from Hakka abroad. These experiences taught me how music can bridge nations and hearts, and how the mother tongue carries irreplaceable power.
From 2017 onward, I collaborated more with musicians in Singapore and Malaysia, launching new waves of creativity. Together, we recorded albums that centered on Hakka, with touches of English woven in. These collaborations were rich and inspiring, and the two albums we produced both went on to receive multiple Golden Melody Award nominations.
Between 2008 and 2025, I worked alongside my bandmates to produce 10 albums, earning five Golden Melody Award nominations and, in 2023, winning the Best Hakka Album at the 34th Golden Melody Awards. I am profoundly grateful to have walked this journey with my band, to create unforgettable music, and to contribute fresh energy to Hakka culture. This has been the first chapter of my Hakka music journey, a journey full of challenges and rewards. Looking ahead, I will continue to explore boldly, recording life and preserving culture through music, and I hope to keep creating works that resonate with listeners while leaving a lasting mark on Hakka music.
Returning to the Source: Hakka as a Dialogue with Life
People often ask me, “What is Hakka?” To me, Hakka is simply “home.” It is my origin, something so natural and inherent to my being. Since 2003, I have devoted myself to Hakka cultural work, hosting TV and radio programs, performing my original Hakka songs. The journey has not been easy, often filled with obstacles, but I know deep within that this is the path God has led me to, and with that conviction, I press on with courage.
In 2021, I was honored with the Global Hakka Contribution Award – Outstanding Youth Award from the Hakka Affairs Council, a recognition that affirmed my choice to walk the road of cultural transmission. In 2025, I was nominated for the Golden Bell Awards in the category of Best Art & Culture Program Host, for a program that connected Hakka music with cultural storytelling, showcasing the power of Hakka culture across different media platforms and reaching broader audiences.
I know I am fortunate, my musical gifts did not appear out of nowhere but were nurtured deeply by the land and culture I grew up in. My journey is proof that cultural inheritance can preserve the essence of tradition while also innovating, fusing, and evolving with the times. Music, like a bridge, connects the past and present, linking Taiwan to the world. Hakka music does not belong only to Hakka people, it belongs to anyone willing to listen and feel.
I consider myself blessed to be able to do what I love: to sing for people, to accompany them through music and programs, and to share joy in the process. Looking forward, I will continue to sing more moving Hakka stories. Hakka is our home, and I hope to encourage the younger generation to remember their roots, so that this beauty will endure and be passed on forever.
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