12 Girls Band was formed in 2001, after its accomplished players, all of whom studied music at the most prestigious conservatories and schools across the People’s Republic of China, and have played in China’s top orchestras, were culled from a rigorous audition process. More than 4,000 young musicians applied, answering ads that were placed in newspapers across the country.
The idea behind the group was to fuse the ancient traditions of Chinese classical and folk music with the sounds of Western pop, classical, and jazz music. The result is 12 Girls Band. Their first concert, given in Beijing in October 2001, made 12 Girls Band into stars practically overnight. Praised by the Asian media as a perfect mixd of grace, beauty, and musicianship, 12 Girls Band represented a modern-day representation of the Yue Fang, which were all-female ensembles that played in the royal courts of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE).
The number twelve has important meaning in Chinese culture, astrology, and numerology, and twelve jinchai (‘golden hairpins’) represent womanhood in ancient Chinese mythology. (There are thirteen musicians in the band, so that there is always a substitute player available at a moment’s notice.)
The musicians perform expertly on an range of ancient Chinese instruments, including the stringed and bowed erhu; the pear-shaped plucked lute called a pipa; the guzheng zither; the yangqin hammered dulcimer; a transverse flute called the dizi and the vertical flute known as the xiao; a single-stringed zither called the duxianquin; and the hulusi, a three-piped gourd flute.
12 Girls Band’s first international release, 2003’s Beautiful Energy, debuted first in Japan in 2003 and sold nearly two million copies there, giving 12 Girls Band the record for both the fastest- and highest-selling Chinese release in Japanese chart history. Their follow-up, 2004’s Shining Energy, broke another Japanese sales record with the highest number of sales of any album in a single day. The group went on to a hugely successful tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
Their first US release, 2004’s Eastern Energy, reached No. 1 on the Billboard World Music album chart, and scored 12 Girls Band the No. 62 spot on the Billboard Top 200’the highest-ranking debut for any Asian artist in Billboard chart history.
Since then, 12 Girls Band has recorded more hit albums in the Asian market: 2005’s Romantic Energy, and White Christmas, the first-ever album of international seasonal classics played on traditional Chinese instruments.
Shanghai (Manhattan Records, 2007) coincided with a very special milestone in the career of 12 Girls Band: ‘Live From Shanghai,’ their first pledge drive (these are fundraisers for American public television and radio stations, which get little or no government funding) event on PBS, which aired in June 2007 on stations around the country. Notably, this debut marked the very first time an Asian artist or group was celebrated with a PBS special. This television first was recorded live beneath Shanghai’s famed Oriental Pearl Tower, a spectacular tourist attraction along the banks of the Huangpu River that dominates the city’s dynamic, skyscraper-dotted landscape.
Discography:
Meili Yinyuehui (2001)
Joshi Juni Gakubou – Beautiful Energy (2003)
Kikou – Shining Energy (2004)
Eastern Energy (2004)
Tonkou – Romantic Energy (2005)
Romantic Energy (Domo Records, 2005)
Twelve Girls of Christmas (Domo Records, 2005)
Shanghai (Manhattan Records, 2007)
Beautiful and Shining – 15th Anniversary Album (2016)
Shinging Energy (2017)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Pity that there is no follow-up after many years. Surely there will be new musicians and new projects, but no news.
What happened to all these beautiful artists after the country used their talents to its benefit?
Kat says,
Why such negative comments,
The band is still playing today,
They are a great inspiration to all, and maybe the world should step back and listen, music and peace
Love this Band! Watched them on PBS June 2007 and seen them live in Anaheim October 2007. Made me go to Shanghai and find my now wife of 13 years!
I fell in love with this band years ago when they were featured on the Olympics passing the torch from Greece to China. I have a couple of their cd’s. I would love to them in concert. With my being half Chinese and half Iban of Malaysia, this music makes a perfect balance of two cultures becoming one.
I have make a couple of corrections to my previous comment. Apparently, some of the words that I typed did not come through. So, here is the amended version of my 21 June 2021 comment;
I fell in love with this band years ago when they were featured on the Olympics passing the torch from Greece to China. I have a couple of their cd’s. I would love to see them in concert. With my wife being half Chinese and half Iban of Malaysia, this music makes a perfect balance of two cultures becoming one.
While they may continue to be a group today most are not the original founding members of the group. The original girls music may be duplicated in some ways the original members themselves cannot. The original girls started in 2001 (estimated) and continue to 2009 when it was announced many of the founding members were leaving. I saw one of their last shows (with original members) in 2009 in Anaheim, CA. It was a memorable experience. They generally played in smaller venues but some of them were a bit larger depending on the city. I haven’t had much interest in the group since the replacement of many of its original members. The girls were never really promoted much after the originals left and no DVD’s were produced much with the new girls. I think most of what the group did after was only LIVE shows and the energy of what they were in the past was lacking. They never became what they were with the new members. I had hoped for a revival with the founding members for years but its hard for that to occur when they never really obtained the fame I thought they could have or should have. It just seemed they were more popular outside of China than in China. I think that was their greatest weakness and why many of the original members finally disbanded. It’s a shame I would have liked to see what they might have become or what music they might have produced had the original group still existed today. I hope they are all doing well in their present lives.
I really fall in love in those 12 girls16 years ago a have a few DVD of their music. They are fantastic and I have watch my DVD many times…Where are they to day, the same girls whoplay in the group that time?
One girl in the group who playing ERHU I wonder of her name and where she doing now..
She always stay on right side as number 2 when we see the stage in front. She is the one with short hair. ( like the way she playing and she is always little funny glad and smiling..) everybody do the same but well I just wonder what she doing to day..if you don`t mind..
I try to find everybody where they are and what they doing now but it`s difficult.Is it possible