Like many indie musicians, P!SCO lead guitarist Rachel Hsu 吉他手 grew up listening to groups like the Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The Taipei resident acknowledges that these two U.S. bands, among others from the ’90s and early 2000s, had a massive impact on her guitar work.
“I really loved how direct that music was,” Rachel tells the Toronto Spark in Mandarin over Zoom from her home in Taipei. “It felt like it came straight at you, hitting you head on.” (Toronto Spark associate editor becky tu translated her remarks into English.)
But Rachel is so much more than the hard rockin’ co-founder of an all-woman band. She has also become an LGBTQ icon in her home country after transitioning through gender-affirming surgery and then sharing her story with the public through songs, live performances, and interviews.
At Harbourfront Centre on August 29 as part of Toronto TAIWANfest, Rachel and her band members will deliver a “Hope Talk” about indie music in Taiwan and her country’s growing acceptance of LGBTQ equality. In 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
“This is a topic that resonates deeply with me because I’ve lived through this entire evolution firsthand,” Rachel says. “I witnessed the early days when this issue was completely off the radar…and no one paid it any mind.
“And I’ve seen the shift to the present, where so many people now care about it,” she continues. “I hope to share my personal experiences and reflections on this transformation during the talk.”
P!SCO lead singer CatLun 小論, bassist Omoi 張憶文, drummer Liang Yang 朝量, and Rachel will follow up their Hope Talk with a free concert entitled Island Love. It will be held at 3 p.m. on August 30 at Harbourfront Centre.
Rachel affected by reactions to “Teary Eyes (光圈)”
Their most popular song is the deeply emotional “Teary Eyes (光圈)”, which shares the pain of being bullied in childhood over one’s sexual orientation. Rachel concedes that she never expected fans to respond so strongly to it.
“Whenever we perform it live, there are always people in the audience who are moved to tears,” Rachel reveals. “On one hand, my heart aches for them, but on the other, I find it deeply moving—the fact that my music can resonate with the audience.”
What touches her even more is how many fans have taken the initiative to explain why this song resonates with them.
“It’s a mix of emotions—feeling heartbroken that they have endured such experiences, yet deeply moved that the song can give them strength,” Rachel notes.
While “Teary Eyes (光圈)” has a melancholic feel, another P!SCO hit, “Hold On! I Love You!” exudes rampant joy. Lyrics such as “Having so much fun together we go insane” complement exuberant indie-rock musicianship.
“It’s rare for me to like a song I created so much,” Rachel declares. “Even though it is a cheerful and happy song, sometimes it makes me a little sad. I do not know why. But I can also get a lot of positive energy from such a happy song.”
She looks forward to performing “Hold On! I Love You!” with her band in front of a Toronto audience.
“We really want to bring that joyful atmosphere to Canada,” Rachel asserts. “Even though there might be a language barrier, I believe the energy of the music—combined with our stage presence—will ensure the audience enjoys a truly happy, simple, and delightful time.”
Watch P!SCO’s video for “Teary Eyes (光圈)”.
Band collaborates with Ocean Family
Rachel also discloses that in their Toronto debut, P!SCO will perform their newest release, “Step by step by step”. The band recorded it with the children’s group Ocean Family. This troupe is Taiwan’s first performing arts and singing-and-dancing group dedicated to promoting gender equality for children.
“They take the issue of gender equity seriously, and some of their own songs address these very topics,” Rachel points out. “For instance, they have a song called ‘My Family Is Truly Lovely’, which conveys that having two dads or two moms is actually a wonderful thing.”
Rachel greatly admired Ocean Family and felt that she and other P!SCO members simply had to connect because they’re doing similar work. According to Rachel, when they finally met, they hit it off, which led them to create “Step by step by step”.
P!SCO has come such a long way from its humble origins back in 2010. The musicians came together for a specific competition that required bands to have a female vocalist. They never planned how long they would keep performing nor did they set any long-term goals.
“In the beginning, the stories we told were more self-centered, focusing mainly on our own emotions,” Rachel says. “It was only later, after the band gained a following, that we started trying to tell other people’s stories.”
The founders combined the words “piano” and “disco” to produce the name P!SCO.
Watch P!SCO’s video for “Hold On! I Love You! (你的愛中我是無敵的)).
P!SCO performs in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English
Over the years, band members have written and performed their usually optimistic songs in Taiwanese and English, as well as in Mandarin.
“Since we all share that positive outlook, it was only natural for us to create this kind of music,” Rachel explains. “It all happened organically. We didn’t deliberately aim for a specific direction—our personalities simply shaped the music this way.”
In their third year, Rachel began feeling a sense of mission that went beyond the music. Before one major concert, she brought along a rainbow flag—representing support for LGBTQ rights—and asked fellow band members if it could be displayed on-stage. They all agreed.
“From then on—starting around that third year—a rainbow flag became a regular feature of our stage set-up,” Rachel adds. “We also began creating music that addressed these kinds of issues.”
Rachel championed same-sex marriage at large outdoor shows and other performances just as public debate intensified over this issue in Taiwan.
“While many in the audience would show their support, there were others who would simply walk away the moment I started speaking about it,” she states. “That really left a deep impression on me.”
Rachel could sense that there was considerable opposition to marriage equality. That’s why she admires Democratic Progressive Party politicians and others in the Green coalition who steadfastly supported it in spite of the political risks.
“[Then president] Tsai Ing-wen is, perhaps, the one I respect the most,” Rachel emphasizes. “For a sitting president to be willing to take such actions—I find that truly remarkable.”
Listen to P!SCO’s “Step by step by step”, featuring Ocean Family.
Festival details
Toronto TAIWANfest runs from August 28 to 30 at Harbourfront Centre. All events are free. The festival will present P!SCO on the Concert Stage at Harbourfront Centre at 3 p.m. on August 30. For more details, visit the Toronto TAIWANfest website. Band members will also give a Hope Talk called “Room for Love” at Toronto TAIWANfest at 4 p.m. on August 29 at Main Loft in Harbourfront Centre.
Rachel Hui 吉他手 spoke to the Toronto Spark in Mandarin; associate editor becky tu translated her responses into English. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelthebat618.
