Dubbed "Asia's Bjork", Sa Dingding sings in Mandarin, Tibetan, Sanskrit, and her own self-created language. Already hugely popular in China, she is now poised to crack world music:  her first album sold more than two million copies and scooped a prestigious award in Britain, which saw her performing at Royal Albert Hall in London. This weekend's TALK ASIA follows Sa backstage on her tour of European music festivals and visits her recording and design studios in Beijing - while host Anjali Rao listens to an exclusive sneak preview of her soon-to-be-released new album.

Growing up as a nomad in inner Mongolia until the age of six, Sa recalls her childhood in one word ‘Play'. "I just played everywhere on the grassland. And there's a lot of interesting things happened which affected my whole life. That time taught me what real music means - freedom and honesty," she tells CNN's TALK ASIA.

Mixing western electronica with traditional Chinese folk songs and floaty instrumentals played on zither, the singer demonstrates her unique music in a live performance for TALK ASIA. She says her style deviated from the mainstream sugary-sweet formulaic pop tunes: "For me, being a real musician isn't just about singing. It's also about conveying my state of mind. I want to do is to introduce my music to more people and spark their imagination."

The singer has attracted collaboration invitations from world renowned DJ Paul Oakenfold and French duo Deep Forest. Yet she was dropped by the organizers of the legendary Glastonbury festival because they were worried about the possible controversy over her views on Tibet. Sa comments: "I don't quite understand the reason behind. To me, art and music really belong to the whole world and they shouldn't be limited by boundaries. So I really hope that I could join Glastonbury next year."

She does however share with Rao her opinions on the issue of Tibet: "I think it's a difference of perspectives on politics. In this world, people in different nations,, different ethnic groups and different places should be free to have their own opinions." And as a musician, she says: "I see the Tibetan culture nowadays as an integral part of the greater Chinese culture." 

Although the 24-year-old shot to fame winning a televised singing contest, Sa is not worried that her celebrity status will be short-lived as she confidently tells Rao: "I think to an artist the most terrifying thing is not when you are living people will start to forget you, it's when you die people will never remember you. I have enough time to make people remember me."

For more program information on TALK ASIA visit www.cnn.com/talkasia.  

- END -