War, hatred, despair, pollution... all the negativity of existence stands a better chance of finding a cure, if Mother Earth has a mouthpiece like alan.

This is the verdict this editor reached after basking in the bliss that is Voice of EARTH, alan's first J-pop album. The emerging vocal revelation has established her position thanks in no small part to her unique background. Born in Sichuan, China of Tibetan descent, and raised in the "Beauty Valley", Alan Dawa Dolma received training in erhu and vocal music growing up. The fairy caught the attention of Japan music giant Avex in an audition, and after graduating from Beijing's PLA Arts Academy, she embarked on the road to international stardom.

As a newcomer, alan's ethereal beauty may have given her a head start, her ethnic characteristics a blessing, but it is her aspirations and accomplishments that are fundamental to a long-term success. That said, her music is above chart positions or sales figures. There is a far grander purpose for her.

Since Nov 2007, alan has released 8 singles on the theme of Nature and our relationship with her, including 5 consecutive singles representing the "Five Elements of Earth" (earth, sky, wind, fire, water). This gives her music an almost spiritual quality, and that goes perfectly with her signature "Tibetan wail" technique with which she hits very high notes, reaching far and beyond and also deep inside, coursing through the universe while resonating with the soul.

Being an ambassador of peace and love helps alan bridge the cultural gap, as does the two-part Chinese movie Red Cliff, which has brought the Sichuan songbird worldwide recognition. Her ending theme for Red Cliff I (also the fire element single) carries a hauntingly beautiful sound that only gets more epic and more affecting in her follow-up for Red Cliff II, to be released as her 9th single.

A milestone for alan, the aptly titled Voice of EARTH includes the 8 singles thus far plus 7 new songs, and the overall quality does inspire hopes of a bigger and better future. Some of the album cuts even manage to give this editor goosebumps from the awe, especially with the opening and closing pair of "Celestial Maiden ~interlude~" and "Together" (the latter being the singer's first composition), in which the divine diva pleads to everyone to save our precious planet. We, mere mortals, will happily take heed.