2021年12月16日，索尼音樂中國（大陸）（又稱爲：索尼音樂北京分公司）透過大陸社交平台新浪微博宣布「何潔加盟索尼音樂中國（大陸）」的訊息。除此之外，沒有新聞發佈會，沒有主流媒體關注，甚至在「索尼音樂中國（大陸）」從未斷更的大陸官網上至今都沒有出現過一條關於何潔的資訊，「低調」得令人唏噓她如今的檔次與地位。不過，在加盟索尼音樂中國將近半年後的4月7日，何潔終於在音樂平台上架了她的全新專輯《桔梗》。

On December 16, 2021, Sony Music China (Mainland) Also known as Sony Music Beijing Branch announced the news of He Jie joining Sony Music China (Mainland) through its official account on the Chinese mainland social media platform Sina Weibo. Apart from this, there was no press conference, no mainstream media attention, and not even a single piece of information about He Jie appeared on the ever-updated official website of "Sony Music China (Mainland) ." Her current status and situation are regrettable. However, nearly half a year after joining Sony Music China (Mainland) , on April 7, He Jie finally released her new album "J.He"(桔梗) on music platforms.

回望何潔的發展，作為大陸最紅一屆選秀「超級女聲2005」的第四名，當時的何潔在比賽後挾帶超高人氣加盟「台灣艾迴唱片（現公司已改名為：愛貝克斯）」，甚至驚動艾迴唱片日本總部的高層，整個公司以「天后級」的規格打造了她出道後的首張專輯《發光體》，過程中包括安排何潔赴日本接受舞蹈訓練，並出動了打造多位天王天后的幕後班底來全方位包裝她，而這張專輯也讓何潔成為最早佈局台灣市場的「超女歌手」。

Looking back at He Jie's career, as the fourth place winner of "Super Girl 2005," the most popular talent show in Chinese mainland, He Jie joined "Avex Records Taiwan" after the competition with super popularity. This even alarmed the senior management of Avex Records' Japanese headquarters. The entire company produced her debut album "Luminous Body"(發光體) with "Queen-level" standards. The process included arranging for He Jie to receive dance training in Japan and deploying the behind-the-scenes team that had produced many superstars to package her in all aspects. This album also made He Jie one of the earliest Chinese mainland talent show singers to enter the Taiwan market.

雖然「超級女聲2005」在當時的大陸具有超高人氣，但台灣的電視台畢竟沒有轉播過這檔選秀節目，台灣大眾對「超女歌手」还是會觉得陌生，並不會產生節目中的情懷濾鏡和情感投射，所以最終還是会以常規「發片新秀」的標準去對待這麼一位來台發展的大陸歌手。從某種現實角度而言，即便何潔在比賽時期作為新秀憑藉翻唱歌曲發揮出色，但畢竟還是活在她人風格的影子中，特別是同期发行的首張專輯就要直面蕭亞軒《1087》、李玟《要定你》、蔡依林《舞娘》等「天后級」歌手本尊的競爭，難免還是顯得底氣不足。專輯《發光體》的合約到期後，也因为各种各样的原因，沒有看到艾迴唱片或其它國際唱片公司方面續簽何潔的動作。自此之後，何潔從第二張專輯開始直接退回大陸市場，不再跨足台灣發展。

Although "Super Girl 2005" enjoyed immense popularity in Chinese mainland at the time, Taiwanese television stations hadn't broadcast the talent show. Taiwanese audiences were still unfamiliar with the "Super Girl" singers, unlike mainland viewers who might have felt a sense of nostalgia or emotional connection to the program. Therefore, Taiwanese music audiences ultimately treated this Chinese mainland singer who came to Taiwan with the standard of a typical "newly released album artist." From a practical standpoint, even though He Jie performed well as a newcomer during the competition with her cover songs, she was still ultimately living in the shadow of other artists' styles. Especially considering her debut album, released at the same time, faced direct competition from established divas like Elva Hsiao's "1087," Coco Lee's "Just Want You,"(要定你) and Jolin Tsai's "Dancing Diva,"(舞孃) it inevitably appeared less competitive. After the contract for the album "Luminous Body"(發光體) expired, for various reasons, Avex Records or other international record companies did not renew their contracts with He Jie. From then on, starting with her second album, He Jie retreated directly to the Chinese mainland market and no longer ventured into Taiwan.

圖：何潔新專輯《桔梗》平面視覺
Image: Visual design for He Jie's new album "J.He"
 

何潔在大陸選秀「超級女聲2005」中以熱力四射的舞台風格深入人心，因此無論是由陳偉製作的首張專輯《發光體》，還是由阿弟仔製作的第二張專輯《明明不是Angle》都是為她量身定制出契合她形象感覺的偏搖滾風格與偏舞曲風格。因為大陸樂壇並沒有具備市場號召力的唱跳女歌手，所以從長期的視角看，当时的何潔完全有能力與人氣成為這類音樂流派在大陸的代表性人物，進而在華語音樂市場上佔有一席之地。但可惜何潔的形象風格還沒做穩，就因受到經紀公司高層變動的影響而選擇激進解約，於是她的事業在這輩子最重要的那幾年戛然而止。那個時期本該是穩定音樂風格、穩步開拓市場與商業價值上升的黃金階段，而三年時間的折騰也足夠拖垮一位還未在歌壇站穩腳步的新人歌手。

He Jie captivated audiences with her energetic stage presence on the Chinese mainland talent show "Super Girl 2005." Therefore, both her debut album, "Luminous Body,"(發光體) produced by Chen Wei, and her second album, "I'm Not an Angel,"(明明不是Angel) produced by Adia, were tailor-made for her, featuring a rock-influenced style and a dance-influenced style respectively. Because the mainland music scene lacked female singers with strong market appeal who could sing and dance, He Jie, from a long-term perspective, had the potential and popularity to become a representative figure of this musical genre in Chinese mainland, thus securing a place in the overall Chinese music market. Unfortunately, He Jie's image and style hadn't been firmly established when she chose to drastically terminate her contract due to changes in the management of her agency. As a result, her career came to an abrupt end during the most important years of her life. That period should have been a time for stabilizing her musical style, steadily expanding her market, and increasing her commercial value. However, three years of turmoil were enough to ruin a newcomer singer who hadn't yet established herself in the music scene.

自第二張專輯發行後的第三年，擺脫了大陸經紀公司「天娛傳媒」的何潔终于借助第三張專輯《想要回到何潔》的發行重回大陸粉絲與歌迷的視線，也許是過程中受盡了挫折，她這張專輯的基調與氛圍開始變得陰沉與抑鬱，即便搭配了幾首稍微歡快的曲目都蓋不住這股「冷氣」。之後她更是直接簽約大陸的華誼音樂公司，被定位包裝成為一名演唱「都會情歌」的「情歌手」，在此期間陸續發行了一張專輯《敢愛》與兩張EP《短暫的愛情》《Double Double》。

Three years after the release of her second album, He Jie, having broken away from the mainland management company "EE-Media," finally returned to the attention of mainland fans with the release of her third album, "I Wanna Go Back."(想要回到何潔) Perhaps due to the setbacks she had endured along the way, the tone and atmosphere of this album became gloomy and depressing, even the inclusion of a few slightly upbeat tracks couldn't mask this cold air. Afterwards, she directly signed with Huayi Music in Chinese mainland and was positioned and packaged as a "singer specializing in love songs". During this period, she released an album "Brave To Love"(敢愛) and two EPs "The Short Love Story By J"(短暫的愛情) and "Double Double".

當然不能說華誼音樂虧待了她，因為華誼音樂最為擅長的就是打造抒情類歌手。但是，畢竟華谊音乐此前已经力捧出另一位「超女歌手」張靚穎在抒情領域出頭出彩，以及同期市面上數不盡的同類型抒情風歌手。可以說，何潔在抒情領域做得再成功，也沒有太大的發展意義，畢竟沒有發展出一條獨一無二的音樂主路線，最終還是容易淹沒在人群中「泯然於眾人」。華誼音樂時期的何潔也完成了從結婚到生子等一系列的私人動作，收穫了人生中短暫的幸福時刻。只不過之後鬧得沸沸揚揚的「疑似婚內出軌事件」、「與男方撕破臉皮的離婚事件」經常霸佔媒體的頭條版面，直接在大眾層面擊潰了她在社會上苦心經營多年的正面形象。加上當時她的音樂路線是歌頌美好愛情、深情款款的「情歌手」，如此反差更讓人驚嚇到「接受無能」。

Of course, it can't be said that Huayi Music mistreated her, as Huayi Music excels at cultivating ballad singers. However, Huayi Music had already successfully launched another "Super Girl" singer, Jane Zhang, into the ballad genre much earlier, and there were countless other ballad singers of the same style on the market at the same time. It can be said that no matter how successful He Jie is in the ballad genre, it doesn't offer much room for further development. Without developing a unique main musical path, she's likely to be lost in the crowd, fading into obscurity. During her time with Huayi Music, He Jie completed a series of personal events, from marriage to childbirth, experiencing a brief period of happiness in her life. However, the widely publicized "suspected extramarital affair" and "unpleasant divorce" frequently dominated media headlines, directly shattering the positive image she had painstakingly cultivated over many years in the public eye. Coupled with her musical style at the time, which was that of a "love singer" praising beautiful love and expressing deep emotions, this contrast was even more shocking and unacceptable to the public.

在與華誼音樂的合約到期後，她在2018年發行了專輯《再見何潔》，而這張專輯距離她上一次正式發片又過了六年時間。最為尷尬的是，2010年的何潔透過專輯喊話「想要找回何潔」，2018年的專輯《再見何潔》與這一張最新的專輯《桔梗》依然還在繼續糾結于這個話題。我是不是可以狹隘的理解，何潔對於自己从第三張專輯开始的定位發展其實一直都有怨念，但是不好明說罢了。

After her contract with Huayi Music expired, she released the album "Goodbye He Jie"(再見何潔) in 2018, six years after her last official album release. Most awkwardly, in 2010, He Jie used an album to express her desire to "find He Jie again," and her 2018 album "Goodbye He Jie"(再見何潔) and her latest album "J.He"(桔梗) continue to grapple with this issue. Could I narrowly interpret this as He Jie harboring resentment towards her career trajectory since her third album, but simply choosing not to express it openly?

圖：何潔新專輯《桔梗》平面視覺
Image: Visual design for He Jie's new album "J.He"
 

終於談到何潔2022年的最新專輯《桔梗》。這張專輯並沒有統一的製作人，而是把不同的歌曲分配給多位音樂人製作，涉足的單曲製作人劉胡軼、欒卓忻、劉鳳瑤、郭一凡都是清一色的大陸音樂人，其中多位都是新秀音樂人。從某種角度來說，索尼音樂北京分公司基本沒有動用重要的國際資源與除大陸外的音樂資源給到何潔。當然，這也意味著這張專輯能夠在一定程度上展現出時下新一代大陸音樂人的音樂審美與水準。

Finally, let's talk about He Jie's latest album, "J.He,"(桔梗) released in 2022. This album doesn't have a single producer; instead, different songs were produced by multiple musicians. The producers involved—Liu Huyi, Luan Zhuoxin, Liu Fengyao, and Guo Yifan—are all from Chinese mainland, many of whom are up-and-coming artists. From a certain perspective, Sony Music China (Mainland) didn't utilize its significant international music resources or resources outside of Chinese mainland for He Jie. Of course, this also means that the album can showcase the musical aesthetics and standards of young musicians in contemporary Chinese mainland to a certain extent.

整張專輯為強調「生命力」而打出了「任何严酷环境里都能破土，在属于自己的季节里肆意生长」的概念，裡面的每一首歌都挑選出一種植物作為綑綁，歌頌植物在自然中的頑強生命力，通過「以物咏志」的手法把這種向上的精神內涵代入到人物形象之中，整體上还算契合她的個人心境與她想要儘快試圖破局的願望。但個人非常想吐槽專輯封面的平面攝影和視覺設計，與多年前另兩位中性風的「超女歌手」的平面作品「撞臉」，設計上也沒有把何潔的個性特質與專輯的明亮色彩拍出來，真的想讓人「趕快把攝影師和設計師拖走」。

The entire album emphasizes "vitality," proclaiming the concept of "breaking through the soil in any harsh environment and growing freely in its own season." Each song is associated with a plant, praising their tenacious vitality in nature and incorporating this uplifting spirit into the artist's image. Overall, it aligns with her personal state of mind and her desire to break through her current limitations. However, I personally want to criticize the album cover's photography and visual design. It bears a striking resemblance to the print work of two other androgynous "Super Girl" singers from years ago. The design also fails to capture He Jie's personality and the album's bright colors. I really want to drag the photographer and designer away immediately!

首波主打歌〈選擇〉有著「公路式」的冒險情節，整體上給人輕鬆跳躍的感觉，開篇的Pluck合成器音色點綴很討好聽眾耳朵，並不用懷疑這個設計的流行性，畢竟前有紅髮艾德（Ed Sheeran）2017年歌曲〈Shape of You〉依靠編排清脆的Pluck合成器音色而風靡全球，而副歌部分加入的電吉他也很燃炸。在專輯編排上，首波主打歌〈選擇〉後順接第二波主打歌〈完整〉，很有銜接上的順暢感，因為這兩首歌的最開頭分別用不同的配器詮釋同一小段的旋律，前者乾淨明亮，後者厚重陰沉，但又給人出於「同源」的啟示，呈現出何潔情緒表達上的多面向。

The album's first single, "Break,"(選擇) features a road trip adventure, giving it an overall light and bouncy feel. The opening Pluck synthesizer sound is very pleasing to the ear, and there's no doubt about the song's potential for popularity, given that Ed Sheeran's 2017 song "Shape of You" became a global hit thanks to its crisp Pluck synthesizer sound. The electric guitar added in the chorus is also very energetic. The album's arrangement seamlessly connects the first single, "Break,"(選擇) to the second single, "Footloose,"(完整) as both songs begin with different instrumentations for the same short melody—the former clean and bright, the latter heavy and somber—yet they both suggest a shared origin, showcasing the multifaceted nature of He Jie's emotional expression.

第三波主打歌〈逃脫〉偏向於「保底」的情歌式作品，但融入了搖滾的元素，具有可聽度，甚至可以和〈多米諾〉一起循環播放。專輯中順接〈逃脫〉的〈多米諾〉延續了何潔最原始的「真我」本色，聽感上也比較順暢。另一首〈Feel Alive〉也很有首張專輯《發光體》的感覺，給人撲面而來的夏日搖滾風味，當然專輯中的中文歌曲都能改為中文標題會更具吸引力。

The album's third single, "Escape,"(逃脫) leans towards a safe, love song style, but incorporates rock elements, making it listenable and even suitable for repeated listening alongside "Domino."(多米諾) "Domino,"(多米諾) which follows "Escape"(逃脫) on the album, continues He Jie's most original and authentic self, and has a smooth listening experience. Another track, "Feel Alive," also has a feel reminiscent of her debut album, "Luminous Body,"(發光體) giving off a strong summer rock vibe. Of course, it would be even more appealing if all the Chinese songs on the album had Chinese titles.

同名歌曲〈桔梗〉作為整張專輯的開篇作品邀請弦樂團加入營造出一股磅礴的氣勢，但是編曲会讓人莫名聯想到椎名林檎2007年的日文單曲〈賭局〉，同時也讓我夢回何潔第三張专辑《想要回到何潔》中的歌曲〈水銀瀉地〉。〈光的距離〉旋律一出来就想说「這調調給孫燕姿唱應該會火一把吧」，只是觉得何潔唱得有點使勁與用力，人声与伴奏有點「糊」在一起的感覺，如果唱得更加鬆弛會更好聽吧。〈稀有物種〉讓我想到張惠妹2015年專輯《AMIT2》的「暗黑」風格，但對於何潔而言確實是不同以往的罕見嘗試，是很大的突破。其實這張專輯我覺得在第八首歌曲〈多米諾〉中已經結束了，因為主題已經昇華得足夠明亮，不懂為什麼要在專輯最後強行加塞兩首突然多愁善感的〈感應〉和〈漫漫〉，這兩首歌倒是可以穿插排序到專輯前面的序列中，因為前面有幾首歌曲順連著聽會覺得有些許的「吵鬧」。 

The album's title track, "J.He,"(桔梗) serves as the album's opening piece. The addition of the string orchestra creates a powerful atmosphere, but the arrangement inexplicably evokes memories of Ringo Shiina's 2007 Japanese single, "Gamble,"(賭局) and also reminds me of "Mercury Fallen"(水銀瀉地) from He Jie's third album, "I Wanna Go Back."(想要回到何潔) The moment the melody of "Untouchable"(光的距離) started playing, I thought, "This tune would be a hit if Stefanie Sun sang it." However, I felt He Jie sang it a bit too forcefully, and the vocals and accompaniment sounded somewhat muddy. It would have sounded better if she sang it more relaxedly. "Unique Species"(稀有物種) reminded me of the "dark" style of aMei's 2015 album "AMIT2,"(阿密特2) but for He Jie, it's a rare and significant breakthrough, unlike anything she's done before. Actually, I feel this album should have ended with the eighth song, "Domino,"(多米諾) because the theme and emotions had already reached a sufficiently bright level. I don't understand why they forcibly added two suddenly sentimental songs, "Illusion"(感應) and "Memories,"(漫漫) at the end. These two songs could have been interspersed with the earlier tracks, as listening to some of the earlier songs consecutively feels a bit noisy.

圖：何潔新專輯《桔梗》平面視覺
Image: Visual design for He Jie's new album "J.He"
 

在發稿前，有網友在我的社交平台上留言說「你認為何潔的演藝事業還有救嗎？」，我想通過「狹隘的個人觀點」來結束這篇文章。從現實的角度而言，何潔的這張專輯應該無法顛覆性地改變她的現狀。一方面大陸的宣傳投放很貴，花錢製作這麼一張專輯已經竭盡全力，再投入鉅款再為專輯做宣傳的可能性應該並不大，而她剩下的粉絲群也已經無力再為她「打雞血般」地作大規模的免費宣傳推廣，而粉絲群的流失也意味著最表面的「繁榮」，哪怕是「虛假的繁榮」都已經沒有了，外界現實的殘酷自然不需多言。另一方面，基層大眾基本上不會去主動收聽專輯，而且即便有一些人願意給機會去搜這張專輯，對於專輯的風格也很難只聽一兩耳就能夠接受——可能聽幾秒前奏，再拉到副歌部分聽幾秒，覺得不喜歡就切歌了。但並不是說這張專輯出得毫無意義，至少何潔透過這張專輯向外界釋放出她積極進取的決心，自然能夠打動一些已經「流失」的粉絲、歌迷與一些真心熱愛音樂的受眾，對於重新凝聚粉絲與歌迷的力量還是具有根本性的「吸引力」，而如果粉絲與歌迷力量能夠大規模集結，將會是她事業重新啟程的重要一步。如果你也想給何潔一次機會，那麼就前往 KKBOX、Spotify、Apple Music、myMusic、FriDay 來收聽何潔的全新專輯《桔梗》吧！（文/酋長）

Before publishing this article, a netizen left a message on my social media platform asking, "Do you think He Jie's entertainment career is still salvageable?" I want to conclude this article with a "narrow personal opinion." From a realistic perspective, He Jie's album is unlikely to fundamentally change her current situation. Firstly, promotional spending in Chinese mainland is very expensive. She's already exhausted all her resources producing this album, and the likelihood of investing heavily in further promotion is slim. Furthermore, her remaining fanbase is unlikely to spontaneously promote the album on a large scale. This loss of fanbase means even the superficial prosperity has vanished; the harsh reality of the external environment is self-evident. On the other hand, most listeners won't actively seek out the album, and even those who are willing to search for it are unlikely to accept its style after just one or two listens—they might listen to a few seconds of the intro, then skip to the chorus, and if they don't like it, they'll skip it. However, this album isn't entirely meaningless. At least He Jie uses it to project her positive and ambitious spirit, which naturally resonates with some of her former fans and genuine music lovers. It holds fundamental appeal for reuniting her fanbase. If her fanbase can be mobilized on a large scale, it will be a crucial step in her career's resurgence. If you also want to give He Jie a chance, then head over to KKBOX, Spotify, Apple Music, myMusic, and FriDay to listen to He Jie's new album, "J.He!" (By 酋長)