"Ugly Beauty" Released: December 21, 2018 (2018-12-21)
Ugly Beauty is the fourteenth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on December 26, 2018, by Sony and Eternal.[1] The album was produced by Starr Chen, Razor Chiang, Howe Chen, Øzi, and Tsai herself. Tsai also organized a music creation camp with other songwriters, participating in the collective creation of several tracks on the album.[2] The album showcases a bold and eclectic musical style, blending pop music with elements of reggae, electronic, hip-hop, and more.[3] Its themes revolve around breaking conventional beauty standards and exploring the extremes of human emotions.[4] Tsai stated that the album's concept aimed to "reveal the ugliness hidden beneath the surface of perfection and explore the emotions buried with great effort."[3]
The album received widespread critical acclaim, with critics praising its unified concept, Tsai's relaxed and expressive vocal delivery,[5] and its refined production, which was considered to lead the Mandarin pop music scene.[6] The album was released physically in Taiwan, where it topped the year-end album sales chart in 2019.[7] In Mainland China, the album was released digitally and, as of August 13, 2023, had sold over 850,000 digital copies, making it the best-selling digital album by a Hong Kong or Taiwanese female artist in the region's history.[8] Tsai also became the highest-selling Hong Kong/Taiwanese female artist in terms of digital album sales in Mainland China.[9]
The album garnered eight nominations at the Golden Melody Awards, including nominations for Album of the Year, Best Mandarin Album, and Best Vocal Recording Album. The song "Womxnly" was nominated for Song of the Year, while the music videos for "Ugly Beauty" and "Lady in Red" were nominated for Best Music Video. Tsai herself received a nomination for Best Female Mandarin Singer, and Starr Chen and Tsai were nominated for Best Single Producer for "Ugly Beauty".[10][11] Ultimately, the album won the Golden Melody Award for Album of the Year, and "Womxnly" won Song of the Year.[12]
Following the release of the album, Tsai launched her fifth concert tour, the Ugly Beauty World Tour, which began on December 30, 2019, in Taipei, Taiwan,[13] and concluded on August 18, 2024, in Xiamen, China.[14]
Background
Alesso (upper) and Hardwell (lower), two of Tsai's collaborators between this album and her previous one
On November 15, 2014, Tsai released her 13th studio album, Play. The album sold over 85,000 copies in Taiwan and ranked fourth in annual album sales for 2014.[15] It also claimed the top spot for female artist album sales in Taiwan that year.[16] The album garnered ten nominations at the Golden Melody Awards, making it one of the three albums with the most nominations in the history of the awards.[17] The album won both Best Mandarin Album and Best Vocal Recording Album. Additionally, the track "Lip Reading" earned Andrew Chen the Best Music Arrangement.[18]
On May 22, 2015, Tsai launched her fourth world tour, the Play World Tour, at Taipei Arena in Taipei, Taiwan.[19] The tour concluded on July 16, 2016, at the Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,[20] after traveling to 23 cities worldwide and holding 34 performances, drawing over 400,000 attendees.[21]
On September 30, 2015, Tsai collaborated with Alesso to release the single "I Wanna Know" following their participation in the International Music Summit and the Storm Electronic Music Festival in Shanghai.[22] On October 31, 2015, Starr Chen released the single "Ego-Holic", a collaboration with Tsai.[23] In 2017, Tsai recorded the theme song "Give Love" for the Da Ai Television's Mother's Day event on May 12.[24] On June 20, 2017, Tsai teamed up with Hardwell to release the single "We Are One", which was targeted at the Asian market.[25]
On November 20, 2017, Tsai released the theme song under the same title for the 2017 film On Happiness Road.[26] On December 29, 2017, she also released the theme song "Stand Up" for the 2018 film Monster Hunt 2.[27] On January 30, 2018, Tsai released a live video album, Play World Tour,[28] which topped the annual video album sales in Taiwan for 2018.[29] On June 12, 2018, she released "The Player", the theme song for the tenth anniversary of the video game Dungeon & Fighter.[30]
Development
On July 26, 2016, media reports revealed that Tsai was focusing on preparing for her new album.[31] On November 12, 2016, Tsai shared on Instagram that she had traveled to Sweden to collaborate with music production company The Kennel and worked with Hayley Aitken, Olof Lindskog, Johan Moraeus, and others.[32] On July 18, 2017, Tsai's manager, Tom Wang, announced that Tsai had begun full-scale preparations for her new album, with a production budget exceeding NT$100 million. He also revealed that the production model would differ from past projects, as Tsai planned to form her own team to create songs, shoot music videos, and handle post-release promotion.[33]
On July 20, 2017, Tsai shared with reporters at the MTV Global Mandarin Music Awards that she had completed about 80% of the song selection process but had not yet finished the lyrics. She explained that her approach to selecting songs had evolved, with an emphasis on listening to the "voice of the body" and expressing the feelings of excitement. She also mentioned that each song's melody and lyrics were being carefully considered, and she intended to explore new musical directions based on her age and voice.[34] On the same day, Tsai also revealed that she had extended a collaboration invitation to Ashin, the lead vocalist of the band Mayday, for the album.[35] On September 11, 2017, Tsai announced that she had completed recording two songs for the new album, though she also acknowledged that the album's progress was significantly behind schedule.[36]
On March 1, 2018, Tsai revealed on Instagram that she had worked at Karma Sound Studios in Thailand with Richard Craker, Rhys Fletcher, Alex Sypsomos, and Stan Dubb.[37] On March 14, 2018, she told reporters at the Michelin Guide Taipei 2018 Gala Dinner that she had begun selecting lead singles for the new album.[38] On May 15, 2018, Tsai gave an interview to the Chinese edition of Nylon magazine, where she shared that the album would feature 11 tracks, four of which had already been recorded. She also mentioned that, in an effort to better understand herself, she had started reading books on neuroscience, psychology, and Zhuangzi, describing the album as "the most honest one" she had made.[39]
On June 12, 2018, Tsai revealed that the new album would feature a diverse range of musical styles, including some she had never tried before. Her manager, Tom Wang, stated that the album's progress was about 50% complete and that it was expected to be released by the end of the year.[40] On June 24, 2018, Tsai mentioned in an interview with QQ Music's Big Star Show program that the album would include some of her own compositions and would still be primarily dance-oriented.[41] On September 12, 2018, media outlets reported that Tsai had begun pre-production work for her new music video.[42] On October 4, 2018, Wang confirmed that Tsai was expected to finish recording the album by the end of the month and would begin shooting the album cover and music videos in November.[43] On October 13, 2018, Tsai revealed at the Taipei Fashion Week that the album would be released in December 2018.[44] Finally, on November 12, 2018, Tsai announced on Weibo that she had completed recording the album.[45]
Writing and recording
Xiao Yu (left) and Ashin (right), two collaborators on the album
The lead single, "Ugly Beauty", was written by Greeny Wu. Tsai revealed that she had asked Wu to revise the lyrics four times. Wu responded, saying, "I feel that her musical standards have become higher and higher, but this is a demand she places on herself, not based on others' views. It feels very different!"[46] Tsai also contributed to the composition of the song, describing the creative process as an exploration of sounds that moved her. She noted that working with different creative teams provided significant momentum, enabling her to express herself in new ways and creating a musical experience that would resonate with listeners.[2] The song incorporates various musical elements and background vocals, such as playful lip sounds, strong drum & bass beats, and a rap section in the latter half.[47] Tsai was also one of the producers of "Ugly Beauty", which had the longest production time of any track on the album.[46] She shared that she continuously experimented with different vocal tones during recording, often re-recording the track until she was satisfied.
"Hubby" features a lively rock rhythm, with Øzi designing numerous harmonies to enhance the song's energetic atmosphere. Tsai stated, "I hope this song will one day become everyone's wedding march." "Womxnly" was inspired by the Yeh Yung-chih incident. Through this song, Tsai advocates for acceptance of all sexual orientations and appearances. She explained, "Don't live within society's framework. Femininity isn't necessarily bad, and masculinity isn't something you must pursue. Whether male or female, gender identity has no predefined framework." "Womxnly" blends Southeast Asian instruments, tropical house, and reggae influences, creating a delicate yet powerful emotional ballad. "Life Sucks" features future bass as its foundation. Tsai uses a lazy and disaffected vocal tone to express her frustration with life's "ridiculous situations". She explained, "'Life Sucks' is for all the things in life that you don't want to face, but must. We can only tell ourselves that passivity will eventually fade away. This song is a farewell to your passivity."
"Lady in Red" merges pop music with rap, with Tsai using a low, seductive vocal tone to complement the eerie atmosphere of the track. Tsai described it as, "I told Starr Chen I wanted the feeling of a ghost story." "Karma" centers on a reggae beat paired with dark humor in the lyrics, addressing the theme of revenge against a "heartbreaker". Tsai said, "If you really want to take revenge on someone, just live a life that's more fabulous than theirs." "Romance" combines classical piano, electronic sounds, gothic rock, and R&B elements to create a cool, ethereal, yet emotionally intense atmosphere. The lyrics offer a cruel yet beautiful depiction of modern love, with Tsai saying, "Sometimes, romance is preordained – the prince meets the princess, and they live happily ever after. But no one tells you what happens after the wedding." "Sweet Guilty Pleasure" is built on bounce music, with direct, powerful lyrics that explore the tension between sweet sensuality and dangerous provocation. Tsai remarked, "Understanding your own body is also understanding desire. Society needs to teach these concepts so you don't hurt others out of curiosity."
"Necessary Evil" presents novelistic lyrics delivered through hardcore rap, capturing the conflict between repression and liberation. Tsai explained, "I want to tell everyone that entering your inner world can be terrifying. But once you're willing to face it, it's not as evil as you imagined." The song blends synthesizers, gothic rock, and trap music, creating a violent yet aesthetic atmosphere. "Vulnerability" drew its arrangement inspiration from David Bowie, with a retro soul-folk base, blending hip hop, rock, and soul influences. The lyrics delve into the true courage required in love, with Tsai stating, "We must believe in the power of love, not allow ourselves to be knocked down by it and stop believing." "Shadow Self" is driven by an alternative R&B rhythm, incorporating ambient sounds from Tsai's recurring dreams. The song's lyrics were inspired by Carl Jung's psychological concept of the "shadow self". Tsai uses a whisper-like vocal style to express her deepest emotions, saying, "Dreams are a solitary mental journey. I truly believe in what my subconscious wants to tell me." The demo for "Shadow Self" was created through music improvisation by Huang Tzu-yuan, Mickey Lin, and Sam Ho.[48][49]
Artwork and packaging
On November 27, 2018, the first set of promotional photos for the album was revealed, with the theme "Mouth of Truth". In one of the photos, Tsai is seen wearing an exaggerated red lip accessory from the brand Shuting Qiu, striking an eerie hand gesture and a fragile expression. This visual concept conveyed the album's message of challenging traditional notions of beauty and ugliness. The photo shoot, as well as additional exclusive photos included in the album's limited edition pre-order, were created by photographer Zhong Ling and stylist Yii Ooi.[2] The outfits featured in the photos were designed by emerging Chinese fashion labels Pronounce, Shushu/Tong, Villa XRWA, and Windowsen.[50]
On December 14, 2018, the second set of promotional photos and the official album cover were unveiled. This photo series, dominated by black and white tones, features Tsai in a black suit jacket, leather gloves, and over-the-knee boots from the brand Gareth Pugh. The imagery emphasized the album's theme of validating negative emotions. The photos were created by photographer Icura Chiang, stylist Tang Lai, and Tang's Formz team members Tungus Chan and Matthew Chan.[51] Additional outfits in the official album's inner pages were designed by brands such as Marc Jacobs and Richard Quinn.[48]
The official album packaging was designed by designer Yen Po-chun, who drew inspiration from the story of "Pandora's Box". Yen felt the myth's themes aligned with the album's exploration of femininity, as well as its reflections on human nature and the balance of good and evil.[48] The pre-order limited edition packaging featured four different fabric cover designs and included a 200-page photo journal.[2]
Release and promotion
On December 4, 2018, Tsai held a pre-order promotional event for her album in Taipei, Taiwan. The following day, on December 5, 2018, the limited pre-order version of the album was made available for purchase. A total of 10,000 copies were released, all of which sold out within the first minute of the pre-order launch.[52] On December 26, 2018, Tsai held an album release event in Beijing.[1] In January 2019, Tsai held the album autograph sessions in Taipei on January 20 and in Kaohsiung on January 27.[53] On April 10, 2019, Mirror Media reported that the production and promotional costs for the album exceeded NT$70 million.[54] On May 18, 2019, Tsai held the Ugly Beauty Music Sharing Session in Shanghai.[55]
The album set a record on its release day, becoming the highest-streamed album in a single day on Spotify Taiwan.[56] On March 8, 2019, Tsai became the highest-streamed female artist in Spotify Taiwan's history.[57] On December 3, 2019, Spotify Taiwan revealed the "2019 Wrapped", where the album ranked second for the most-streamed album of the year. Tsai also ranked third for the most-streamed artist overall, first for the most-streamed female artist, and second for the most-streamed Taiwanese artist.[58] The album topped digital album charts in several regions, including Macau, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mainland China. It also ranked in the top 10 on digital album charts in Turkey, Vietnam, and Chile, among others, and received positions on charts in countries such as Ireland, Australia, Brazil, Russia, Netherlands, Mexico, New Zealand, Japan, and Thailand.[59]
The album was exclusively released digitally in Mainland China through Tencent Music's platforms. As of December 31, 2018, the album sold over 220,000 digital copies in Mainland China and ranked second for digital album sales among female artists in 2018.[60] In 2019, the album became the highest-selling digital album by a Taiwanese or Hong Kong female artist in Mainland China, and Tsai became the highest-selling female artist in terms of digital album sales in the country.[8]
The album achieved high sales in Taiwan, topping weekly album sales charts at major retailers including Books.com.tw, Eslite Bookstore, Kuang Nan, Chia Chyun Record, G-Music, Five Music, and PChome.[59] In 2018, the album ranked eighth on the Books.com.tw's year-end album sales chart,[61] third on the Kuang Nan's year-end sales chart,[62] fourth on the Chia Chyun Record's year-end sales chart,[63] second on the G-Music's year-end sales chart,[64] and third on the Five Music's year-end sales chart.[65] By March 1, 2019, the album had achieved weekly sales milestones, including three weeks at number one on Books.com.tw, six weeks at number one on Eslite Bookstore, nine weeks at number one on Kuang Nan, five weeks at number one on Chia Chyun Record, five weeks at number one on G-Music, and nine weeks at number one on Five Music, as well as six weeks at number one on PChome.[59]
In 2019, the album ranked third on the Kuang Nan's year-end sales chart,[66] eighth on the Chia Chyun Record's year-end sales chart,[67] first on the G-Music's year-end sales chart,[68] and fifth on the Five Music's year-end sales chart.[69] Additionally, the album ranked second on the 2019 YesAsia's year-end Mandarin album sales chart. On December 7, 2020, Forbes reported that the album had become the top-selling album in Taiwan for 2019.[7]
Live performances
On December 31, 2018, Tsai performed the song "Ugly Beauty" at the Jiangsu Television's New Year's Eve Concert.[70] On January 5, 2019, she participated in the recording of Taiwan Television's 2019 Super Star, where she performed "Ugly Beauty" and "Womxnly".[71] On January 26, 2019, Tsai performed "Sweet Guilty Pleasure", "Ugly Beauty", and "Hubby" at the 14th KKBox Music Awards.[72]
On April 5, 2019, Tsai appeared on the iQIYI variety show Youth With You, where she performed "Ugly Beauty" with Guan Yue, Jia Yi, Sun Zelin, Feng Junjie, and Lian Huawei.[73] On April 11, 2019, she participated in the Chinese variety show Singer 2019 on Hunan TV, where she performed "Ugly Beauty" with Greeny Wu.[74] On June 2, 2019, Tsai performed "Sweet Guilty Pleasure" and "Karma" at the 2019 Hito Music Awards.[75]
On June 29, 2019, Tsai performed "Ugly Beauty" at the 30th Golden Melody Awards.[76] On August 30, 2019, she performed "Ugly Beauty" and "Womxnly" at the 2019 Global Chinese Song Chart Awards.[77] On November 10, 2019, she performed "Ugly Beauty" at the 2019 Suning Double 11 Gala.[78] On December 14, 2019, Tsai performed "Ugly Beauty", "Womxnly", "Sweet Guilty Pleasure", and "Hubby" at the 13th Migu Music Awards.[79] On December 23, 2019, she participated in the recording of the New Year's Eve Concert hosted by CCTV, where she performed "Ugly Beauty".[80] On June 5, 2023, Tsai appeared on the Japanese YouTube music channel The First Take, where she performed "Womxnly".[81]
Singles
On December 21, 2018, Tsai released the single "Ugly Beauty".[82] The song achieved the number one spot on digital music charts in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Mainland China on its release day, and also ranked in the top 10 on digital charts in Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore.[59] On December 26, 2018, Tsai released the music video for "Ugly Beauty", directed by Muh Chen. The video centers around the theme of "Tsai Judging Tsai", symbolizing a reconciliation between her past and present selves, while also revisiting the "dark history" of her career. The production cost of the music video was NT$15 million, making it the most expensive music video of Tsai's career at the time.[83] In its first week, the video topped several charts, including Taiwan's YouTube Trending chart, the YinYueTai's Hong Kong/Taiwan chart, and Bilibili chart.[59]
On January 4, 2019, "Ugly Beauty" reached number one on the Billboard China Top 100 chart, becoming the first song to ever top the chart since its inception.[84] Additionally, other tracks from the album achieved positions on the Billboard China Top 100 chart, with "Womxnly" reaching number 7[85], "Karma" reaching number 20,[86] "Lady in Red" reaching number 10,[87] "Sweet Guilty Pleasure" reaching number 10,[88] "Hubby" reaching number 11,[89] and "Life Sucks" reaching number 10.[89] On January 31, 2019, "Ugly Beauty" was awarded the top spot on Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles chart, marking Tsai as the artist with the most number one hits on the chart.[90]
Music videos
Sandra Ng (left) and Rhydian Vaughan (right), two collaborators in the music videos from the album
On January 28, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Hubby", directed by Jeff Chang. The video was inspired by 1980s Hong Kong movies and featured actors Sandra Ng and Ryan Zheng.[91] On February 15, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Womxnly", directed by Ryan Parma.[92] The video went on to achieve success, ranking as the 6th most-viewed music video on Taiwan's YouTube Music Videos list for 2019.[93] On March 12, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Life Sucks", also directed by Jeff Chang.[94] The video topped the QQ Music's Hong Kong/Taiwan video chart and Bilibili's music video chart during its first week.[59]
On April 2, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Lady in Red", directed by Cheng Wei-hao. The video featured cameos by Dee Hsu and Jacob Wang.[95] On the same day, a premiere event for the video was held at the Vieshow Cinemas in Xinyi, Taipei.[96] The production cost of the video was NT$15 million,[54] and it topped both the QQ Music's music video chart and Bilibili's music video chart in its first week.[59]The Beijing News described the video as a significant departure from previous music video trends, praising it as a "revelation" for the music industry, breaking away from traditional video formats by offering a deeper artistic vision.[97]
On May 9, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Karma", directed by Remii Huang. The video's narrative was inspired by the "Queen of Anatahan" incident during World War II.[98] The video again achieved top rankings on both the QQ Music's music video chart and Bilibili's music video chart in its first week.[59] On June 26, 2019, Tsai released the music video for "Romance", directed by Cheng Wei-hao, featuring actors Rhydian Vaughan and Bamboo Chen.[99] On December 16, 2020, Tsai released the music video for "Sweet Guilty Pleasure", directed by Leo Liao.[100] The video, which invited YouTuber Mr & Mrs Gao to participate, was inspired by the documentary The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins.[101] The video had a production budget of NT$12 million.[102]
On September 20, 2019, Tsai announced that her fifth concert tour, the Ugly Beauty World Tour, would begin on December 30, 2019, at Taipei Arena. She revealed that the tour would collaborate with the creative team The Squared Division. Tsai explained, "For this concert, I hope to break all the rules and bring the audience a crazy sensory experience," adding, "I want to bring the complete visual effect of the entire album to the stage, creating an imaginative Ugly Beauty magical world. At the same time, we'll present my classic songs from the past 20 years in a new way, hoping to give the fans a true sense of our team's dedication in this alternate dimension."[13]
On December 31, 2019, it was reported that the production cost of the Taipei stop alone exceeded NT$246 million, including NT$90 million for concert props and NT$20 million for six interlude videos, breaking the record for the most expensive concert ever held at Taipei Arena.[103] Songwriter Kenny Tso praised Tsai, saying, "There are very few Chinese-language artists capable of doing large-scale dance performances, and Jolin Tsai is definitely at the top. However, she has created an even higher standard than expected. From the audience's reactions and the reviews, it's clear that this is a remarkable achievement."[104]
In January 2020, due to the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, additional dates of the tour were consecutively postponed.[105] On October 5, 2020, Tsai announced that the tour would resume in Taiwan on November 20, 2020, at Kaohsiung Arena.[106] On January 7, 2022, all postponed shows in Mainland China were officially canceled due to the ongoing pandemic.[107] By January 8, 2023, the tour spanned over three years and included 23 performances in two cities in Taiwan, with a total production cost of approximately NT$400 million. It grossed approximately NT$680 million in ticket sales and attracted around 250,000 spectators.[108]
On March 22, 2023, media outlets reported that the tour was expected to begin its international leg in mid-2023, with plans to perform outside of Taiwan.[109] On April 6, 2023, Tsai's manager, Tom Wang, confirmed that the team had received numerous invitations to tour overseas, but stated that the schedule was still being evaluated for feasibility.[110] On April 28, 2023, Tsai later confirmed this on her Weibo account, stating, "I'm coming soon, please be patient!"[111] On June 19, 2019, Tsai officially announced that the Mainland China leg would begin on July 22, 2019 in Guangzhou.[112] Ultimately, the tour concluded on August 18, 2024 in Xiamen. Spanning four years and seven months, the tour consisted of 63 shows across 27 cities.[113]
Golden Melody Awards jury praised the album, stating: "In this album, Jolin Tsai confronts her own pain and the ridicule from the outside world, encouraging everyone to love their bodies. Through lively dance tracks, she heals emotional wounds, presenting a unique narrative perspective and style that sets it apart from last year's works."[116]CMIC Music Awards jury commended the album's exceptional production, noting that its style, arrangement, and sequencing were well-crafted. The album's concept was unified and cohesive, evoking genuine emotions that resonate with listeners, making it both highly enjoyable and memorable. The judges also added: "Through the cohesive integration of concept, performance, production, and visuals, Tsai presents a multi-dimensional portrayal of herself. The innovative performance language creates fashion-forward pop symbols, offering an exciting and impactful listening experience that showcases her distinct musical style and pop appeal."
Chinese Musicians Exchange Association noted: "After a four-year hiatus, Jolin Tsai's Ugly Beauty is a meticulously produced album with a relaxed and expressive vocal performance. Not only does it reflect her introspection on life, but it also encapsulates the best aspects of her past works. This ambitious and creative album is worthy of her status as a pop diva."[5] Bradley Stern of MuuMuse stated: "Ugly Beauty marks Jolin Tsai's glamorous return to the music scene after a four-year break since her 2014 album Play."[117] Billie Helton of Everything Is Noise described the album as "a great pop album, doing many different things to keep you engaged. It is another example of Jolin Tsai's excellent output over the past 20 years, showcasing how precious it is that this artist is still able to create such diverse music."[118]
Sina Weibo music critic Zou Xiaoying wrote: "For Jolin Tsai, this is a milestone album—one that is narrative-driven while remaining at the cutting edge of fashion. It is an album that helps her reconnect with the traditional definition of a 'singer'."[119] Sina Weibo critic Rui Li Xiu Rui added: "This album raises listeners' aesthetic expectations."[120] Felix from PlayMusic awarded the album a score of 4.5/5, noting: "The album is strong in its overall coherence, filled with dark humor. From the tracks laden with negativity, Tsai channels her positive energy and confidence, no longer fearing public judgment but staying true to herself. Compared to her previous album Play, Ugly Beauty presents a more complete theme and better represents the artist herself."[114]QQ Music gave the album a score of 4/5 and listed it among the 60 Best Albums of 2018.[121] The review commented: "Ugly Beauty can be seen as the final chapter in the 'self-exploration' series that began with Myself. It begins with confidence and ends with the acceptance of imperfection, featuring internationally-influenced dance tracks while gradually stripping away sensory stimuli to reveal raw emotional lines."[6]
Taiwan's GQ magazine ranked it among the 12 Must-Listen Chinese Albums of 2018 list, stating: "Four years in the making, Ugly Beauty revolves around the scars Jolin Tsai has accumulated over 20 years in the industry. She transforms every insult, mockery, and pain into a melody, responding with her most beautiful stance, equipped with several knockout moves."[122]The Beijing News listed the album as one of the Top 10 Chinese Albums of the Year, commenting: "Through exploring both internal and external worlds and challenging single standards of beauty and values, Jolin Tsai continues to advance her musical concepts and maturity. This version of Jolin is intriguingly beautiful."[123]Southern Metropolis Daily ranked it as the number one album in their Top 10 Chinese Albums of 2018 list.[124] Punchline ranked it third in their Top 10 Chinese Albums of 2018 list.[125] Taiwan's Hit FM also included it in their Top 10 Albums of 2018 list.[126] CRI Online Japan ranked it as the number one Chinese album of 2018.[127]
Tencent Music's Wave Committee named it the 7th best album in their list of 200 Best Chinese Albums of 2001-2020 for the years 2010–2020, praising: "Ugly Beauty is a masterpiece from Jolin Tsai, a stunning statement as she navigates her life at 35. Not only does the album incorporate popular contemporary music styles, but it also explores serious social issues such as aesthetic diversity, campus bullying, personal growth, and the distance from evil. Through this album, Tsai proves that dance music can also carry profound meaning, as many female pop stars remain stuck in youthful nostalgia, while Tsai has evolved alongside the times."[128]
Accolades
On March 25, 2019, Tsai was awarded Best Hong Kong/Taiwan Female Singer at the 26th Chinese Top Ten Music Awards.[129] On May 12, 2019, the album was named one of the Top 10 Albums of 2018 by Chinese Musicians Exchange Association, and the song "Womxnly" was recognized as one of the Top 10 Singles of 2018.[5]
On May 15, 2019, the 30th Golden Melody Awards announced its nominees, where Ugly Beauty received a total of seven nominations, making it one of the two albums with the most nominations that year. The album was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Mandarin Album, and Best Vocal Recording Album. The song "Womxnly" was nominated for Song of the Year, while the music video for "Ugly Beauty" was nominated for Best Music Video. Tsai was also nominated for Best Female Mandarin Singer, and Starr Chen and Tsai were nominated for Best Single Producer for the track "Ugly Beauty".[10]
On June 2, 2019, the album won the Champion Album at the Hito Music Awards, where the song "Ugly Beauty" also won Top 10 Mandarin Songs and Song of the Year for 2018. Tsai was awarded Best Female Singer.[130] On June 21, 2019, the album was named one of the Top 10 Albums of the Year at the 12th Freshmusic Awards.[131] On June 29, 2019, Ugly Beauty won two Golden Melody Awards, including Album of the Year, and "Womxnly" won Song of the Year, making it one of the most awarded albums at the ceremony.[12]
On July 31, 2019, the album won Best Pop Album and Best Pop Performance at the 3rd CMIC Music Awards, while "Ugly Beauty" won Best Music Arrangement and Best Single Producer. The music video for "Ugly Beauty" was awarded Best Music Video.[132] On August 30, 2019, the album was named Best Hong Kong/Taiwan/Overseas Album of the Year at the Global Chinese Song Awards, while "Ugly Beauty" won Song of the Year, and Tsai was awarded Most Popular Hong Kong/Taiwan/Overseas Female Singer.[133]
On December 4, 2019, Starr Chen, Razor Chiang, and Howe Chen received the Best Producer award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards for their work on the album, and Kiel Tutin won Best Choreography for the music video of "Womxnly".[134] On December 14, 2019, Tsai won Most Popular Female Singer and Most Influential Female Singer of the Year at the 13th Migu Music Awards, while "Ugly Beauty" was named one of the Top 10 Songs of the Year.[135] On January 18, 2020, Tsai was awarded Artist of the Year at the 15th KKBox Music Awards.[136] On July 15, 2020, the music video for "Lady in Red" was nominated for Best Music Video at the 31st Golden Melody Awards.[11]
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