His left arm has a tattoo of a man and a woman. Mraz says the man represents him, with his height and age written vertically, and he will fill in the woman's stats when he finds the special one.
On his right forearm is a "Be Love" tattoo, featuring a circle with a triangle inside, which symbolizes being whole in mind, body and soul.
The American singer-songwriter, who is also a Grammy winner, will bring his love tunes to China as part of his tour, Tour is a Four Letter Word.
After rocketing to international fame with his pop track I'm Yours in 2008, the singer strapped on his cowboy look and added a country flair for his fourth album, Love is a Four Letter Word.
His album cover has a primary color artwork, which features rectangles, circles, triangles and squares placed alongside one another to form the word "love".
Mraz says his latest album is about love and how love is a choice for everyone. Every song he wrote since 2009 came out of love, which he sums up in one of his new tracks, Everything is Sound, where he begins with the line, "When there is love, I can't wait to talk about it."
"I really wanted to make an album about love. That was my starting point," he says. "So, I really set out to make a love-based album about the fact that love is a choice. It's a choice that we make to see it or not, to have it or not, and I'm obviously not a master of it in anyway but I really wanted to learn more about it."
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Descendants" star Shailene Woodley picked up the breakthrough performance award. "Spiderman" actress Emma Stone was given the trailblazer trophy and Johnny Depp was honored with the generation award for a career spanning three decades.
"It's like the get-out-of-the-business award basically, when you've done too much ... There's obviously something wrong with me," Depp joked in his acceptance speech.
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor showed off his guitar skills, joining rockers The Black Keys for their hit singles "Gold On The Ceiling" and "Lonely Boy."
In some of the night's more irreverent categories, Jennifer Aniston picked up the best on-screen dirtbag award for her role as a foul-mouthed, blackmailing dentist in "Horrible Bosses."
The best kiss trophy was again given to "Twilight" leads Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, who have won for their steamy on-screen clinches for the past three years.
Despite its billing an outrageous event, the show seemed more tame than in previous years with little foul language or onstage antics. Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello did some spicing up with a near strip tease. The trio stars in an upcoming film, "Magic Mike," about male strippers.
"It's like the get-out-of-the-business award basically, when you've done too much ... There's obviously something wrong with me," Depp joked in his acceptance speech.
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor showed off his guitar skills, joining rockers The Black Keys for their hit singles "Gold On The Ceiling" and "Lonely Boy."
In some of the night's more irreverent categories, Jennifer Aniston picked up the best on-screen dirtbag award for her role as a foul-mouthed, blackmailing dentist in "Horrible Bosses."
The best kiss trophy was again given to "Twilight" leads Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, who have won for their steamy on-screen clinches for the past three years.
Despite its billing an outrageous event, the show seemed more tame than in previous years with little foul language or onstage antics. Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello did some spicing up with a near strip tease. The trio stars in an upcoming film, "Magic Mike," about male strippers.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
When I finished all the remix
When I was asked to give a show at the Zumba Convention, I hoped to use a popular Chinese song," he told China Daily in Beijing. "But I was skeptical. I didn't know if it would work there. But I wanted to do something different."
"When I finished all the remix and designed all the dance moves, the final effect was a huge surprise to me," Wang continued. "When I saw nearly 1,000 foreigners dancing with me, clapping their hands and shaking their bodies in yangko moves, I was so proud."
After the successful show at the 2010 Zumba Convention, Wang continued to mix workout moves with traditional Chinese dances.
He not only employed fast, hard beats, but also used some soft, slow songs to mix with salsa and flamenco.
He usually experiments with remixes for hours and dances in front of the mirror to see if it's proper for exercise.
"When I finished all the remix and designed all the dance moves, the final effect was a huge surprise to me," Wang continued. "When I saw nearly 1,000 foreigners dancing with me, clapping their hands and shaking their bodies in yangko moves, I was so proud."
After the successful show at the 2010 Zumba Convention, Wang continued to mix workout moves with traditional Chinese dances.
He not only employed fast, hard beats, but also used some soft, slow songs to mix with salsa and flamenco.
He usually experiments with remixes for hours and dances in front of the mirror to see if it's proper for exercise.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
The first performances of the Moscow Soloists
Viola master Yuri Bashmet will lead the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra to perform In Shanghai and Beijing on May 23 and May 24 respectively.
The first performances of the Moscow Soloists were staged in 1992, at the Big Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Salle Pleyel in Paris, when Yuri Bashmet gathered Moscow State Conservatory's top graduates.
Since that time, it has given more than 1,700 concerts in more than 50 countries and performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna and Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
The first performances of the Moscow Soloists were staged in 1992, at the Big Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Salle Pleyel in Paris, when Yuri Bashmet gathered Moscow State Conservatory's top graduates.
Since that time, it has given more than 1,700 concerts in more than 50 countries and performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna and Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
The group Is frontman Qu Zihan
"Shanren" literally means "mountain men", but the namesake band insists on using pinyin for their English name, because they believe subtle meaning is lost in the translation.
The group's frontman Qu Zihan puts it like this: "We all come from the mountains, but shanren also implies wisdom. We want to make music with Chinese characteristics."
The outfit from Yunnan province has taken their Chinese rock to South Korea, Spain, Britain, the United States, Canada and Indonesia in recent years.
Simultaneously, the band makes an annual trip to places "out there" to learn from traditional folk musicians and find inspiration.
In 2011, they traveled to Chuxiong, Nujiang, Lincang and Ximeng in Yunnan and recorded local folk music, some tracks of which are samples on their new album, which comes out next month.
"When you live in the city too long, you feel empty and need to recharge," bassist Ai Yong says. "We find the meaning of music in the mountains, where music is an organic part of life."
Shanren released its first CD Shanren Band in 2008, after performing in grassroots venues for almost 10 years. The album tells stories about ordinary people.
The group's frontman Qu Zihan puts it like this: "We all come from the mountains, but shanren also implies wisdom. We want to make music with Chinese characteristics."
The outfit from Yunnan province has taken their Chinese rock to South Korea, Spain, Britain, the United States, Canada and Indonesia in recent years.
Simultaneously, the band makes an annual trip to places "out there" to learn from traditional folk musicians and find inspiration.
In 2011, they traveled to Chuxiong, Nujiang, Lincang and Ximeng in Yunnan and recorded local folk music, some tracks of which are samples on their new album, which comes out next month.
"When you live in the city too long, you feel empty and need to recharge," bassist Ai Yong says. "We find the meaning of music in the mountains, where music is an organic part of life."
Shanren released its first CD Shanren Band in 2008, after performing in grassroots venues for almost 10 years. The album tells stories about ordinary people.
Friday, January 4, 2013
If more than 60 percent of the audience votes for a vocalist
Viewers will get the final say. Judges - they include composer and songwriter Gao Xiaosong and singer Cai Guoqing - are more like mentors, who offer guidance to competitors.
"Although we've replicated most aspects of the original show, we've altered the stage design," Liu says.
In the second phase, the audience will be divided onstage into three sections, with 100 people from three generations in every section, with their backs to the singers.
If more than 60 percent of the audience votes for a vocalist, their section of the stage swivels around to face the singer. The competitor can continue if all three sections turn around to face him (her).
"The stage is larger and more flexible," Liu says.
Such rules identify a singer who can cater to different age groups' tastes, he says.
The winner will be recruited by a music executive and get the chance to perform at the opening ceremony of this year's Nanning International Folk Song Art Festival.
The concept is also used by Yunnan Satellite TV's recently launched Perfect Voice.
It hopes to capitalize on the novelty and fairness of judging contestants solely on their singing.
The show's director Peng Ying insists the format wasn't inspired by foreign shows but, rather, developed out of a quest for impartiality.
"Although we've replicated most aspects of the original show, we've altered the stage design," Liu says.
In the second phase, the audience will be divided onstage into three sections, with 100 people from three generations in every section, with their backs to the singers.
If more than 60 percent of the audience votes for a vocalist, their section of the stage swivels around to face the singer. The competitor can continue if all three sections turn around to face him (her).
"The stage is larger and more flexible," Liu says.
Such rules identify a singer who can cater to different age groups' tastes, he says.
The winner will be recruited by a music executive and get the chance to perform at the opening ceremony of this year's Nanning International Folk Song Art Festival.
The concept is also used by Yunnan Satellite TV's recently launched Perfect Voice.
It hopes to capitalize on the novelty and fairness of judging contestants solely on their singing.
The show's director Peng Ying insists the format wasn't inspired by foreign shows but, rather, developed out of a quest for impartiality.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Songbird flits from stage to stage
The year was 2007 when soprano Chen Xiaoduo received a phone call from leading composer Chen Qigang asking her to be part of his production. And, as the saying goes, the rest is history.
Chen was already an acclaimed soprano then, having won Beijing's 2004 National Singing Competition. But, since she started her career as a traditional opera singer, she had not stood on another stage. That phone call in 2007 propelled her from one stage to another, even beyond the country's shores.
She was the first singer of You and Me, the 2008 Beijing Olympics theme song. She was also invited to sing a romantic ballad, Ring, together with pop singer Han Geng.
In 2010, she took a dip into pop and folk singing, as well as dancing, when she performed the lead role in the opera In That Remote Place. The production tells the story of Wang Luobin (1913-96), who's known as the "Father of Chinese Folk Music".
In 2011, she sang the theme song Qin and Huai Scenery for director Zhang Yimou's movie The Flowers of War.
Those were bold and surprising moves, following her role in Chen Qigang's opera Iris Unveiled. In 2009, the opera was staged at New York's Carnegie Hall. Chen's sweet operatic voice, together with that of another Peking Opera-style soprano, Meng Meng, impressed Western audiences.
Having just wrapped up her performances of the opera at the Hong Kong Culture Center in mid-April, Chen will perform in the US in May, under the baton of Edo de Waart. The tour will include Carnegie Hall.
Chen was already an acclaimed soprano then, having won Beijing's 2004 National Singing Competition. But, since she started her career as a traditional opera singer, she had not stood on another stage. That phone call in 2007 propelled her from one stage to another, even beyond the country's shores.
She was the first singer of You and Me, the 2008 Beijing Olympics theme song. She was also invited to sing a romantic ballad, Ring, together with pop singer Han Geng.
In 2010, she took a dip into pop and folk singing, as well as dancing, when she performed the lead role in the opera In That Remote Place. The production tells the story of Wang Luobin (1913-96), who's known as the "Father of Chinese Folk Music".
In 2011, she sang the theme song Qin and Huai Scenery for director Zhang Yimou's movie The Flowers of War.
Those were bold and surprising moves, following her role in Chen Qigang's opera Iris Unveiled. In 2009, the opera was staged at New York's Carnegie Hall. Chen's sweet operatic voice, together with that of another Peking Opera-style soprano, Meng Meng, impressed Western audiences.
Having just wrapped up her performances of the opera at the Hong Kong Culture Center in mid-April, Chen will perform in the US in May, under the baton of Edo de Waart. The tour will include Carnegie Hall.
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