The Eternal Isles is the 12th album published by Chinese artist Fei Xu, This is a mandarin pop album released on May 16, 2024.

Project Over View:

Crafting the visual essence for ‘The Eternal Isles’ mandarin pop album posed a delightful challenge. Me and the team delved deep into the thematic tapestry of each track, capturing the essence of mystical landscapes and timeless melodies through intricate design elements.

By merging evocative imagery with nuanced typography, I sought to resonate with the album’s soulful narrative, ensuring every visual detail invites listeners into a journey of discovery and reflection. The collaborative process with the artist ensured that each design choice enriched the album’s storytelling, creating a visual symphony that harmonizes seamlessly with its musical counterpart.

About the Artist

Xu Fei, a female singer and musician from mainland China.

Achieved sixth place nationwide in the 2006 “Super Girl” competition.
Recognized as one of TOM200’s most promising new artists.
Awarded the Most Popular Pioneer Female Singer on the 2008 Music Pioneer Chart.
Received accolades at the 9th Chinese Media Music Awards.
Named Newcomer of the Year and Most Promising New Artist by the BQ Red List in 2006.
Won the Annual Golden Melody Award at the 2012 China Song Charts.
Secured a spot in the Top 10 Pioneer Songs on the 2012 Music Pioneer Chart.
Recognized for having the Most Popular EP at the 2011 Eastern Billboard Awards.
Appeared on the 2011 MusicRadio China TOP Charts.

sources from: https://baike.sogou.com/m/fullLemma?lid=157284

picture source: Weibo

My Role

Album Designer

Album Planning Assistant

Team Member

Fei Xu(Artist)

Yu Fang Dong(Lyricist）

Monetheph studio （Artist’s Music Studio）

Eric Wu(Video Editor）

Tools and Durations

Tools:

Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe Illustrator

Duration：

3 Month

Deliverables

Physical Album

Album booklet

Album Ephemera(1 postcard, 1 lyrics poster, 1 ‘boat ticket’ )

Album Merchandise （2 T-shirts，1-Tote bag, one mouse pad）

Design Strategies

I start by listening to all music demos and understanding the lyrics, communicating closely with the artists and lyricists to grasp their creative intentions and desired emotional impact. From there, I conceptualize the album design around the theme of “Eternal Isles,” inspired by detailed research into the Faroe Islands and their evocative landscapes. This research informs the visual elements chosen for each song, which are then integrated into a cohesive design for the album booklet.

Next, I focus on designing the physical album components, such as a boat ticket and a lyrics poster, ensuring each item enhances the thematic narrative of the “Eternal Isles.” Finally, I develop merchandise designs that resonate with the album’s concept, creating a holistic visual and sensory experience for fans and listeners alike.

Understanding the Musical Style

This album merges various musical styles, including folk, pop, and rock. Its style is delicate, with beautiful melodies and deeply meaningful, storytelling lyrics. After meeting with lyricist and the singer and the rest of music production team. I’ve decided to use the song’s style and the narrative quality of the lyrics as the starting points for conceptualizing the album design.

Concept Development: the Isles

The concept of “isles” perfectly reflects Xu Fei’s musical style, characterized by independence, introspection, and emotional depth. Her fresh voice, simple melodies, and profound lyrics evoke a sense of isolation and inner solitude. The Faroe Islands, with their remote, tranquil landscapes, mirror this purity and introspective nature, symbolizing a personal space for reflection. Incorporating elements of the Faroe Islands into the album design enhances the “musical isles” metaphor, representing Xu Fei’s inner world and conveying themes of freedom, solitude, and self-exploration.

Moodboards

First draft of the Lyric Books: Merging Visuals with Lyrics

Refining the Design: The Second Version

After discussing with the artist, she really liked the elements I used to represent each island in the design. However, she wasn’t particularly satisfied with the color choice, and the lower saturation colors didn’t seem well-suited to the Chinese market. Upon revisiting the design and rereading the lyrics and their interpretation, I chose Klein blue as the primary color. Klein blue is perfect for this album as it conveys depth, mystery, and emotional intensity, aligning well with the storytelling in the lyrics. Its vibrant tone adds a striking, timeless quality that enhances the album’s appeal in the Chinese market.