Image: Supplied. Middle photo by Choice Joyce from Dyan Tai Instagram
Musician Dyan Tai, the self-described Gaysian Empress of Sydney, will play their first headline show, called Permaisuri: The Gaysian Empress Rises, on November 24.
Permaisuri: The Gaysian Empress Rises is an interdisciplinary music and performance art experience that looks at Queer identities and the diasporic migrant experience in Australia.
The show will feature Asiatic soundscapes and Chinese operatic drag, which will be melded with the “glitchy”, hyperpop sounds of Queer nightlife.
‘A Massive Milestone’
Talking with Star Observer, Tai, a trilingual Malaysian-born classically trained musician, singer, performer, cabaret artist, and DJ said, “The show is a massive milestone in my career. If you know me, I’ve always wanted to do a headline show and it’s finally here. And I suppose I’ve really challenged myself as an artist… composing and producing the music and another very important aspect is the collaborations formed to complete the live experience.”
“Permaisuri” is the Malay and Indonesian word for Empress or Queen.
Tai explained, “I am the self-described Gaysian Empress of Sydney and this show, calling it Permaisuri, is an extension of that. Exploring and honouring the part of myself who grew up in Malaysia while still being proud of and reclaiming my Chinese identity.”
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Challenge The Way The Music Industry Presents Live Music
With this show, Tai hopes to challenge the way the music industry presents live music, as well as the music they choose to present.
“Being a queer artist that is at the intersection of music and performance art/cabaret who also performs in Chinese operatic drag, I often feel left out and not included in the Australian music industry… particularly when it comes to the live music/festival scene,” Tai said.
“I think people are so comfortable having a bunch of dudes in a band playing the guitar or if it’s electronic music, most of the time a white dude on the DJ decks. I really want to challenge myself and the industry and create live experiences that are driven by not just electronic music but also at the intersection of arts and culture.”
‘A Night Of East/Southeast Asian Excellence’
Immersive projection art by Juune Lee will accompany the show, which will also feature classical Chinese flute played by Chloe Chung, as well as artists Risako, Putrika, Maggie Tra and DJ Fried Pork Chop.
Tai explained, “This truly is a night of East/Southeast Asian Excellence!”
When: November 24, 8pm
Where: The Red Rattler Theatre, 6 Faversham Street, Marrickville, NSW
