Castle is the sixth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on February 27, 2004 by Sony.

[1] The album was produced by Bing Wang, Peter Lee, Jay Chou, Jamie Hsueh, Huang Yi, and G-Power.

It incorporates a wide range of musical styles, blending elements of pop, hip hop, Latin, chanson, heavy metal, and British rock.

[2] The album received widespread critical acclaim and is regarded as a significant milestone in Tsai's continued success in the Chinese-language music industry.

[5] It ranked as the second best-selling album of 2004 in Taiwan and earned Tsai the title of the highest-selling female artist of that year.

[10][11] It ranked as the second best-selling album of 2003 in Taiwan and earned Tsai the title of the highest-selling female artist of that year.

Additionally, the album's track "Prague Square" earned Baby Chung a nomination for Best Music Arrangement, and he ultimately won the award.

"[15] On December 14, 2003, it was announced that due to Tsai's pursuit of perfection, several songs on the upcoming album were being re-recorded, leading to a delay in its release until after the Chinese New Year in 2004.

[19] The production team from her previous album, including Jamie Hsueh, Peter Lee, Bing Wang, and Huang Yi, was once again involved.

The album was described as incorporating a diverse range of styles, including pop ballads, hip hop, and rock.

"[20] The lead single, "Pirates", blends a medieval retro atmosphere with flamenco and hip-hop elements, incorporating various sound effects, including the scratching of records.

The sharp, explosive tones, when combined with Tsai's sweet voice, create an interesting contrast that enhances the power of the songs.

"[24] "The Smell of Lemon Grass" showcases a richer vocal expression and more stable emotional control from Tsai compared to her previous work.

"[27] The song is a poignant slow ballad, with Tsai's raw, emotional delivery in the prelude demonstrating her growing vocal maturity.

These themes reflect the diversity of the album's musical styles, with "The Bird of the Sky" representing energetic and lively dance tracks, "The White Horse of the Forest" symbolizing exotic and whimsical sounds, and "The Blue Fish of the Deep Sea" capturing emotional, heart-rending ballads.

[28] Tsai commented, "Since my previous album, I've wanted my music to feel like a fairytale, with a sense of imagery and mystery.

[31] On February 22, 2004, Tsai held a preview session at the Red House Theater Square in Ximending, Taipei.

[28] On the same day, Tsai held a press conference for Castle, where it was reported that the production budget for the album was around NT$100 million.

[1] On April 17, 2004, Tsai held the It's Love Concert at the parking lot next to the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Store in Taipei, where over 10,000 people attended the event.

[35] Tsai remarked, "This edition includes the remixed version of '36 Tricks of Love' and some great MV performances.

[42] Later that month, on September 24, 2004, she participated in the 5th Golden Eagle TV Arts Festival Concert, performing both "36 Tricks of Love" and "Rewind".

"[50] To capture the grandeur of a medieval pirate treasure hunt, the director invited a professional art team to design all the set blueprints for the music video.

The music video for "The Smell of Lemon Grass" was directed by Tony Lin and filmed at the Yingge Ceramics Museum.

On July 8, 2004, Tsai announced that she would kick off her J1 World Tour on August 7, 2004, at the Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai, China.

[7] The tour lasted for one year and nine months, spanning eight performances across seven cities worldwide,[52] and concluded on April 22, 2006, at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, United States.

The album features footage from the tour's performance at the Chungshan Soccor Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan, on November 20, 2004.

[57] On August 4, 2004, media outlets reported that the album had maintained its position at number one on Taiwan's Asia Music sales chart for nine consecutive weeks.

The five key producers—Huang Yi, Jamie Hsueh, Jay Chou, Peter Lee, and Bing Wang—were brought back to create a number of hit songs, further solidifying Jolin Tsai's position in Taiwan and across the Chinese-speaking music world.

"[4] Sina Entertainment's Deng Wulin wrote, "If Magic was a bold experiment, then Castle maintains the same level of quality as its predecessor.

[69] On January 16, 2005, Tsai won the Hito Music Awards' Best Female Singer, and "It's Love" was ranked among the Top 10 Songs.