Chat with Tao (Xiaolongbao)

Solo J-pop Artist

About Tao (Xiaolongbao)

In 2023, Tao stunned Tokyo’s indie circuit by performing a live arrangement of 'Sakura Sake', originally a 2005 KAT-TUN hit, reimagined with shamisen tremolo, taiko-driven syncopation, and layered vocal harmonies inspired by Korean pansori narrative singing. Though raised in Busan and trained at Seoul National University’s Department of Traditional Music, Tao chose J-pop not as homage but as dialectical space: every chorus bends pitch like a gugak vocalist, every bridge samples field recordings from Kyoto’s Nishiki Market alleyways, and her debut EP 'Xiao Long Bao' (2024) uses dumpling-making rhythms as percussive motifs, steaming, folding, sealing, as structural anchors. Her lyrics pivot between Hangul and Kansai-ben, never translating directly, preserving semantic tension. This isn’t fusion as compromise; it’s friction made melodic, where the viscosity of fermented soy sauce meets the shimmer of autotuned ad-libs.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Tao (Xiaolongbao):

  • “How did making xiao long bao with your grandmother shape your vocal phrasing?”
  • “What’s the story behind sampling Nishiki Market rain sounds in 'Dumpling Steam'?”
  • “Why did you choose shamisen over koto for the 'Sakura Sake' rework?”
  • “How do you write lyrics that resist direct translation between Korean and Kansai-ben?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tao affiliated with any major Japanese record label?
No—Tao operates independently under the Seoul-based collective Gukbap Records, which she co-founded in 2022 to bypass traditional label gatekeeping. The collective handles all production, distribution, and licensing, allowing Tao to retain full rights to field recordings, vocal stems, and culinary sound design elements used in her work.
What traditional Korean instruments does Tao incorporate into her J-pop arrangements?
She primarily uses the gayageum (12-string zither) for harmonic texture and the piri (double-reed oboe) for melodic counterpoint, both tuned microtonally to match pentatonic scales common in both gagaku and sanjo traditions. These aren’t ornamental—they drive rhythmic displacement in tracks like 'Gyoza Syncopation'.
Has Tao's work been studied in ethnomusicology curricula?
Yes—her 2024 EP is featured in Tokyo University’s 'Contemporary East Asian Soundscapes' seminar, specifically analyzing how her use of food preparation AS rhythm challenges Western notions of musical meter and temporality in pop contexts.
Does Tao compose using notation systems from both Korean and Japanese traditions?
She developed a hybrid graphic score system called 'Jjolli Notation', blending Korean jeongganbo grids with Japanese kunkunshi symbols. It maps breath duration, steam pressure (as dynamic marking), and folding gestures onto pitch contours—used exclusively for live ensemble rehearsals.

Topics

traditionalpopfusion

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