Golden Melody Winner Chen Jian-wei Shares Children's Songwriting Secrets, Daughter's Angry Rap Goes Viral

Golden Melody Award winner Chen Jian-wei is spearheading the "2026 Our Song: Taiwanese Children's Song Creation Contest," encouraging creators to submit imaginative works. Chen, who is also the chief judge, recently appeared on programs like "Treasure Island Youth" and "Da Lun Has Plenty" to discuss the event and share his insights into crafting children's songs.

He highlighted that contemporary children are drawn to the entertainment value of popular music, citing the example of children enthusiastically singing songs from the movie "The Huntress," even without understanding the lyrics. Chen noted a shift from older children's songs that focused heavily on educational content, such as language or tool identification, towards more engaging, pop-influenced melodies.

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100 points are just a side dish

Chen drew a parallel to old, nonsensical Taiwanese proverbs like "ABC, dog bites pig, grandma sits on a plane, falls into the washing machine." He explained that while illogical, these sayings were fun for children and have endured. He believes that by adopting a child's perspective, creators can significantly expand the possibilities for Taiwanese children's songs.

He shared a personal story about his daughter, who, inspired by her father's work, created a song titled "100 Points Are Just a Side Dish" out of frustration with school exams. Chen rearranged the music and had his daughter rap a part, resulting in a unique song with a "black death腔" (a deep, guttural vocal style) and childlike charm. The song was well-received online, demonstrating the potential of channeling children's emotions into creative expression.

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ABC, dog bites pig, grandma sits on a plane, falls into the washing machine