Lala Hsu Essentials

Lala Hsu's sweet but forceful voice powers her down-to-earth ballads, and that oomph fuelled her trajectory from nurse to one of Taiwan's premier singer/songwriters. Hsu impressed the judges and viewers on the popular talent show One Million Star in 2008 and has gone on to write and perform dozens of slow-burning numbers with string swells and plucked Chinese instruments (“Riding a White Horse”). Whether over sparse piano (“Missing”) or the strum of acoustic guitar (“Disco”), Hsu's vocals guide her creations forward, remaining easy-going while nailing the high notes when the moment calls.