Recognizing an Exit From an Ambitious and Lonely Love

Music Premiere: "Gilot" by Surrija



At long last, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Jane Lui, who's making music these days under the name Surrija, will release her long-awaited fourth album next month. Surrija will be available on April 3.

It's a been a minute since Jane, a good friend to this website, dropped a full-length. While taking a break after her last record, 2010's Goodnight Company, Jane says she wasn't even sure she had another album in her. But when she finally did start writing again, she found inspiration half a world away, in Spain.

"When I felt the songs again, I hopped on a plane to Barcelona, locked myself in a room for three weeks, and material came rushing through," Jane shared during the new album's Kickstarter campaign. "During these Barcelona sessions, I deliberately wrote away from my normal tendencies to hatch an evolution."

The result: Surrija, and a haunting new electropop sound. We're proud to debut the new single, "Gilot."

Jane Lui is making her long-awaited fourth album

Help this mad genius make her first album in nine years.



All right, everybody. Our good friend singer/songwriter Jane Lui is raising funds for her new album Surrija -- her first in nine years -- and she needs your help. She's got new songs, a new sound, a great team of collaborators, and some good old fashioned Spanish inspiration to make what she believes is her best record to date.

"I took a much needed break after my last record and honestly didn't know if I had another album in me," Jane shares. "When I felt the songs again, I hopped on a plane to Barcelona, locked myself in a room for three weeks, and material came rushing through. During these Barcelona sessions, I deliberately wrote away from my normal tendencies to hatch an evolution."

Here's some more info from Jane:

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 37: They Call Us Cambodian Rock Band

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we welcome playwright Lauren Yee and performer Jane Lui, fresh off the world premiere run of their groundbreaking play Cambodian Rock Band, which joins the story of family secrets, Cambodia's darkest hour, and the incredible sounds of Cambodian psychedelic surf rock.

Jane Lui and Puppet Friends cover "I Can't Go For That"

Jane gets some help from furry puppets performing a Hall & Oates classic.



I've said this many times before, but Jane Lui is a musical mad genius. In her latest video, she enlists the help of a couple of fuzzy puppet friends for a super-groovy, blippity-boop synth-tastic rendition of Hall & Oates' "I Can't Go For That." There is dancing. There are belly rubs. There are gummy worms.

Just watch:

Mini Photoblog: Nostalgic Hong Kong

Guest Post by Jane Lui



Prologue. I've been in Hong Kong for two weeks. It's currently 90 degree, pouring rain, and absolutely beautiful. The heat is definitely more stubborn than I remembered... but maybe I'm not remembering right. It's been a long time. I don't come back often and when I do, I feel a lot -- memories, changes, what ifs, the lot. So I usually ride heavily on nostalgia, visiting every haunt and old-timer cuisine I can find to negotiate with my roots.

Strangely, Hong Kong seems to be doing the same thing.

Grossssss! ABC Disgusting: An Alphabet Book About Disgusting Things

Preview Greg Pak & Takeshi Miyazawa's children's book and listen to Jane Lui's theme song.



A is for Anchovy Ice Cream. B is for Bug Juice. C is for Cockroaches. And so begins the inventory of grossness in ABC Disgusting, a unique children's alphabet book by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa.

In ABC Disgusting, a boy tries to shock his sister with an alphabetical series of disgusting things -- dirty diapers, farts, insects and more! But in the end, she hits him with what might be the biggest gross-out of all.

The delightfully disgusting 36-page hardcover book is available for pre-order now.

Music Video: Jane Lui's "Southern Winds" is a delightfully do-it-yourself handmade cardboard adventure

Further proof that Jane Lui is musical mad genius.


This is amazing. Our friend, the wonderfully talented singer/songwriter Jane Lui just released this delightfully brilliant music video for "Southern Winds", an original tune from album Goodnight Company. It's a gorgeous tune, but the video is unique in that it stars Jane's fingers, and was filmed entirely on a handmade cardboard set with multiple moving parts -- all in the one take. As I've said before, Jane Lui is a musical mad genius.

Take a look:

Fund This: "Southern Winds" by Jane Lui

A musical love story with handmade miniature cardboard sets, shot in one-take



Singer/songwriter Jane Lui's latest music video project Southern Winds (from her album Goodnight Company) is described as a love story told with handmade move miniature cardboard sets, shot in one take. It's the kind of project that could only come from the mind of musical mad genius like Jane, and it sounds awesome.

Jane explains:

Stickers, ketchup, banana, farts and 'Kaiju Clubhouse'

Cool stretch goals added for 'ABC Disgusting,' a children's alphabet book about disgusting things



Writer Greg Pak and Co. are in the final hours of their already successful crowdfunding campaign for ABC Disgusting, a children's alphabet book about disgusting things. Having blasted past their initial goal of $24,000, they've come up with some cool, fun stretch goals -- and met them. This includes stickers, gross-out videos, a fart-filled song, and soon, maybe even a whole 'nother book.

First, here's a video with more info about the project:

Check out this totally gross preview of 'ABC Disgusting

An Alphabet Book About Disgusting Things!



Great news from our friend Greg Pak! ABC Disgusting, his new children's book about disgusting things, hit its $24,000 Kickstarter goal last night. To celebrate, Greg, artist Takeshi Miyazawa, colorist Jessica Kholinne, and letterer Simon Bowland have released a lettered, colored preview of the book.

Check out the first eight pages of the book, in which a boy tries to gross out his sister with disgusting things such as anchovy ice cream, bug juice, cockroaches, and various forms of flatulence. From the awesome creative team that brought you The Princess Who Saved Herself.

WARNING: VERY DISGUSTING. (And maybe a little heartwarming.) INCLUDES FLATULENCE, LAMPREYS, MAYONNAISE MILK SHAKES, NOSE HAIR, ZOMBIES AND ZORILLAS.

Jane Lui's fun mashup cover pays tribute to Janet Jackson

Watch the dance-tastically silly video for "All For You/Together Again/Escapade."



One of my favorite people and mad genius music-maker Jane Lui recently put together a stunningly cool mashup cover of three of Janet Jackson's biggest hit songs from the 80s, 90s and 00s, All For You & Together Again & Escapade. It's awesome. And to make the dance-tastically silly video for the tune, she enlisted the help of some friends to show off their moves. It's ridiculous fun.

Check it out:

Star Wars... The Musical!?

Musical parody mashes up Disney songs and a galaxy far, far away



Have you ever watched the Star Wars movies -- the original trilogy, not the prequels, heretic -- got really excited with those awesome space battles, blasters and Jedi duels... but felt disappointed because there was just not enough singing in a galaxy far, far away? Then you'll probably get a kick out of Star Wars: The Musical.

Watch Jane Lui's ultra-cool cover of Pharrell's "Happy"

A lovely homemade mashup with Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"



If you are officially tired of hearing Pharrell Williams' "Happy" for the thousandth time, I submit this ultra-cool, homemade cover/mashup of the smash hit pop tune with Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, " crafted and performed by the one and only Jane Lui. It's really freaking awesome:

Watch Jane Lui's Crazy Fun Cover of TLC's "Waterfalls"

Featuring Tamlyn Tomita, Lynn Chen and a band of merry misfit music makers



So this awesome thing totally happened... In this super-fun video, singer/songwriter Jane Lui is joined by friends Tamlyn Tomita and Lynn Chen, and leads a band of merry misfit music makers in an ultra-homemade one-take cover of TLC's "Waterfalls," complete with typewriters, a toy piano, a water jugand cardboard cutouts. (Yes, I make an appearance somewhere in there too.) Take a look:

Get happy with Jane Lui's cover of "Listen to the Music"

Doobie Brothers and dorky dancing on the streets of San Francisco.



Man, I adore Jane Lui. Not only is she one of my favorite musicians, she's also got some moves. Feeling a little down? I guarantee that this gorgeous little video cover of the Doobie Brothers' "Listen to the Music" will pick you up. Of course, some dorky dancing doesn't hurt either. And baby, there is plenty of dorky dancing in this video to go around. Check it out:

Jane Lui covers "Rainbow Connection"

Catching up some fun videos... Here's a wonderful little island cover of "Rainbow Connection" by our friend singer/songwriter Jane Lui. Shot on location in Hawaii, it's got that chill ukulele vibe with Jane's lovely-as-usual vocals. Check it out:

Cartoon Mini-Medley by Jane Lui & Paul Dateh

Two of my favorite musicians, Jane Lui and Paul Dateh, recently re-teamed to do a two and a half minute version of their infamous cartoon medley, featuring the themes from shows like Inspector Gadget, The Pink Panther, Ducktales, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Good times:

angry reader of the week: jane lui

Hooray! It's the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is singer/songwriter Jane Lui.

Jane Lui's "Finally-Moved-My-Stuff-to-LA Show" November 19

Awww yeah. If you're in Los Angeles, and want to experience some super-good music, come to our dear friend Jane Lui's The Finally-Moved-My-Stuff-to-LA Show. Jane encourages you to come shake your booty. And she's bringing baked goods. It's happening this Saturday, November 19 at Hotel Cafe. Here's a video of Jane and band practicing like good practicers: