As part of the ongoing Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, Japanese bossa nova queen Lisa Ono lit up the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) Saturday night with an eclectic concert, as she continued her never-ending quest to incorporate world influences into her music. Julian Waghann sat down with the artist just before the performance, where she shared her musical inspirations and interpretations of Chinese classics.

It's been more than 30 years since she released her first album. Ono said she has changed and become more mature. 

“When you're young, you focus too much on one thing, then you start sit back, and to look at the whole picture. My first 10 years I was focusing on Brazilian music, then I start singing different music. Now I can sing jazz, French chanson,” she shared with CGTN. 

As to music that influenced her, she said almost every genre has had an impact, most recently, rock and roll. “Everything. Starting from rock 'n' roll, bossa nova classic music, Debussy, Chopin. Recently I saw the movie with Queen. I was so impressed with his power and energy. Rock 'n' roll for me was very new, but recently it opened my mind, and then I realized every music has its own message,” she added.

Ono also expressed her gratitude to her Chinese fans. “Every time they asked me to sing a Chinese song, I'm very happy because the feeling from Chinese people is so deep.”

(Top image: Lisa Ono performs at NCPA. /Photo courtesy of NCPA )