BLAME it on fame - Jolin Tsai just can't seem to avoid criticism or controversy.

She has been lambasted for copying Japanese singing sensation Ayumi Hamasaki, from the way the Japanese pop star dances to the way she dresses.

The Taiwanese pop star's also constantly slammed for her 'bad' English - a sore point among her detractors since she has a degree in English literature from Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei.

The fact that Jolin, 28, has also published three books teaching English to her countrymen just adds fuel to the fire.

Her first book, Jolin's English Diary, released in 2005, aimed to teach readers the language through reading her diary. The book also contained 72 choice phrases to use in essay-writing and a CD of Jolin reading English prose.

Her second book, loosely translated as Jolin's Party, was released end of 2005 with a focus on partying. The book introduced 2,000 English words.

Her third book, Love Exercise, released last year, teaches English words relating to love and romance through a series of classic English love songs.

Jolin also translated pop diva Madonna's children's book, The English Roses, into Mandarin.

So it made sense to broach the subject of English with the Taiwanese pop diva when she zipped into town to promote her new album, Butterfly.

After all, it had been widely reported that she had spelt 'congratulations' as 'congradulations', 'sugar' as 'suger' and 'Kylie' (as in Kylie Minogue) as 'Kelly'.

But at the press conference on Wednesday at Conrad Centennial, Jolin resolutely refused to respond in English to The New Paper's four questions.

Our request to get her reply in English was met with an unsettling stony silence and a mildly stunned look from her. The event's emcee Cruz Teng swiftly stepped in to her rescue. The Y.E.S. 93.3 DJ said he would assist to translate Jolin's answers.

Not that she did not understand the questions asked, since she answered them all to the point. But in Mandarin.

This reporter asked in English if it was her wish to slow down her work pace and enjoy life.

Jolin said in Mandarin: 'Definitely. I don't want to end up so busy with work that I can't recall what I did the day before. I want to be able to remember my mistakes, what made me happy or what I should enjoy in life.'

What is her ideal working situation, we asked.

Again, she replied in Mandarin: 'One that isn't so packed and allows me time with my family and friends. When I'm with them, I see different sides of myself.'

She admitted that this would be difficult to achieve in showbiz but added: 'The (management) company occasionally listens to my opinions since I've been in the industry for quite long.'

Performing live and interacting with her fans are the best parts of her hectic life, she said.

Ballet issues

She also recalled her difficulty learning ballet for the music video for a song in the album.

She said in Mandarin: 'I didn't know learning ballet was so difficult. There were even times when I wanted to hit the instructor with a stick!'

Her ballet outfit cost a hefty NT$300,000 ($15,000).

The stylish dancer is currently recovering from a back injury sustained from her intensive dance lessons.

Despite her quick, ready answers, it was clear that Jolin would rather be somewhere else this afternoon. Her pixie face remained expressionless during the 30-minute conference.

She sat in the armchair, looking uncomfortably stiff and moved only once to take a sip from a small cup from a thermal bottle. The only sign of 'life' came from her feet. Often, she shuffled them, sometimes crossing and uncrossing her feet at the ankles.

All that movement brought attention to her shoes - a pair of silver United Nude pumps, one of the latest fads in architectural heels. The price code sticker on her to-die-for shoes was still on one sole.

But her footwear didn't match the outfit she was wearing. Black trash-bag pouffy pants and a beige tube-top with what looked like pieces of sliced plastic sheets sewn on it.

Clearly, fashion sense is subjective, which explains why Jolin often attracts criticism for her choice of attire - like at the 19th Golden Melody Awards last year.

Netizens crudely slammed her for wearing a gown that looked like 'a huge sanitary towel' and 'with the kind of care wing, anti-side leakage too'.

Jolin said: 'I don't mind buying NT$200 ($10) clothes as long as I like them. I like to have a variety of clothes and mix and match.'

Additional reporting by Gan Ling Kai

This article was first published in The New Paper.