By Chen Nan (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-09 09:38

Sa Dingding's cross-cultural family background helped her develop her unique style of music.

Her long hair flowing down to her skinny shoulders instead of resting in a topknot as in her portraits, Sa Dingding exudes the assured air of a star who takes her role very seriously.

She is not quite as exquisitely dressed in person as her promotion pictures show, although she turns up for the interview in an explosion of new-age style: earrings the size of tennis balls dangling down to her shoulders, green bellyband, white silk gown, bright pink pants and a catchy pair of hand-made silk shoes.

But the fact that she is good looking and dresses in exotic clothes is not the reason she is under the spotlight nowadays - it is her music and dancing on stage that explains this.

Of the newest crop of Chinese stars, Sa stands out. The 25-year-old young Chinese singer/songwriter, whose real name is Zhou Peng, made the world sit up and pay attention in London recently when she won the prestigious BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music in the Asia Pacific category, the first time the award went to a Chinese singer.

With her enigmatic soprano voice, this young artist has brought the ethnic tunes of ancient Tibet to the notice of the world. With lyrics in Mandarin, Tibetan, Sanskrit, and a unique language all her own, Sa highly values vocals and natural sounds.

"I didn't even expect to be nominated, let alone winning the award," she says at her record company in Beijing. "But when my name was called, I felt I deserved it." Such confidence came in handy when she gave 97 interviews to media from around the world on her tour of Europe.

Sa says it has always been her ambition to share her music with a wider audience. "I am happy to have this award. As a Chinese, I am deeply in love with my country and its culture. There are many treasures in China's long history and rich culture, which I am very proud of. And I want to present this heritage through modern eyes and inject new life into it," she said in her award acceptance speech in London. "I am glad to have the opportunity to fulfil my dream, for people far from China to listen to my music and see me perform. I hope I can be a cultural bridge between the West and China."

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