alan

File:Alan-promo-xindedongfang.jpg

alan promoting "Xīn De Dōng Fāng" (2009)

alan (アラン, 阿兰, or 阿蘭), born Alan Dawa Dolma, is an ethnically Tibetian Chinese vocalist born in July of 1987 in Kangding, Sichuan Province. She was discovered by avex trax during their Chinese auditions in 2006 and released her debut single "Ashita e no Sanka" on November 21st, 2007. On March 4th, 2009 she released her Japanese debut album "Voice of EARTH", and on July 10th, 2009 she released her Chinese major debut album "Xīn De Dōng Fāng".

Profile

• Birth name: Alan Dawa Dolma
• Stage name: alan
• Spelling: Simplified Chinese: 阿兰达瓦卓玛, Traditional Chinese: 阿蘭達瓦卓瑪, Pinyin: Ālán Dáwǎ Zhuōmǎ
• Birthdate: July 25th, 1987
• Birthplace: Kangding, Sichuan Province, China
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 164cm (5'4")

Biography

Early Life

Alan Dawa Dolma was born in Kangding, Garzê Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, on July 25th, 1987. Her father was a government officer and her mother was a singer. Growing up with her grandparents in nearby Danba (Rongtrag, a.k.a. Beauty Valley), she began learning to play the erhu (a two-stringed Chinese violin) at a young age, and in 1997 began to attend the Affiliated Middle & High School of the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu.

Career

File:Alan.jpg

alan (2008)

She was accepted to the PLA Art Academy in Beijing in 2003 and double majored in vocal music and erhu, and subsequently joined the "Feel Fine Band," a group of young female performers of traditional Chinese instruments. In 2005, she released her Chinese indies debut album, "Shēng Shēng Zuì Rú Lán", and represented China at the 9th Asia New Singer Competition, where she won second place. avex trax held auditions in China in 2006, and in the April of that year alan was selected from 40,000 contestants.

She then moved to Tokyo in September of 2007, and, taking on the stage name alan, she released "Ashita e no Sanka" on November 21st, 2007. A digital single was released on May 20th, 2008 to support victims of the Sichuan Earthquake, and her last single of the "Voice of EARTH" era, "Gunjou no Tani", was dedicated to those victims. In July 2008, the single "Natsukashii Mirai ~longing future~" was selected as the theme song for NHK's Save the Future TV program. This was also the first in five consecutive monthly singles which represented the five elements of Godai or Tibetan Bön, the latter representing Earth. "Sora Uta", represents Aether, "Kaze no Tegami" - Wind, "RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~" - Fire, and "Megumi no Ame" - Water.

alan was chosen to sing the theme songs for the two-part Chinese epic movie RED CLIFF. The songs were released in both Chinese and Japanese. "RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~" was released on October 15, 2008, as part of the five singles representing the five elements, and the second song, "Kuon no Kawa", was released on April 8th, 2009. She performed "Xīn Zhàn ~RED CLIFF~" at the Cannes Festival in May of 2008.

Musical Style

alan's songs for the most part are ballads, and for the majority of them she uses a traditional style of singing called the Tibetian wail. She has only used the erhu a few times in her songs, and only for short periods. alan can also play the piano and the hulusi.

Japanese Discography

Albums

• [2009.03.04] Voice of EARTH

Singles

• [2007.11.21] Ashita e no Sanka (明日ヘの讃歌; A Hymn For Tomorrow)
• [2008.03.05] Hitotsu (ひとつ; One)
• [2008.07.02] Natsukashii Mirai ~longing future~ (懐かしい未来 ～longing future～; Longing Future)
• [2008.08.16] Sora Uta (空唄; Sky Song)
• [2008.09.10] Kaze no Tegami (風の手紙; Letter of the Wind)
• [2008.10.15] RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~ (RED CLIFF ～心・戦～; Heart, War)
• [2008.11.12] Megumi no Ame (恵みの雨; Rain's Blessing)
• [2009.02.04] Gunjou no Tani (群青の谷; Ultramarine Valley)
• [2009.04.08] Kuon no Kawa (久遠の河; River of Eternity)
• [2009.09.02] Natsu no Umi (夏の海; Summer Sea)

Digital Downloads

• [2008.05.20] Shiawase no Kane (幸せの鐘; Bells of Happiness)
• [2009.01.05] Liberty

Compilations / Soundtracks

• [2007.11.07] TOKYO PUDDING presents TOKYO SOUNDSCAPES (#3 Jane Doe by Itsco, Olivia Burrell, alan, YO!su-K & Makking)
• [2007.12.05] Rin' - Genji Nostalgy (#3 Sennen no Niji feat. alan)
• [2008.10.24] RED CLIFF Original Soundtrack Part I (#15 RED CLIFF ~Shin・Sen~ (End Roll Version))
• [2008.11.26] a-nation '08 ~avex ALL CAST SPECIAL LIVE~ (#8 RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~)
• [2009.01.28] Disney Dream Pop ~ Tribute to Tokyo Disney Resort 25th Anniversary (#5 Yume wa Hisoka ni)
• [2009.04.08] RED CLIFF Original Soundtrack Complete Album (#16 Kuon no Kawa (End Roll Version))
• [2009.05.20] Marty Friedman - Tokyo Jukebox (#12 Ashita e no Sanka Metal Guitar Instrumental Version Cover by Marty Friedman)

Chinese Discography

Albums

• [2005.08.15] Shēng Shēng Zuì Rú Lán (声声醉如兰; Entranced With the Voice of Alan) (indies)
• [2006.07.17] Yù Jiàn Ālán (遇见阿兰; Meeting Alan) (indies)
• [2009.07.10] Xīn De Dōng Fāng (心的東方; East of the Heart)

Singles

• [2008.06.11] Xīn Zhàn ~RED CLIFF~ (心•战 ~RED CLIFF~; Heart, War)

Digital Downloads

• [2008.05.20] Aì Jiù Shì Shoǔ (愛就是手; Love is Our Hands)
• [2008.10.29] Jiā Yoú! Nǐ Yoǔ ME! (feat. Wei Chen) (加油! 你有ME! (宣传单曲); Go! You Have ME!)
• [2009.01.01] Chì Bì ~Dà Jiāng Dōng Qù~ (赤壁 ～大江東去～; Red Cliff ~Great River Gone East~)

External Links

• Official Webite
• alan at avex china
• Official Japanese Blog
• Official Chinese Blog
• Oricon Profile
• alan world (fansite)