Sci-fi inspired singer praises her roots

Seeking Roots

It's a remarkable fact that behind Zhu's sassy look, highly experimental pieces of music and cyborg persona is her continuous pursuit of tradition.

"As a Chinese, I found that the further I explore the outside world, the more I want to trace back my roots," she says.

On one hand, she has been trying to merge the sound of traditional Chinese instruments, such as the guzheng, or Chinese zither and the ancient bianzhong, or chime bells with electronic music.

"That shouldn't be done intentionally," she adds.

"I use folk tunes only if I think they perfectly suit the style of the song."

On the other hand, she would boldly use Chinese cultural elements in the visual design of her music videos and stages.

She adds that Chinese literature, including legends, mythologies and wuxia (martial arts and chivalry) novels, has a subtle, yet profound influence on the formation of her aesthetic preference.

"Some descriptions, without shedding much ink over the subject in details, would ingeniously leave a blank space that inspires reader's imagination. That's beautiful and poetic," she says, adding that she sometimes could apply such notion in her music and visual designs.