Lo Ta-yu
Lo Ta-yu, born July 20, 1954 in Taipei, Taiwan, is a famous Taiwanese singer and songwriter also known as Luo Dayou. He became one of Mandopop’s most influential artists in the 1980s, blending folk, rock and witty social and political comments in his songs. His lyrics are often straightforward and conversational, touching on life, society and politics in China and Taiwan, sometimes leading to censorship.
He studied medicine but chose a music career after finishing school at China Medical College in Taichung. He started in the late 1970s, writing songs for others and for films. His 1982 debut album Pedantry produced hits like Lukang Town and Love Song 1980. The 1983 album Master of the Future explored ideas about society and the future. In 1985 he wrote the popular charity single Tomorrow Will Be Better for Taiwan’s 40th anniversary of independence.
Facing political pressure, Lo left Taiwan, spent a year in New York, and moved to Hong Kong in 1986. He released influential works in the late 1980s and 1990s, including Lover/Comrade (1988) and songs such as Pearl of the Orient (1991), which praised Hong Kong. He also co-wrote Queen’s Road East (1991) with Ram Chiang, a Cantonese song about the upcoming handover of Hong Kong.
Lo has won several awards, including Best Original Film Score at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Red Dust (1990) and a Golden Melody Awards Special Contribution Award (2021). He is considered a cultural icon in Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China.
In his personal life, Lo has been connected with Sylvia Chang, and he was married to Lee Lieh (1999–2001) and Elaine Lee (2010). He has one child. He maintains a presence online at luodayou.net and continues to perform and influence new generations.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:28 (CET).