TAIPEI, Taiwan – Jolin Tsai was the big winner at the Golden Melody Awards, honouring some of the biggest names in Asian music.

The Taiwanese pop star, nominated in seven categories, won three awards for best Mandarin album for “Play,” best vocal recording album and best single producer.

Celebrities and musicians from the Chinese-speaking world attended Saturday night’s ceremony, Taiwan’s equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

Screaming fans swarmed the entrance to Taipei Arena to watch their favourite stars walk the red carpet. Early arrival Jay Chou, a best album nominee for “Aiyo, Not Bad,” acknowledged his fans’ support and said he was nervous to be attending the awards.

Eason Chan was named best Mandarin male singer, a category he also won in 2003. Before the show, he said he favoured one of his fellow nominees to win.

“I want Jacky Cheung to win the award. He sings really well. I have been listening to his album along with others’ and I like his very much,” he confessed on the red carpet.

A-Mei was named best Mandarin female singer for the third time, this year for her album “Faces of Paranoia.”

Buddha Jump, an indie rock band headed by songwriter-singer Penny Tai, bagged two awards, best band and best arrangement.

The best new artist award went to six-member band BOXING, which mixes Taiwanese aboriginal music with rap beats, producing a unique young Taiwan sound.

Former “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson and Taiwanese-American model Janet Hsieh were presenters.