Noted Taiwanese designer Xiao Qing-yang won the best album packaging award at the U.S.-based Independent Music Awards May 7 for his work on compatriot jazz singer Macy Chen’s record “After 75 Years.”
The album is the first-ever Taiwan release in the U.S. featuring jazz songs in Mandarin.
Xiao, a four-time Grammy nominee, was selected for the award in voting by fans and a panel of expert judges.
In an interview, Xiao recalled how when Chen first approached him to do the design work and shared the album’s background story, “I suddenly realized that I wouldn’t only be designing the cover, but also functioning like a movie director to rekindle the memories of Chen’s grandfather.”
Although the work on this album was challenging and at times depressing, Xiao noted, in the end he got a great deal of joy out of it.
Describing the creative process, Xiao said, “Album cover design is not simply decoration. If a musician can express feeling through song, then a designer can also convey emotions and music to touch people’s hearts.”
It is this take on the creative process that has served as his motivation as a graphic designer for nearly 28 years, Hsiao added. (SB-THN)