One of the most prominent R&B/soul artists hailing out of Taiwan, Abao is without a doubt a talent to keep your eye on. An indigenous artist of Paiwan descent, Abao and her organization Nanquaq are always making sure to support their indigenous communities and showcase the best-underappreciated artists Taiwan has to offer, thus they have now just released N1, a 7-track compilation album featuring exclusively indigenous Taiwanese artists.
Abao saw massive success back in 2019 with her album “kinakaian,” which won the Best Album and Best Song categories at the Golden Melody Awards, the Chinese-Speaking world's highest music honor. “kinakaian” acted as the blueprint for N1, which was executively curated by Abao herself, as well as indie/electronica producer Huang Shao-yong of Dark Paradise Records. As Abao notes, indigenous artists tend to perform most comfortably in familiar environments, that usually are nothing like the professional studio N1 was recorded in. Her and Huang Shao-yong however were alongside the artists every step of the way however, guiding them and providing valuable feedback.
N1 boasts an unapologetically modern sound, yet managing to pay homage to each featured artist’s indigenous heritage. The album features rising artists Natsuko, Arase, Dremedreman, Stingie, Drangadrang, Makav, and Kivi, who hail from the four of Taiwan's 16 recognized indigenous ethnic groups: Paiwan, Bunnan, Amis, and Rukai. Each singing in their own respective languages, they are able to provide a wide range of uplifting vibes, from jazz and funk to hip-hop and dance music, making this an amazing record that marks the start of something big.