For more than a decade, singer-songwriter A Si has been known for her songs with sharp-eyed humor and light-hearted lyrics telling stories about everyday life.

With her latest album, titled No Offense, But..., which was released on Aug 13, the singer-songwriter turns her wit toward heavier terrain: emotional health, workplace pressure, internet violence and the quiet burden carried by women.

"It sounds like I'm venting at the outside world," she says. "But deeper down, I'm reflecting on myself."

The title itself is a wink at her own personality.

As she says, she is a kind of person who doesn't want to trouble others, which leaves many thoughts unspoken.

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"But like many people, I know the feeling of emotions pooling like water behind a dam — anger, frustration, loneliness — until it spills over," she says.

"We smile politely," she says. "But inside we're already boiling."

This album, she decided, would be different from her earlier introspective, self-questioning work. Instead of keeping the dialogue within herself, she wanted to address the world directly — asking pointed questions, poking at sore spots, and, in her own words, "being a bit cowardly while still offending people ... so please, bear with me".

The songs came together over a long arc: some ideas formed in her 20s, others took shape in the last three years.

Humor is still her strength when writing lyrics for this new album.

"People think humor is just for fun, but it's also a survival tool," she says. "It's how I cope with pressure and say the unsayable."

The song, titled Iced Cola, Por Favor, for example, is a track that begins with the absurd image of craving an iced cola, but soon reveals layers: the suffocating politeness of blind dates, the numbing routine of office meetings, and the absurdity of gendered expectations.

Mind Your Words, a song which began as a release of pent-up anger over online bullying, but turned into a self-reminder to think before judging others.

In She, Elle, Ella, written when she was nearly 30, A Si takes aim at the expectations placed on women: marry early, have children, be the nurturer. She admits she once shared that belief.

"At university, I thought the ideal life for a woman was a stable job, marriage, and kids," she says. "Then I grew up and realized everyone's life has its own script — or no script at all."

Her own awakening came from watching the lives of other women, questioning why a "complete" life should require ticking those boxes. Yet, she also recognizes the social structures, such as aging populations and family responsibility, that keep those expectations in place. The song carries both rebellion and resignation.

Emotional health runs through the album like an undercurrent. For A Si, writing is both catharsis and communication.

"When I can turn bad feelings into songs, I feel better," she says.

The album doesn't shy away from the bleakness of the world — wars, disasters, injustices — but also celebrates the stubborn preciousness of being alive.

Born in Shanghai, A Si debuted online in 2010, gaining attention for her fun and imaginative songwriting.

When her song, I'm eating Fried Chicken at PSQ (PSQ for People's Square, a landmark located in the heart of Shanghai), went viral in 2011, it gave A Si a burst of fame and a devoted fanbase. The song charms listeners with its quirky, relatable storyline and catchy, refreshing melody. Since then, many of those fans have grown up alongside her music. Some listened as students, now they listen on their commutes to work.

That sense of companionship is something she treasures.

"My songs are like a hug for the inner child of a grown-up," she says. "They're always there. You can click and listen anytime."

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But this time, she's not offering easy comfort.

"My earlier songs were like a blanket to curl up in," she says. "This new album is all question marks. I want you to give the answers."

It's not about telling listeners how to think, but sparking reflection.

"Maybe no one in your life talks to you about these things," she says. "I want to have that conversation through music."

At 36, she's not chasing grand career milestones. She dreams of continuing to release songs for decades, letting her work be her legacy.

"If in the future I can still hug people this way — through music — that will make me happy," she says.