Debbie Liu is not your typical Taiwanese girl. She’s a music DJ in a male-dominated industry. In fact, she’s only a select few female DJ’s headlining the 2019 Spring Break on the Beach. Going by the DJ name “MoneyDick,” she loves hip-hop, house, tech-house, hard-style, and some pop-rock, but not so much into K-pop or J-pop.

She’s sassy but classy and always witty. She incredibly smart–but she admits to having made some mistakes in life. Although her mistakes may have actually helped her realize what is important in her life. Her story is an inspiration to many of all generations to realize their dreams, even if it means breaking traditions and stereotypes.

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Debbie is a music pioneer in Kaohsiung. She is a featured DJ at major events around Kaohsiung and throughout Taiwan. She’s traveled to Europe’s music scene and has brought back some of the Euro-themed events to Taiwan. She’s also an event promoter and a regular DJ at the Brickyard Club. She’s also added to her acting portfolio by starring in viral videos. My Kaohsiung shares her exclusive story of finding herself in a traditional Taiwanese culture.

Brittney Spears was my idol. Even when she shaved her head, I would follow her and support her through the ordeal.

She grew up in Tainan. She was musically inclined at an early age and she attributes that to her father, who was an electrical engineer. He was also an audiophile, engineering audio system to enjoy his Blues music in hi fidelity. Unknown to him at the time, he unleashed a music DJ phenom that went on to headline some major events.

My father and I didn’t speak for 3 years. He felt that I became a “bad” girl.

But, the only thing she did was to unleash the creative side of her that he instilled. She’s always worked really hard to be a professional musician and a DJ. It took a chance showing for him to finally accept his daughter had grown up and accomplished amazing things.

At an early age, Debbie was a model student…well sort of. When she was supposed to be going to cram school in high school, she secretly played in a rock band, playing English covers. The fact no one could understand the English rock songs didn’t deter Debbie at all. She was doing what she wanted to do as an artist. Her band was booked for a sponsored event and she invited her more supportive mother. Who she saw in the crowd standing next to her mother was her father! She feared the worst and was ready judgment day. But to her surprise, he applauded her and her entertainment gift.

Despite her playing hooky from cram school, she studied really hard and was able to score high on the TOEFL and SAT tests. In fact, she was accepted to Texas A&M University in Texas, USA, to be a nurse.

MoneyDick was once a Nursing student!

Debbie’s university life at Texas A&M ended early. Debbie admits she enjoyed the college partying atmosphere a little too much. She had also dated a Mexican friend and the fact he was tattooed was too much for her father to handle–a relative in the US snitched to her father. Fearing she was involved in a stereotypical drug cartel, he immediately forced her return to Taiwan. While it would seem on the surface that she was a failure, this was the turning point in her life for the better and her newfound career.

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After returning to Taiwan, Debbie enrolled in the National Pingtung University. Every day after class, she would travel to the Brickyard Club, where she felt at home with the music and the vibe. After a while, Graham Dart encouraged her to learn to DJ. An astute student in music, she absorbed everything she could about being a DJ. Then, Graham offered her a chance to go solo. This was the world’s introduction to “MoneyDick.”

Since then, Debbie has been featured in major music events. She’s traveled to Europe and America to stay up to date with the trends. In fact, she’s bringing a little of Europa to the 2019 Spring Break on the Beach.

In a My Kaohsiung exclusive, Debbie shares that the second stage will be modeled after a European theme. Europeans tend to get into the vibe of the moment, not just the music. The second stage will be set off and have a different theme. It will be near the shore so party-goers can enjoy the music against the backdrop of the ocean waves in a fully darkened area. So, imagine…the stars above, rhythmic waves from the shore, and house music…what can get better than this. Only SBOTB19 can offer this unique experience.

While we hoped to end on a high note, My Kaohsiung learned that Money Dick plans to take her talents to her old “alma mater” Texas A&M. Life is cyclic and she plans to return to Texas and duplicate the fun and the excitement of Kaohsiung’s music scene there.

Debbie’s long-term goal is just that: work long term. Her dream is to be DJing for her Great Grandchildren in her 80’s.

Her advice to the younger generation: Be Fearless! Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you from achieving your dreams. Stop thinking about what others think about you. Live your life to the fullest!

“Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings and emotions.”  – Will Smith

Debbie’s Favorite Quote

Debbie is friends with many people in the Kaohsiung community. She’s an for many young girls breaking free of traditional roles and achieving personal goals with a sense of purpose. Let’s wish Debbie the best in her future endeavors. We’re confident she will succeed. Soon, maybe we will be booking tickets to Spring Break in Texas.