One of Taiwan's biggest pop stars sings in an Indigenous language

Indigenous Taiwanese singer Abao, a member of the Paiwan community, in Taipei on Nov. 10. Over the course of a career spanning two decades, Abao's songs have topped the island's charts and she's racked up some of Taiwan's most prestigious music awards. Her popularity reflects the island's overdue recognition and awareness of Indigenous culture. (An Rong Xu for NPR)

TAIPEI — Everything about pop star Abao is musical. Her earrings jangle as she talks, and her deep belly laughter punctuates her conversations. She spontaneously breaks into song while explaining the Paiwan language she grew up speaking.

"My mother tongue of Paiwan is a lot like Spanish. It rises and falls, and so it meshes very easily with groovy things," Abao says.