S.H.E singer goes solo

Hebe Tian (田馥甄 Tian Fuzhen), one of the singers from Taiwan girl band S.H.E, will release a solo CD, it was announced on the weekend. (Source: China News - but in Chinese only). Hebe is generally regarded as the best singer of the three members, and has previously recorded some solo songs for TV and film soundtracks in the past. No date has been given for the album release.

S.H.E are three female singers: Selina Ren, Hebe Tian, and Ella Chen. The group's name is actually an acronym from their first names. The group has had remarkable success since their formation in 2001. They've had countless hits and won numerous awards (more than 130 according to Wikipedia), and regularly sell out their concert tours. For several years they were indisputably greater China's most popular group, although their popularity has waned slightly over the last couple of years. They also don't fit the traditional Asian girl group mould: instead of relying on good looks and a demure image, their popularity stems from their energetic personalities, plus of course a succession of catchy hit tunes.

(S.H.E members, from left to right, Hebe, Ella and Selina)

Will Hebe's solo venture mean the end of the group? So far the group has survived previous solo forays from group members. Ella has already acted in several TV series, including the lead role in a Taiwan television drama in 2006, while both Selina and Hebe have had regular TV host gigs. There has been no indication in the media that the group might be considering disbanding.