李權哲 Jerry Li 是台灣當代極具才華的音樂製作人、樂手、詞曲創作者兼歌手，受 The Beatles 的音樂啟發，開始嘗試寫歌。從臥室出發，由滾石唱片代理，2017 年憑藉個人首張全創作專輯《醒著不醉》入圍第 29 屆金曲獎最佳新人獎，音樂風格融合了復古的搖滾、放克、藍調、靈魂樂與 R&B 等元素。
2023 年跨界影視，為台劇《人選之人—造浪者》片尾曲〈得意的一天 A no is a no〉編曲，拿下第 58 屆金鐘獎戲劇原創歌曲獎。此外，李權哲還身兼露波合唱團的樂手與製作人，跳脫框架注入多元樣貌。無論是以本名活動還是化身為雲端司機，他都以獨特的慵懶唱腔與優異的編曲、製作能力，不斷地展現新的可能性，在華語樂壇中獨樹一格。
▮ 首波主打〈Sit Down n' Hesitate〉使用了極具東方神秘色彩的西塔琴（Sitar）搭配太空氛圍。可以和我們分享這首歌當初創作的靈感來源嗎？歌詞裡描繪在阿姆斯特丹街頭流轉的虛無畫面，是來自你真實的記憶，還是一場純粹的復古幻想？
雲端司機：〈Sit Down n' Hesitate〉這首歌其實沒有用到西塔琴，而是用了一種 Drone 式的印度樂器叫做 Tanpura 還有印度鼓 Tabla 在最後一段 Outro 堆疊進來，當然還有無數軌的合成器哈哈。這首歌詞其實也沒有任何的意思，完全是照著自己亂哼的 Guide Vocal 空耳填字出來的。不過也因為這樣有很多驚喜，像是裡面有一句我很喜歡的歌詞：「Finest in the Catalogue」。雖然不是很清楚其意圖跟含義，但是我認為他都表達了某一個時期的自己的氣氛。
雲端司機：與馬念先工作他就是會丟一個 Demo 給我，然後我就會自己在錄音室直接開始錄音（通常由鼓開始），等到幾乎整首歌的基本樂器錄完了我才會傳給他聽，雖然非常冒險，但他幾乎都是一聽就跟我說過關，在所有的環節他都非常信任我的決定，給我所有的自由跟主宰權，整張專輯的過程與合作可以說是一氣呵成。陳嫺靜的話是完全相反，我做什麼大小事她都會在旁邊 or 後面全程參與，做她的專輯整個過程就像是在進行一場需要屏氣凝神的手術，兩個戴眼鏡的人盯著手術台細細的拉著縫線的感覺。
Just wrapped up a bustling Golden Melody Awards weekend? Let’s switch the channel back to the magical frequency of CLOUDRIVER aka Jerry Li.
Jerry Li is one of the most talented music producers, multi-instrumentalists, songwriters, and singers in Taiwan. Inspired by The Beatles, he began writing songs from his bedroom. Distributed by Rock Records, his 2017 debut fully self-created album Stay Sober earned him a nomination for Best New Artist at the 29th Golden Melody Awards. His musical style seamlessly blends vintage rock, funk, blues, soul, and R&B.
In 2018, adopting the virtual alter ego "CLOUDRIVER," he released Low Budget Album. This one-man band project showcased a more casual, lo-fi, experimental rock aesthetic infused with a strong sense of humor and daily life. Joining the label KAO!INC. in 2021, he continued under the moniker CLOUDRIVER to release the EP SUNNY AFTERNOON, introducing more low-frequency synthesizers—the cozy romance of lighting a cigarette and driving around. With his natural, freewheeling narrative style, his second solo album AI CHING (released at the end of that year) won Best Album Producer at the 33rd Golden Melody Awards and Best Album at the 13th Golden Indie Music Awards. For Jerry, loving music is a lifelong commitment.
In 2023, he crossed over into film and television, arranging the ending theme song 'A no is a no' for the Taiwanese drama Wave Makers and winning Best Original Song for a Drama Series at the 58th Golden Bell Awards. Beyond that, Jerry also plays instruments and acts as producer for The Loophole, constantly breaking boundaries to inject diverse textures into his music. Whether performing under his real name or transforming into CLOUDRIVER, he continues to push new possibilities with his signature lazy vocals and exceptional arranging and producing skills, carving out a completely unique lane in the Mandopop scene.
After a five-year hiatus, "CLOUDRIVER" is back on the road. At the end of this January, he released the EP These Days, tenderly exposing his nuance and vulnerability as a new father. In early June, he carried this romance across the ocean, stepping onto the stage at Troxy in London for a raw, naked musical showdown with foreign air and an unfamiliar audience. On June 17, he made a powerful return with his brand-new album 1997. Named after his birth year, the 9-track album was co-produced with Yuchain Wang and meticulously polished over three full years, once again drawing listeners into his signature black music grooves and British psychedelic vibes.
In addition to his personal creations, Jerry delivered a stellar track record behind the scenes as a producer this year. He produced Ma Nien-hsien’s urban-chic new album Cherry Cola Vibes, masterminded Chen Hsien-ching’s sensational project If we can be happy happy every day, who wants to be sad:)), which swept through the 37th Golden Melody Awards with a Best New Artist win, and also produced the ultra-sweet, triple-meter pure romance track "Close To You" for fellow Best New Artist nominee JOYCE. He has indisputably become one of the most representative hitmakers behind the Golden Melody generation.
From the snare drum hits in a Taipei studio, to the black wooden floors of a London stage, and back to the domestic chores of washing dishes and folding clothes, I had the privilege of interviewing CLOUDRIVER. Here is the full Q&A transcript, revealing how he breaks assumptions with intuitive phonetic writing, his genuine impressions of a flash trip to the UK, and his most naked musical obsession clashing with the pull of everyday life.
Q: You threw out some very bold musical hypotheses in this album, such as "What if Prince was born and raised in Manchester?" or "What if A Tribe Called Quest & The Neptunes produced The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper?" How did these wild collisions of Brit-rock and black music take shape in your mind? Having spent three years polishing this album, what was the longest struggle and the biggest breakthrough in "arrangement and sound engineering" between you and co-producer Yuchain Wang?
CLOUDRIVER: I feel that the things I truly love naturally become a part of me. When I was writing these songs, I wasn't consciously aware of where these influences were coming from; I only realized it later upon looking back. The songwriting and lyrics came together very quickly; the part that took the longest was the recording and mixing. In this album, the drums and bass are the main characters in many songs. If their texture or tone shifts even slightly, the whole meaning of the song changes (it loses its groove). For instance, during mixing, the snare drum was the most heavily debated topic. I always felt the snare wasn't loud or piercing enough. Just for those snare drums, Wang and I spent nearly a year and a half in the studio mixing countless versions.
Q: The lead single "Sit Down n' Hesitate" features a space-like atmosphere paired with what sounds like a sitar, giving it a very mystical Eastern color. Could you share the inspiration behind this song? The lyrics paint a picture of a hollow, drifting scene on the streets of Amsterdam. Does this stem from a real memory, or is it a piece of pure vintage fantasy?
CLOUDRIVER: "Sit Down n' Hesitate" actually didn't use a sitar. Instead, we used a drone-style Indian instrument called a Tanpura, along with the Indian drum Tabla, which layer into the final outro, along with countless synthesizer tracks, haha. The lyrics actually don’t have any specific meaning; they were filled in purely by copying my own gibberish from the guide vocal by ear. But because of that, there were a lot of surprises. For example, there’s a line I really love: "Finest in the Catalogue." Though the intent and meaning aren't entirely clear, I think it perfectly captures the vibe of who I was during that specific period.
Q: The studio version of "Dr. Ricardo" on the album is a collaboration with SMY, but many fans are still obsessed with the live version you did with Chen Hsien-ching. Were there any dilemmas or trade-offs when choosing which version to include? Alternatively, could you introduce another song from the album that is your personal favorite, the one you hope listeners will pay extra close attention to?
CLOUDRIVER: Writing and recording this song with SMY and Piers took about a single day back in 2023. I never really thought about changing it. It was only later, when Chen Hsien-ching and I had a show together in Hong Kong, that she heard the song and felt we could perform it together live.
Personally, I think every song has its own world and style. However, I find myself listening to "Castaway" quite often. I really love the synth bass that suddenly kicks in at the very end.
Q: On June 9, you stood on the massive stage at Troxy in London as a guest performer for Sunset Rollercoaster. Performing in the UK for the first time, what was the physical sensation the moment you stepped onto that stage? How did the overseas audience react to the funk grooves or the East-meets-West elements in your music?
CLOUDRIVER: I’ve always loved London. I remember my first time visiting ten years ago; walking down the main streets felt like walking in my own backyard. The rhythm of the city and the electric energy on the streets felt bizarrely familiar to my body, even though it was my very first time there, though I’ve been back many times since. This time was my first time performing in this familiar city. I still remember the lighting was this sort of stark, pale white. When it hit the scuffed, wire-laden black floor of the stage, it created a reflection that gave me the illusion of performing in the 1960s. Because the lights didn't change throughout, it felt like a very raw, naked showdown after every single song. If people liked it, the cheers were instant. Thankfully, I got that reaction right after the first song. But if a hint of insecurity or a flaw slipped through, the air felt like it froze for a few beats. I think the UK has always given me a very "direct" vibe, whether it's the shop clerks you encounter while browsing, or the subtle nuances of interpersonal interactions. It feels very different from America or Taiwan.
Q: Aside from performing on the Troxy stage, did this London trip bring any hidden street encounters, crate-digging finds at record stores, or ways in which the British air validated the musical fantasies you wrote back in Taipei for 1997?
CLOUDRIVER: This trip was pretty much a flash visit, so I had much less time to walk around compared to previous trips. However, I did discover Alfies Antique Market on Church Street. It’s a highly surreal building, almost like an endless maze you keep traveling through.
Q: Beyond your personal projects, you frequently work as a producer. Recently, you produced Ma Nien-hsien’s new album and also had a brilliant collaboration with Chen Hsien-ching. These two artists have entirely different musical textures: "Brother Ma" is all about urban-chic and retro romance, while Hsien-ching’s lyricism and flow are deeply experimental and contemporary. Can you share some behind-the-scenes stories from producing for them? Facing two drastically different creative personalities, what is your "secret formula" for uncovering and tuning into their unique musical frequencies?
CLOUDRIVER: Working with Ma Nien-hsien, he usually just throws a demo my way, and then I’ll head into the studio and start recording on my own (usually starting with the drums). Once almost all the basic instrumentation is tracked, I’ll send it to him to listen. Though it sounds risky, he almost always listens and tells me it’s good to go. He completely trusts my decisions across all stages, giving me total freedom and creative control. The process and collaboration for the whole album was incredibly seamless. With Chen Hsien-ching, it’s the exact opposite. No matter how big or small the task, she’s right there beside or behind me, participating the entire time. Making her album felt like performing a surgery that required you to hold your breath. It was like two people wearing glasses, staring down at the operating table, meticulously pulling at the sutures.
Q: You wear many hats right now: singer-songwriter, producer, member of The Loophole, while juggling two musical personas, “Jerry Li" and "CLOUDRIVER." In the These Days EP released at the end of January, you showed a tender, vulnerable side as a new father, but with 1997, you transformed right back into a bohemian dandy shredding a wild guitar in an underground club. Do you ever feel a pull or conflict when switching between these drastically different identities (a father in daily life, a rogue in music, a producer behind the scenes)? How do you balance these various personas?
CLOUDRIVER: I don’t really feel a pull. I guess you could say I just play the part depending on the vessel I'm in, haha. Out of everything, I find doing household chores the hardest to balance. Sometimes I’ll finish recording something that I think is the dopest track in history, but the moment I turn around, I have to snap out of it and go wash dishes or fold clothes. That is definitely where the real pull happens.
Q: Lastly, could you share what albums or songs you’ve been listening to lately in your private time or while driving?
CLOUDRIVER: Because I usually ask my wife to play music when we’re on long drives (it’s safer), it has truly opened up my world and horizons. I highly recommend Mariah Carey’s "Mine Again," Sandy Lam’s "Scars", Mariah Carey’s "Bye Bye," and Britney Spears’ "Mind Your Business."
好青年
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