A few days ago, a new reader left a comment here, saying he was pleasantly surprised to see Cat Power (translated in Taiwan as “The Magical Cat Lady”—a peculiar choice, isn’t it?) on my playlist. They, too, are a lover of music and film, having discovered her work as far back as 2003. Naturally, as a fan of Wong Kar-wai, they had noticed that Cat Power’s The Greatest became the theme song for My Blueberry Nights and that she even appeared in the film—a detail I hadn’t previously realised.
So, how did I first encounter Cat Power? In 2014, during a week-long programme at Peking University, I met a group of Taiwanese exchange students. One of them, tall and slightly wild with his unkempt long hair, stood out. He had a passion for cinema and music; I remember he was particularly fixated on the Drive soundtrack at the time. A year later, while travelling in Taichung with friends, we met up with him in Puli, where he drove us around in an old four-door car that somehow seemed perfectly at home amidst the pastoral scenery.
The car stereo played Cat Power’s Sun album, and songs like Cherokee and Manhattan became etched in my memory, perfectly accompanying the aimless, sunny wanderings. Puli and Manhattan, it turned out, weren’t so far apart. Siri couldn’t yet identify songs back then, so I asked him who was singing. One hand on the wheel, he handed me the album case with the other.
“It’s Cat Power’s Sun. I really like women who don’t follow the rules.”
From that day on, I saved Cat Power’s Sun to my phone and began exploring her other works.
The Greatest and the Wong Kar-wai Connection
My serious dive into Wong Kar-wai’s films also began in 2014. I watched My Blueberry Nights much later, and if Wong’s aesthetics were ever transplanted into Hollywood, Jude Law would undoubtedly be his ideal leading man (because, in my opinion, Jude Law is just that breathtaking—and, let’s face it, he’s an Ah Fei at heart). But what kind of music would suit this aesthetic? Wong forwent classical music this time, opting for Cat Power’s contemporary sounds. The soft jazz-infused intro, coupled with her androgynous yet warm vocals, conjures the image of a quiet street in nighttime New York.
Jude Law and Cat Power in My Blueberry Nights
A Personal Favourite: The Covers Record
If I had to choose a favourite album, it wouldn’t be Sun or The Greatest. It would be The Covers Record, a compilation of her interpretations of other artists’ songs. My favourites include Sea of Love and I Found a Reason. It’s amusing, in hindsight, that both Velvet Underground’s and Cat Power’s versions of I Found a Reason lived in my playlist for years before I realised the latter was a cover of the former. Cat Power’s version takes the skeleton of the original and breathes her own spirit into it, reimagining it for the 2000s. The result feels so distinctly hers that you wouldn’t think of it as a cover—just beautiful music.
Cat Power Live: A Dream Slightly Askew
Two years ago, on June 3rd, I found myself at All Points East in London’s Victoria Park, clutching onto the promise of seeing Cat Power live. I managed to get to the second row. As the sun bore down on us, there she was in a long velvet dress, black tights, and boots—hardly summer attire. Her medium-length hair framed a face that had aged with stories. She seemed scattered, pacing the stage as if lost, occasionally restarting songs because something felt off. By the third song, she left the stage. I had hoped for Sea of Love; she didn’t play it. The experience was bittersweet, like finding an old photo of someone you once adored, only to realise time has quietly rewritten them.
A random shot after Cat Power's performance at All Points East, London, 2018
Cat Power’s Real Story
I later read up on her. Her life has been turbulent, much like her music. She recorded twenty songs in one day for her early albums, became a muse for Marc Jacobs, and even a Chanel spokesperson after Karl Lagerfeld spotted her smoking. Despite these accolades, her struggles with alcohol and mental health were unrelenting. She admitted to drinking whiskey from the moment she woke up until bedtime, often sabotaging live performances as a result. When asked why she cancelled her European tour, she confessed to battling hallucinations and suicidal urges. Yet somehow, she clawed her way back, creating The Greatest, which she described as her first album where the live performances met her studio standards.
The Resilience of a Name
Cat Power’s name itself carries a peculiar charm. Legend has it she chose it spontaneously after seeing a man wearing a Caterpillar cap with “CAT Diesel Power” written across it. It’s a name that defies categorisation—equal parts masculine and feminine, mysterious yet grounded. Like her music, it resists simplicity but feels deeply authentic.
The Puli winters are long gone. That wandering soul who once proclaimed he’d never marry now has a child and smiles as he plans to hand over his camera to the little one someday. The London summer of two years ago is equally unreachable. What remains, however, are the songs. Cat Power’s Sea of Love, her Manhattan, her voice—a balm for hearts like mine.
A Few Favourites to Share:
- Her cover of Oasis’ Wonderwall
- Her rendition of Serge Gainsbourg’s Je t'aime moi non plus (with Karen Elson)
- A 30-second version of David Bowie’s Space Oddity
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (from an Apple ad)
Chan Marshall, may you continue to find your rhythm, and thank you for lending your voice to our messy, beautiful lives.
