Skip to page content

Tan Weiwei

About this Artist

Recently selected as one of the National Spirit Achievers Award recipients, TAN WEIWEI is considered the most famous folk/traditional vocalist in China. 

Most recently this year, Tan Weiwei combined Huayin Laoqiang opera, an operatic tradition from Shaanxi province and an intangible cultural heritage of China, with rock music. In collaboration with China’s oldest Huayin Laoqiang opera performers, she premiered the piece “Huayin Laoqiang Opera: Boastful Cry” at the CCTV New Year’s Gala. The performance was broadcast nationally and was one of CCTV’s most popular programs of the year, thus cementing Tan Weiwei’s Laoqiang rock status in China. Tan Weiwei also premiered Tan Dun’s newest work this past June at the Grand Opening Gala of Disney Shanghai creating Disney’s first theme song for the park. 

Tan Weiwei studied at the Sichuan Music Conservatory with Prof. Lanka Zhuoma and graduated top of her class. In 2004, she launched her first album, Heart of Grassland, which received honors from the France International Music Expo in 2005. Earlier that year, she also performed at the Chinese New Year concert gala held at in Vienna’s Golden Hall. In 2006, she was awarded second prize in the phenomenal national TV show Super Girls where she received critical acclaim and national recognition for her unique vocal talent. In 2007, Tan Weiwei performed in the musical Butterflies and released her second album, Ear World

In 2009, Tan Weiwei became the first person from mainland China to be awarded Taiwan’s Golden Horse Prize for Best Music with her work Encounter. In 2010 she released her record Tan XX and in 2011, her album 3. By 2011, she had become the Best Chinese Female Singer at the 11th China Music Media Awards. Her most recent competition was the finale of the third edition of “I Am a Singer”, where her pieces “The Lighthouse” and “Ulanbator’s Night” were selected as the best live music performance of the year.