Chinese entertainment, from radio love songs to superstars

Chapter 174, The Peak of Music

Zhang Jizhong had a very happy Spring Festival this year. The first wave of revenue from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" has already recovered the cost. You should know that the cost was as high as 3400 million yuan, and it was snapped up before the sample was even released. This is the first time except for those main-theme TV series.

Without the pressure of costs, it is indeed like taking off a heavy shackle. At this time, you can devote all your energy to thinking about how to obtain higher profits in subsequent sales.

However, the theme song and ending song are an important part of whether a TV series can be sold at a high price.

On the one hand, an excellent theme song can create a unique atmosphere and emotional tone for a TV series. It is like an invisible guide, bringing the audience into a specific situation before the series begins.

For example, a stirring theme song can add grand momentum to a historical drama, making the audience feel as if they are in the midst of a magnificent historical picture scroll, and become one of their important memories of the TV series.

The same goes for the ending song, the style can echo the theme song or be different.

It mainly allows the audience's emotions to be further sublimated and settled after the end of the series.

On the other hand, theme songs and ending songs also provide strong support for the promotion of TV series. A good theme song can easily be widely spread on social media and attract more viewers to pay attention to the TV series.

Many TV series will release theme songs in advance during the promotion period to stimulate the audience's expectations and curiosity. At the same time, the singers of the theme songs and ending songs can also bring more fans and attention to the TV series. If a well-known singer is invited to sing, his fan group is likely to pay attention to the TV series because of his love for the singer, thereby expanding the audience range of the TV series.

In addition, theme songs and ending songs can also be used in commercial performances, advertisements and other fields to further enhance the commercial value of the TV series.

Zhang Jizhong knew this since the CCTV versions of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Outlaws of the Marsh, so in the subsequent filming of Jin Yong's martial arts dramas, the requirements for the theme songs and ending songs were very high.

For example, the theme song of "Swordsman" is the instrumental "Love" by Zhao Jiping, and the ending song is "Swordsman" sung by Liu Huan and Wang Jingfei;
"The Legend of the Condor Heroes", the theme song is "The World is in My Heart" sung by Qiu Ye, and the ending song is "True Love, True Beauty" sung by Sun Nan and Xu Ruyun.

It can be seen how much Zhang Jizhong understands the importance of theme songs and ending songs to TV series, and how to use them to enhance the value of TV series.

Therefore, in this "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", he abandoned Zhao Jiping and went to Shen Lang.

"Wait, light, wait, light, light..."

At this time, in Zhang Jizhong's study, the sample copy of "Red Dust Inn" sent by Shen Lang was played from the speakers.

He likes to save the good stuff for later, so he plays the ending song first.

The song begins with the sound of piano, the melody is melodious and soothing, like a slowly unfolding painting of the martial arts world.

Yes, this opening method not only sets the emotional tone for the entire song, but also foreshadows the subsequent text, allowing the listener to calm down and slowly savor the Jianghu charm of the song.

Zhang Jizhong stroked his beard, listened more attentively, and his anticipation was heightened.

"The end of the world is the wind and sand

The story of the world is called care..."

Shen Lang's voice is unique and highly recognizable, and it can catch people's ears as soon as he opens his mouth.

These two short lines of lyrics outline the remoteness and vicissitudes of the world, as well as the emotional ties among the people in it.

Zhang Jizhong's eyes lit up involuntarily. This was the feeling he wanted.

Continue listening, the lyrics such as "closing the knife", "fast horse", "fame and fortune" etc. vividly depict the bloody storms, grudges and hatreds, and loneliness of the world.

It has a very vivid visual feel and also has a very underworld feel.

But as an ending song, it cannot just be about the martial arts world, it also needs to include love.

Love between young men and women is an indispensable element in martial arts novels. It not only enriches the connotation of the story, but also shows the multifaceted nature of human nature and adds a touch of tenderness to the cruel world of martial arts.

"The sword is unsheathed and the grudges are over
谁笑
I just want to hold you today

Into the embrace

Hongchen Inn wind is like a knife
Heavy rain strikes fate
Who is the leader in the martial arts world?

I only bow down for you..."

Whatever Zhang Jizhong wants, he gets it immediately.

Is this the strength of “Guo Manzi”?
Just a few simple words can sing out the tender side of the knight, who can abandon fame, wealth and the kingdom, just to be with the other person. The interweaving of heroism and tenderness makes the world of martial arts more full and three-dimensional.

The traditional Chinese music elements cleverly incorporated into the song include instruments such as the guzheng and erhu. The clear tone of the guzheng adds a sense of agility and elegance to the song, while the melodious melody of the erhu gives the song a deep emotional connotation.

The addition of these national instruments makes the song more Chinese in style and more full of the flavor of the underworld.

"It's expensive for a reason. It's worth the price."

Zhang Jizhong listened to it again and couldn't be more satisfied with Shen Lang's song "Red Dust Inn".

The song doesn't have to be very good, but it must be suitable and related to the theme of the TV series.

Whether it is paired with Qiao Feng and Azhu, or Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan, or Xu Zhu and Meng Gu, they are all very well matched.

This also made him look forward to Shen Lang's theme song even more. The song title "Number One in the World" alone was very attractive.

Martial arts represent a yearning for freedom. Knights are not bound by worldly constraints and roam the world freely.

Martial arts is a kind of cultural heritage that embodies many values ​​of traditional Chinese culture.

Martial arts also started with the goal and symbol of being the best in the world, and the love and hatred among the people in the world.

Put the tape in the recorder and press the play button.

The first thing that comes to the stage is the rhythmic beating of "dong dong dong dong dong" of the Chinese drums. The sound of the drums is like thunder, as if instantly bringing people into a world full of passion and vitality.

The two subsequent "Heha" sounds are sending a signal to the listeners that this is martial arts, this is the world of martial arts.

Different from Zhao Jiping's gradual approach, Shen Lang used his ultimate move right from the start.

Then, the sounds of wind, rain, swords and other sounds were heard in a melody that combined traditional instruments such as the guzheng, erhu and flute with Western orchestral music.

Zhang Jizhong couldn't help but exclaimed "Wow".

This combination has both oriental charm and western grandeur, fully demonstrating the heroic spirit and the atmosphere of the martial arts world, making people feel as if they are in a world of swords and shadows.

Very special application, every sound effect is just right, not abrupt or overly exaggerated.

Under the influence of the melody, Zhang Jizhong's eyes emerged with the filming clips of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils". Whether it was the wonderful martial arts scenes or the touching emotional entanglements, this song could set them off appropriately.

If "Red Dust Inn" is just right, then "The World's Number One" is a perfect fit.

He listened to it over and over again, savoring it over and over again, and loved it so much.

At the same time, he was also amazed at Shen Lang's strength.

This kind of strength is not about being able to write a lot of high-quality songs, but being able to give you exactly what you want.

Nothing much to say, just give me money!
Of course, Zhang Jizhong will not let this matter end easily, and he will definitely squeeze out its value.

After the Lantern Festival, he revealed to the media that Shen Lang had written the theme song and ending song for "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", which was amazing.

Just as the outside world was heatedly discussing this matter, he announced the names of two songs.

This once again attracted everyone's attention, and they analyzed what kind of songs "The World's Number One" and "Red Dust Inn" were.

He has mastered the art of hype, playing it long game to whet audiences' appetite, allowing "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" to continue to maintain high attention and popularity.

Zhang Jizhong's actions also caused Shen Lang to be criticized by fans.

“Do you remember that you are a singer?”

"Day after day, instead of releasing albums, they just do these trivial things."

"Can you please take into consideration the feelings of us fans? Should drama fans be superior to us?"

"Don't forget your original intention!" "One sixth of 2003 has passed, and there is still no news about the new album."

"Shen Lang is no longer the Shen Lang of the past."

……

Well, why am I the one who gets hurt?
Shen Lang felt uncomfortable when he saw these comments online.

Being a singer was the starting point of his fortune, and he would definitely not give it up.

If you just want to develop in the entertainment industry for a long time and stay popular, singing alone is not enough.

The entertainment industry is full of talented artists, and everyone is vying for the audience's attention and love. The audience's tastes and needs are diverse. They hope to see artists display their multi-faceted talents and charm. In addition, the market changes very quickly and popular trends are constantly evolving.

Artists need to constantly improve their overall quality, adjust their development direction and style, and expand their artistic field. Only in this way can they stand out from the fierce competition and achieve long-term success.

In order to stabilize the emotions of his fans and maintain his personal image and brand building, Shen Lang announced that his movie album "Love Call Transfer" will be released on April 4st.

"A new album will be released on April Fools' Day? Is that true?"

"I have read some Reuters reports that Brother Lang is filming with several beautiful actresses, and the director is Ning Hao, Brother Lang's favorite music video director. This news should be true."

"Besides, this news wasn't announced on April Fool's Day, so it must be true."

“What does a movie album mean?”

"Literally, an album related to a movie, or a movie related to music."

"It doesn't matter what it means, as long as there's a new album and new songs to listen to!"

……

The tone of the comments changed immediately, and in fact the fans' demands were not high.

Shen Lang also knew this, but he just didn’t want to just keep releasing songs and albums like a machine without emotions.

He wanted to try something different and have fun.

------

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September 2th, New York.

Tonight, the 45th Annual Grammy Awards will be held at Madison Square Garden.

Columbia Broadcasting Corporation and Yenching Music Radio will be responsible for broadcasting the ceremony, and people in the country can also receive the information first.

Why mention domestic affairs?
Because Shen Lang, as the only representative of Chinese singers, will attend the awards ceremony and compete with foreign singers for the two major awards of Best Rock Male Singer and Best Rock Song.

The Grammy Awards is one of the important awards in the American pop music industry. Because of its unique selection method and award establishment, it has attracted public attention and controversy. For more than 40 years, the Grammy Awards has been through this constant controversy.

This year's Grammy Awards are somewhat different from previous years. The Grammy Awards were previously held in Los Angeles, the center of the American entertainment industry, but this time the awards were held in New York.

Last year's Grammy Awards seemed gloomy because the entire United States was still immersed in the painful memories of the Jiu Yiyi incident. The Grammy Awards were almost cancelled, and the results of the last awards ceremony were very monotonous and one-sided, which was very controversial. Many people even commented that the Grammy Awards were already outdated.

But this year, from the moment the nomination list was announced, everything was very encouraging, and the unprecedentedly fierce competition was the biggest highlight of this year's Grammy Awards.

At the same time, this year will also see the most exciting performances in the history of the Grammy Awards.

Rock veteran Bruce Springsteen, U2, Eminem, Britney Spears, rap master Nelly, as well as new generation female singers Avril Lavigne, Norah Jones, R&B queen Ashanti, Dixie Girls and other hottest stars in the European and American music scene will all appear one by one, and Shen Lang will also take the stage in the second half of the evening to sing "Believer".

What’s different from the red carpets in China is that the Grammy red carpet is really full of variety and you can see many amazing looks.

The unique aesthetic taste of Westerners, coupled with bold and exaggerated styling, makes every Grammy red carpet the most special, and this year is no exception.

For example, Britney Spears, the "exposure girl", has always been known for her bold dressing style, but her height of 163cm is really a bit tight.

In comparison, Avril is much more conservative, but her height of 160cm makes her look more petite.

As for male celebrities, there are also many who have alternative styles of dressing, especially some rappers, who are even more stylish than female celebrities.

In their eyes, Shen Lang's words were also different.

Because the dress he wore today was also custom-made by Heilan Home. It was a Chinese-style white gown embroidered with a golden dragon pattern, which perfectly interpreted what "simple but not simplistic" means.

The charm of new Chinese clothing lies in its perfect blend of tradition and modernity. Heilan Home's designers incorporate elements of the long-standing Chinese culture into contemporary fashion, making it both graceful and elegant.

For a clothing brand that has just been established, being able to appear in such an important international occasion is thanks to Shen Lang. The endorsement fee of 3000 million for three years may seem high, but from the perspective of brand development, this investment has brought huge returns.

After walking the red carpet, Shen Lang answered a few questions from the host, then went into the venue and sat down.

There is no chatting without acquaintances.

After he sat for a while, several rock singers came to greet him. They all knew that a Chinese singer was nominated for two major awards, Best Rock Male Singer and Best Rock Song, for his three English rock songs. Since they had nothing to do, they came over to find out.

In fact, as long as you open the topic of music, you can chat smoothly.

The time came, 8 pm in New York, 9 am in BJ, and the award ceremony officially began.

Because there are too many awards, this year's Grammy Awards have increased the number of awards to 104. The awards ceremony is like a buffet, with awards being presented one after another without too many pauses or intervals, giving people a compact and busy feeling.

Judging from the nominations for this year's Grammy Awards, it is still a mix of veterans and newcomers, each showing their talents.

However, the fierce competition and high overall standard among female singers, especially new female singers, are far beyond the reach of previous years. Similar to the fierce competition for Best Actress at this year's Oscars, this year's Grammy Awards also showed a clear "more women than men" situation.

Shen Lang didn't know 90% of these stars, and he knew many of them but couldn't match their songs to the songs.

I know people like Britney and Avril, who both had two or three nominations but didn't win any awards.

At the beginning of the second half, Shen Lang took the stage, marking the birth of the first Chinese singer to walk on the Grammy red carpet and appear on the Grammy stage.

"Pain~
pain
You made me a, you made me a believer, believer
You made me start to believe and become obsessed with you!"

Soon, the passionate and powerful "Believer" reached the ears of everyone at the scene.

Everyone was amazed at Shen Lang's voice and stage presence.

These are also the two magic weapons of rock singers.

Voice is one of the most direct means of expression for rock singers. A unique and powerful voice can sing high-pitched and passionate melodies, or show a low and hoarse texture. A powerful voice can convey the power, passion and rebellious spirit in rock music, allowing the audience to feel the impact of the music.

Stage presence refers to the performance style and charm of a rock singer on stage. An excellent stage presence can include energetic movements, confident posture, interaction with the audience and the ability to control the stage, all of which will make the performance more infectious and attractive.

Most of the people here have no knowledge of Chinese singers. The only Chinese stars they know are movie actors like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan who are famous for their kung fu.

Shen Lang's wonderful performance at this moment was eye-catching. His outstanding voice and stage presence showed strong appeal and expressiveness. Coupled with the excellent rock song "Believer", the three complemented each other and together showed the unique charm and style of Chinese singers.

"Very good. His voice is powerful and can express the passion and strength in the song. It also has a certain toughness and ductility, and can maintain a stable performance in the high notes."

"Very talented. In terms of creation, he has retained the traditional elements of rock music and incorporated elements of pop music, making it highly popular and sung while maintaining the power of rock music."

"Unfortunately, among the rock singers competing for the rock category this year, there is a rock mountain."

"It would be nice if it was an album. Three singles are too few."

“There is great potential and I look forward to his performance this year.”

"His insertion has made our European and American music scene more interesting."

(End of this chapter)