Singer-songwriter Chou has become one of the biggest stars in Asia since his debut album in 2000. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Married to model Hannah Quinlivan two years ago, Chou welcomed their first child in June 2015.

"My daughter inspired me to do this album. I like putting her to sleep. I often play my songs for her before she falls asleep, which works even better than reading her a bedtime story," says Chou.

The opening song of the album, which is titled Bedtime Stories, is not as soothing and slow as people might expect.

Working with his longtime friend, lyricist Vincent Fang, the song has fast rapping and dark humor.

To mark his daughter's first birthday in June, Chou dedicated a song, Lover From a Previous Life, to his daughter, in which he uses some sounds his daughter made on her toy piano.

"When my wife showed me a video of our daughter playing with the piano, I was taken in by some of the sounds," says Chou.

"She may not be a musician when she grows up. But I will give her a pink piano someday, and I hope that music will play an important part in her life."

Fatherhood has also made him much more relaxed than before, says Chou. The life changes have also influenced his songs.

"In the past, I wrote songs just to entertain or express myself. But now, I want to write songs for my fans. When I listen to them singing my love ballads at concerts, I am touched," he says, referring to songs in the new album, such as Confessing Ballon and Shouldn't Be, which he dedicated to his fans.