A-Mei, welcome to TALK ASIA. It's good to have you with us. 阿妹，歡迎來到《亞洲名人聊天室》，很高興邀請妳來到本節目。
Now, you have been a near constant feature on the music scene here since the late '90s, 自從九○年代後期以來，妳幾乎一直都是台灣音樂界的特色，
and you continue to stand out as the only known Taiwanese tribal pop star. 而且妳也一直以台灣唯一知名的原住民流行巨星之姿脫穎而出。
Why do you think that your music has been so successful and so enduring? 妳認為妳的音樂為什麼會這麼成功，並且歷久不衰？
I think, perhaps, it's because of my passion for music. I've been exposed to music ever since I was a child. Singing music to me is a part of life. 我想，可能是因為我對音樂的熱情吧。我從小接觸音樂，唱歌對我來說是生活的一部分。
I think I have a lot of passion for music and when I hold so much passion, 我想我對音樂有很大的熱情，當我擁有這麼多熱情時，
I'm easily inspired and I want to share my inspiration with people when I'm performing on stage or for my album[s]. 我就很容易受到鼓舞，也想要透過舞台上的表演或我的專輯，將我的感動跟大家分享。
I think this is, perhaps, the reason that people have been very supportive and have encouraged me to produce good music. 我想這或許是大家都一直很支持我，並鼓勵我製作好音樂的原因。
You were born into the Puyuma clan of aborigines in the eastern mountains of Taiwan, which sounds very mystical, indeed. 妳出生於台灣東部山區原住民的卑南族，這聽起來確實是很神秘。
How different was your life then to the glamorous existence you lead now? 妳當時的生活和現在五光十色的生活型態有什麼不同？
My hometown in the east is a very tranquil town where life goes on slowly. 我在東部的家鄉是一個非常寧靜、生活步調非常慢的地方。
My life in the tribe can be described by one word, simple. Everything is simplified. 我在部落的生活可以用一個字形容—簡單，什麼事情都很簡單化。
Very simple resources, very simple thoughts, very simple happiness. 很簡單的物資，很簡單的想法，很簡單的快樂。
A simple lifestyle was sufficient for us to live in the tribe. 簡單的生活方式對於在部落生活的我們來說已經十分足夠了。
So, transitioning from such a simple life in the tribe to my fast-paced life in the city, 那，從這樣子單純的部落生活轉換至步調快速的城市生活，
especially given my current profession as an artist, I think was extremely different at the beginning. 特別是我現在的職業是藝人，我覺得一開始的差異非常大。
It took me about three to four years to adjust to the fact that I need to approach things differently compared to when I was in the tribe. 我大約花了三到四年的時間才適應這個事實，比起從前的部落生活，我得以不同的方式處事。
During that transitional period, I encountered quite a few obstacles because I had to transform my introverted and rather shy personality 在那段過渡期，我遇到相當多的困難，因為我必須從原本內向、甚至害羞的個性，
into an artist who has to have the ability to excite tens of thousands of fans on stage. 轉變為必須有能力在舞台上帶動成千上萬歌迷的藝人。
I think this transition is quite incredible. 我想這個轉變是十分驚人的。
By 2000, you had become a household name, and that led to Chen Shui-bian asking you to sing the Taiwanese anthem at his presidential inauguration. 二○○○年的時候，你已經成為家喻戶曉的人物，這促使陳水扁邀請妳在他的總統就職典禮上演唱台灣的國歌，
He was seen very much by China as a splitist -- somebody who wanted independence. 陳水扁被中國大陸視為分裂主義份子，即主張獨立的人。
Sprite axed you as its spokesperson, Beijing decided to ban you from playing on the mainland, 結果雪碧取消妳的代言，北京決定封殺妳在中國大陸演出，
though eventually they relented and said, "OK, you can come back and tour." So you did that. 雖然最後他們不再拒絕並表示：「好吧，妳可以回來巡迴演出。」因此妳才得以成行。
And then, in 2004, when you were touring on the mainland, protesters demanded that you sing the Chinese national anthem. 接著到了二○○四年，當妳在中國大陸巡迴演唱時，抗議者要求妳演唱中國國歌。
Back home in Taiwan, people were saying, "A-Mei's not sticking up for Taiwan enough." It was just this constant thing, 回到家鄉台灣後，民眾又說：「阿妹不夠支持台灣。」這一連串的事件，
and reading it, you know, it just feels like this poor girl can't win. Did it feel like that to you at the time? 讀到它時，你知道，會讓人覺得這個可憐的女孩輸定了。妳當時有像這樣的感覺嗎？
In my opinion, the big issue about the relationship between the two sides is not something I could comment on, because I don't think that I'm qualified to comment on it. 我覺得這麼大的兩岸關係議題不是我能評論的，因為我認為我沒有資格評論。
To me, just as I said before, it's very simple. I am a singer. So there shouldn't be so many complicated relationships added upon me. 對我而言，就像我之前所說的，這非常單純。我是一個歌手，不應該有太多複雜的關係加在我身上。
So I only hope that prominent figures do not place too much complication upon professional artists, because we all hope that everyone is good, just like my songs. 我只希望重要人物們不要將太多複雜因素與專業藝人扯上關係，因為我們都希望每一個人好，就像我的歌曲一樣，
They convey love, peace and feelings. I hope the same for the world. 它們傳達愛、和平和情感。我希望這個世界都是一樣的。
It wasn't that long ago where you decided to perform your first concert under your new name, which is your tribal name, Amit. 不久之前，妳決定舉行第一場以妳的新名字命名的演唱會，也就是妳的部落名字「阿密特」。
Yes. 沒錯。
What was the name change about? 換名字代表些什麼？
Actually, to me, since the beginning of my career, until right now, more than a decade later, I think I've mostly sang pop music, including love ballads and dance songs. 其實，對我來講，就是從我歌手生涯的開如至今十多年來，我認為我大多唱的是流行音樂，包括抒情歌和快歌。
After singing many different types of songs, I've always hoped to create a new brand for me to experiment [with] more authentic music. 在演唱這麼多不同類型的歌曲後，我一直希望能為自己創造一個新的品牌，實驗更多真正的音樂。
So, in recent years, the government implemented a new policy to allow aboriginal people to convert their names back. 近年來，政府執行一項新政策，讓原住民回復他們原本的姓名。
So, at the time, since my aboriginal name is Amit, I thought, A-Mei is me, Amit is also me. 所以在那個時候，我知道我有個原住民的名字叫做阿密特，我想，阿妹是我，阿密特也是我，
So why not use my aboriginal name, Amit, to establish a completely new music brand? 為什麼不就用我的原住民名字阿密特，去建立一個全新的音樂品牌呢？