David Tao will sing but not strut

"I won't invite guests to perform, I won't dance, take off my clothes or dress up like a peacock to arouse attention of the audience," says Taiwan singer and song producer David Tao, who was in town last week to prepare for his Beijing concert on March 1.

"You might think the concert sounds boring but the concert will offer just music," he says with confidence. "It's a simple concept but dynamic in delivering pure music."

Taiwan singer and producer David Tao will give a concert in Beijing on March 1.
[Guo Yingguang]

With six albums in 10 years, the 36-year-old singer is not prolific, but he has achieved much more than other Chinese singers who have produced 10 or more albums in a short time. Dubbed the "Godfather of R 'n' B in China", he has been a trendsetter in China's music industry since his debut album Tao Zhe in 1997.

His albums have won various awards in Asia for his socially conscious lyrics, simple rhythms and creative mix of traditional sounds, like Peking Opera and traditional Chinese musical instruments.

He was the first to show Chinese singers and listeners that music has no boundaries and those that have followed have benefited from his bold and successful attempts to break new ground in the conservative world of Chinese music.

During his first concert in Beijing, in 2005, Tao surprised his audience with a 12-minute piece exclusively for Beijing.