Rene Liu Ruo-ying (Chinese: 劉若英; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lâu Jio̍k-eng; born 1 June, 1969)[1][2][3] is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, actress, director and writer.[4] In the Sinophone world, Liu is widely known by her affectionate nickname "Milk Tea".[5][6] Her music often focuses on love stories and has built an image around herself as a single woman. She is known for her mature, professional, urbane, single woman persona.[7]
Rene Liu | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rene Liu in 2008 | |||||||||||
| Born | 1 June 1970 | ||||||||||
| Alma mater | California State University, Fullerton | ||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actress, writer, film director | ||||||||||
| Years active | 1995-present | ||||||||||
| Spouse | Zhong Shi (m. 2011) | ||||||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 劉若英 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 刘若英 | ||||||||||
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| Musical career | |||||||||||
| Also known as | Liu Jo-ying 奶茶 (Nǎichá; milk tea) | ||||||||||
| Genres | Mandopop | ||||||||||
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Vocals | ||||||||||
| Labels | Rock Records Music Nation Group AsiaMuse B'in Music | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
She has released 20 albums[8] since 1995 and held hundreds of solo concerts worldwide. She has also had a remarkable acting career, having won numerous awards throughout Asia including Best Actress twice at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival.
Career
Rene Liu was born in Taipei City, Taiwan on June 1, 1969. She was born to an affluent family in Taipei. Her family from Liling, Hunan. Her grandfather served as a Class 1 general in the Army of the Nationalist Party of Taiwan.[7] Liu's parents divorced when she was young and she grew up in her grandparents' house.[7] In college, Liu attended California State University and has a bachelor's degree in music.
After returning to Taiwan from her studies in the USA, Liu became the assistant of Bobby Chen (Chen Sheng), a pop music composer, producer, and singer. The two began working together for the release of Liu's album in 1995, with Chen as her music producer.[7]
In 2012, Liu directed her first short film, "Love Limited Edition," where she wrote, produced, directed, and starred in.[7] The film was released on December 18, 2012 and the story is about a woman embarking on a romantic trip to Paris alone, and her introspection and growth towards an understanding of love while traveling.[9] This was the first project that she completed alone during her trip to Paris in 2010.
In 2018, Liu made her directorial debut with her film, Us and Them, a story is about two strangers who meet on a train and fall in love. Their struggles led to their breakup, but 10 years later, they reunite and pick up their story.[10] Us and Them started out as a short story written by Rene Liu and eventually adapted into a movie. The Netflix original film was a huge success in the Chinese box office, making Rene Liu the highest grossing female director for Chinese films.[11] The film became the fifth highest-grossing Chinese movie in 2018, making $157 million in revenue.[12]
Personal life
On August 8, 2011, Rene Liu married businessman Zhong Xiaojiang (Zhong Shi) in Beijing.[13] In 2015, she gave birth to a son.[14]
Discography
Studio albums
- 1995: René's Selected Theme Songs (少女小漁的美麗與哀愁)
- 1995: Raining Season (雨季)
- 1996: Walk Around (到處亂走)
- 1998: Love You More & More (很愛很愛你)
- 2000: Waiting for You (我等你)
- 2001: Those Were the Days (年華)
- 2002: Love and the City
- 2003: My Failures and Glory (我的失敗與偉大)
- 2004: I've Heard? (聽說?)
- 2005: All Night Long (一整夜)
- 2008: I'm Fine (我很好)
- 2010: Together (在一起)
- 2013: For The Loved (親愛的路人)
- 2015: Wish You Well (我要你好好的)
- 2021: Each Well (各自安好)
Compilation albums
- 2001: Harvest (收穫)
- 2003: Rock Hong Kong 10th Anniversary - René Liu Greatest Hits (滾石香港黃金十年-劉若英精選)
- 2008: René
Live albums
- 2003: 單身日誌 演唱會LIVE全紀錄
- 2012: 劉若英脫掉高跟鞋世界巡迴演唱會 (One Night Stand by Rene 2010-2011)
- 2017: 劉若英 Renext 我敢 世界巡迴演唱會 LIVE
- 2020: 2020劉若英陪你 獻上錄音專輯
Soundtrack albums
- 2004: 20 30 40 (20.30.40 愛得精采)
- 2007: Happy Birthday (《生日快樂》 電影原聲帶)
- 2008: Run Papa Run (《一個好爸爸》 電影原聲帶)
- 2012: C'est Quoi L'Amour? (愛情限量版)
Singles and EPs
- 1992: 在這恬靜的暗晡頭 (featuring Ayugo Huang)
- 1992: 遊子
- 1992: 思鄉 (featuring Bobby Chen)
- 1992: 達邦!我的鄉 (featuring Bobby Chen, Ayugo Huang, 劉佳慧)
- 1992: 黑水溝 (featuring Bobby Chen)
- 1995: 兩個世界
- 1997: 男人港 (featuring Bobby Chen)
- 1998: 大地之歌 (featuring Alex To, Bobby Chen, Chyi Yu, Fish Leong, Karen Mok, Mayday, Michael Wong, Richie Jen, Victor Wong, Wakin Chau, Wanfang, Winnie Hsin, Angelica Lee, Fengie Wang, Bobby Dou, Tarcy Su, Walkie Talkie)
- 1998: 種子 (featuring Bobby Chen, Michael Wong, Victor Wong, Sylvia Chang, 蕭言中, 阿von, 陳傑漢)
- 2001: 候鳥
- 2001: 年華(unplugged)
- 2002: 一輩子的孤單
- 2002: 大家來戀愛 (featuring Jeffrey Kung, Yuki Hsu)
- 2004: 聽!是誰在唱歌? (featuring Kay Huang)
- 2004: 聽說? (台灣預購限定盤)
- 2007: 不能跟情人說的話 (featuring FanFan)
- 2007: 最好的未來 (featuring 乔木楠)
- 2008: 分开旅行(Remixed) (featuring Stanley Huang)
- 2011: 沒有旋律配得上你 (featuring Yen-j)
- 2014: 半路
- 2015: 念念 (電影原聲帶)
- 2015: 我敢在你懷裡孤獨
- 2016: 你有沒有深愛過 (湖南衛視《青雲志》主題曲)
- 2017: 粉絲 (電影《二代妖精之今生有幸》片尾曲)
- 2020: 媽媽
- 2020: 快樂天堂
- 2020: 不營業的日常
- 2020: 每天的不理想 (featuring Kowen Ko)
- 2021: 黃金年代
- 2021: 人潮裡
- 2021: 所有相愛的人啊(熱情版)
Filmography
Film
| Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Peony Pavilion | 我的美麗與哀愁 | Liu Yu-mei | |
| Siao Yu | 少女小漁 | Lin Siao-yu | ||
| Don't Cry, Nanking | 南京1937 | Shuqin | ||
| 1996 | Tonight Nobody Goes Home | 今天不回家 | Xiaoqi | |
| Accidental Legend | 飛天 | |||
| Red Persimmon | 紅柿子 | Wang Kuang-hui | Cameo | |
| Thunder Cop | 新喋血雙雄/ 狹路險情 | Liu Mei-ying | ||
| 1997 | Murmur of Youth | 美麗在唱歌 | Chen Mei-li | |
| A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation | 小倩 | Xiaodie | Mandarin dub | |
| 1998 | The Personals | 征婚啟事 | Dr. Du Jia-zhen | |
| 2000 | Fleeing by Night | 夜奔 | Wei Ying-er | Also known as Feeling by Night |
| 2001 | Migratory Bird | 侯鳥 | Chen Fang-ning | |
| X-Roads | 新十字街頭 | Yang Shao | ||
| 2002 | Double Vision | 雙瞳 | Ching-fang | |
| 2004 | A World Without Thieves | 天下無賊 | Wang Li | |
| 20 30 40 | 20:30:40 | Xiang Xiang | ||
| The Butterfly Lovers | 蝴蝶夢－梁山伯與祝英台 | Zhu Yingtai | Voice | |
| 2007 | Kidnap | 綁架 | Inspector Ho Yuan-chun | |
| The Matrimony | 心中有鬼 | Sansan | ||
| Happy Birthday | 生日快樂 | Mi | ||
| 2008 | Run Papa Run | 一個好爸爸 | Mabel Chan | |
| 2010 | Hot Summer Days | 全城熱戀 | Li Yan | |
| 2011 | Speed Angels | 極速天使 | Han Bing | |
| Mayday 3DNA | 3DNA: 五月天 3D 演唱會電影 | Xiao Nai | ||
| Love in Space | 全球熱戀 | Rose Huang | ||
| Mr. and Mrs. Single | 隱婚男女 | Mandy | ||
| Starry Starry Night | 星空 | Mei's mother | ||
| 2017 | Love Education | 相愛相親 | Mrs. Wang | Cameo |
| 2018 | Us and Them | 後來的我們 | — | Director |
| 2022 | Welcome home | 家家 | Lo Chia-chia |
Television series
| Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Sunset in Forbidden City | 日落紫禁城 | Shanggong Yiner | |
| Cracker | — | Su Lin Tang | Series 4, episode "White Ghost" | |
| 2000 | April Rhapsody | 人間四月天 | Zhang Youyi | |
| Daily Growing | 住在十字架裡的母親 | Hsia Bi-he | ||
| 2002 | Hot Ladies | 澀女郎 | Fang Hsiao-ping | |
| 2003 | Si Shui Nian Hua | 似水年華 | Ying | |
| Pink Ladies | 粉红女郎 | Jie Hunkuang | ||
| 2004 | The Legend of Eileen Chang | 她從海上來 - 張愛玲傳奇 | Eileen Chang | |
| Double Sounding Cannon | 雙響炮 | Sherry | ||
| 2006 | New Age Of Marriage | 新結婚時代 | Gu Xiaoxi | |
| 2014 | He and His Sons | 半路父子 | Jiang Xin |
Awards and nominations
References
External links
- Rene Liu at IMDb
- Rene Liu at the Hong Kong Movie Database
- Rene Liu on Facebook
- (in Chinese) Official site
- Rene Liu Introduction and Her Music