Career
Mao along with fellow singer Liu Huan, "both household names among Chinese around the world," were "disciples" of "renowned vocal educator" Deng Zaijun. lieutenant was the highest honor a Chinese popular singer had ever been given in an international competition. But Mao became even more well known by singing in the Spring Festival Gala." Moreover, her performance in 1988 for the Chinese New Year television Celebration "made both song and singer extremely popular in Mainland China." By the late 1980s, Mao "earned two thousand yuan for a single performance as China"s biggest popular star.." The New Straits Times described her as "China"s most popular singer," who "retains a nationalistic flavour in her songs," and "China"s top popular singer for the past four years" before 1990.
In 1989, "Mao, China"s biggest popular star, was caught lying to the Beijing Evening News about under-the-table payments for performances in Harbin.
In the ensuing scandal, she was fined 34,000 yuan and forced to pay 15,000 yuan in back taxes."
Following her legal troubles, Mao underwent a transformation towards seemingly feminist music, such as her 1994 single "Real Woman" off of her self-titled album. These mid-1990s efforts received criticism as lacking the spirit and power of her 1980s work.
