Researcher ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7547-7108
Graduation Year
2021
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Music
Reader 1
Professor Hao Huang
Reader 2
Professor Bill Alves
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
@2021Stz-TsungStoneHan
Abstract
Jay Chou is one of the most significant singers in Chinese popular music history. One of Chou’s greatest achievements is his implementation of the Chinese “Egao” culture in his music, which originated from Japanese Kuso culture. Such an approach not only created his unique style but also allowed him to adopt various musical techniques together seamlessly. By doing so, Chou created a style that references multiple traditional musical conventions without being bound by any of them. This study aims to examine the evolution of the Kuso culture as well as Chou’s implementation of it. The development of Kuso is fostered by the popularization of the Internet in China and the popularity of Kuso artists such as Jay Chou. Chou’s Kuso techniques can be used as an inspiration to reinterpret traditional art forms and cultures, but people should also be aware of its potential damages. The derivative nature of Kuso can become problematic to traditional arts and cultures, thus requiring Kuso artists to implement and develop Kuso cautiously.
Recommended Citation
Han, Stz-Tsung (Stone), "Jay Chou’s Kuso Music: Cultural Fusion in the Age of the Internet" (2021). Scripps Senior Theses. 1694.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1694
