"Womxnly" (Chinese: 玫瑰少年) is a song by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, featured on her fourteenth studio album, Ugly Beauty.
[2] The song title "Womxnly" refers to Yeh Yung-chih, a Taiwanese student who was a victim of bullying due to his gender nonconformity.
[3] Yeh attended Kaoshu Junior High School in Pingtung County, Taiwan, and was often targeted by his classmates for his distinctive gender expression.
[4] In November 2015, Tsai invited filmmaker Hou Chi-jan to produce the We're All Different, Yet the Same documentary series, which included a segment on Yeh Yung-chih.
"[6] In July 2017, Tsai revealed that she had invited Ashin, the lead vocalist of Mayday, to collaborate on a song for her album Ugly Beauty.
"[8] In December 2018, Tsai released her fourteenth studio album, Ugly Beauty, which included the song "Womxnly", co-written by Ashin.
[11] The arrangement blends tropical house, reggae, and Southeast Asian musical influences, creating a track that is both emotionally nuanced and lyrically powerful.
In the video, Tsai and her dancers wear two contrasting outfits: suits representing "conformity" and casual attire symbolizing "being oneself".
The choreography and facial expressions are carefully synchronized with the lyrics, using long takes to convey the concept of the line, "Who traps whose soul in whose body?
[15] QQ Music's critic Dai Ruo Mu Yi commented: "'Womxnly' is a well-crafted song both in terms of lyrics and composition, a heartfelt track that addresses marginalized groups.
"[16] PlayMusic's critic Janus Shau noted: "Though 'Womxnly' is a light dance track with tropical vibes, it is also the most emotionally stirring song on the album.
"[17] Chinese Musicians Exchange Association remarked: "In response to the questions of the world, Jolin Tsai uses rhythm to evoke the concept of body liberation.
Similarly, Mayday, who had previously included "Womxnly" in their setlist, also chose not to perform the song during their Fly to 2023 Tour in Xi'an on September 8, 2023.