How Jolin Tsai’s ‘Pleasure’ Finally Came Together, According to the British Producer Who Made It

Richard Craker, the British producer who shaped Jolin Tsai's award-winning albums "Ugly Beauty" and "Pleasure," has revealed that trust and patience—not technical prowess—were the true drivers behind those successes. He made these remarks during a talk at the 2026 Golden Melody Festival's final conference in Taiwan, where Kuang-ping Tso, president of Kouhei Production, served as moderator. The session, titled "Connecting Global Sounds: Richard Craker's Creative Journey from International Markets to Mandopop," explored his preference for letting musical projects evolve naturally rather than forcing them into predetermined structures. Craker, who founded Karma Sounds Ltd., stressed that the most productive collaborations occur when artists feel free to experiment without fear of criticism. Industry observers have noted that this philosophy aligns with a broader shift in music production toward prioritizing emotional resonance over rigid technical precision.

According to Craker, early songwriting sessions with Tsai's team at his studio in Thailand felt more like "a musical holiday" than actual work. This relaxed, open environment allowed the group to freely test and abandon various genres, ultimately giving shape to "Ugly Beauty." Tsai, whose 2018 album of the same name won her the Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Female Singer, is widely recognized in the industry for her intense perfectionism. For "Pleasure," that drive became particularly challenging. The chorus underwent countless revisions before finally coming together during a Los Angeles session with songwriter Ross Golan. Craker noted that such creative struggles are an unavoidable part of the process, and his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing an artist transition from simply performing a song to fully embodying it. "When an artist truly inhabits a track," he explained, "that is when the magic occurs—a transformation that no amount of technical refinement can duplicate." Music critic Linda Huang of Taipei-based Sound & Vision magazine commented, "Craker's approach reflects a growing understanding that great pop music thrives on vulnerability and iteration, not just studio perfection."

For aspiring songwriters, Craker offered a blunt piece of advice borrowed from Ed Sheeran: when you first turn on a tap, dirty water flows out before clean water appears. He encouraged creators to write poorly and frequently, trusting that strong ideas will emerge after the weak ones are cleared out. Moderator Kuang-ping Tso linked this to Taiwanese singer-songwriter WeiBird's philosophy of "fast, bad, wrong"—a principle that promotes rapid, imperfect output to unlock creativity. When the discussion turned to artificial intelligence, Craker was firm: technology cannot replicate human connection, emotion, or genuine artistic expression. "Those are the very elements that give music its purpose," he stated. Regarding Mandopop's potential for global growth, Craker dismissed the notion of a one-size-fits-all formula. He pointed to the international successes of K-pop and Latin music, both of which thrived by embracing their cultural heritage rather than copying Western styles. Jolin Tsai's "Pleasure" later won Album of the Year and Best Mandarin Female Singer at the Golden Melody Awards, underscoring Craker's belief that authenticity—not imitation—remains the surest route to global recognition. This sentiment echoes a growing chorus of industry voices who argue that Mandarin pop, with its rich linguistic and melodic traditions, has untapped potential for cross-cultural appeal if artists stay true to their roots.