Chinese entertainment, from radio love songs to superstars

Chapter 187, Capturing the Heart, Starting with a Song [Seeking Monthly Tickets, Subscriptions]

In the afternoon, the lobby on the first floor of the InterContinental Hong Kong Hotel was crowded with dozens of media outlets from Inner Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"Didn't her assistant Marianne say that she was just suffering from severe anemia and not as serious as the rumors said? How come it's time to hold a press conference in the blink of an eye?"

"It's not that simple. It's not groundless to say that she has cervical cancer. She has a family history of the disease. Her sister Mei Aifang died of this disease three years ago."

"Yes, didn't a doctor reveal that her test results showed that her blood pressure was low and her hemoglobin was seriously low. Her red blood cell count was only half of that of a normal woman, indicating that her health condition was really not ideal."

"Yes, last month, Chen Baixiang, who came to visit the patient, was caught by reporters. When answering questions, he said mysteriously, 'birth, aging, illness and death are inevitable processes in life.' It seems that the situation is quite serious."

"Yes, didn't her ex-boyfriend Zhao Wenzhuo also inexplicably say in an interview, 'I hope I am a miracle doctor and her illness must be overcome by willpower'? There must be something wrong, and it's not small."

"What are you guys still guessing about? You're just too idle. In a few minutes, everything will be revealed."

……

This year has been a year of controversy in the entertainment industry, with many news reports about celebrities falling ill, getting into legal trouble, and passing away.

Among them, Anita Mui's health condition has become a hot gossip topic in Hong Kong. Some media have stated with certainty that the big sister of the Hong Kong music scene is seriously ill and is in critical condition.

Now, we can finally know the truth of the matter.

At 2:30, Anita Mui appeared accompanied by Zhang Guorong, Shen Lang, Liu Dehua, Zhang Xueyou and other friends in the circle.

Reporters immediately swarmed around and asked questions at once, with flash cameras flashing continuously.

Under the protection of everyone, Anita Mui arrived at the interview area and sat down.

Seeing this, the reporters had no choice but to take their seats and wait for her to speak.

After everyone sat down, the noise at the scene became quiet.

Anita Mui was wearing a black vest and a black woolen round hat. She looked quite haggard, walked very slowly, and appeared very thin.

After a moment of silence, she picked up the microphone and explained her health condition: "Hello, friends from the media. Recently, there have been a lot of speculations about my health. I believe that most of my friends are concerned about me, but there are also many untrue reports that make me feel very annoyed. I am now calmly saying that I have cervical cancer, but it is benign and not terminal. I am not dead yet."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Anita Mui continued, "My illness is not the most troublesome thing. I just feel that what people say is scary. I am not seriously ill or dying, so why is it reported like this? I will definitely win this battle. I am not a weak person. Although I am a patient, patients need treatment. Nothing can shake my confidence. I choose to speak out today so that I can get better treatment. I don't mind people following up on my questions. I don't care, but I hope that other patients will not be harassed."

I will definitely win this battle. I am not a weak person. Although I am a patient, patients need treatment. Nothing can shake my confidence.

The expressions of Shen Lang and the others standing behind him were very serious.

The reporters had different expressions, some were surprised, some were regretful, some were sad...

Anita Mui was optimistic and strong and said: "Today, in addition to my good friends, there are also my work partners. As a professional artist, I will continue to do my best with my professional attitude and spirit in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my partners for their support and trust in me."

"I will continue to work. I will hold the 'Anita Mui Classic Songs' concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in November. Tickets will go on sale on the 11th. I hope the tour can continue."

"I also hope that the media can broadcast her words in their original form and not misinterpret them. I will continue with my treatment. Don't worry and don't exaggerate. Thank you."

After saying these words, she stood up, hugged her friends, and then raised her hands high, appearing very strong.

The media present applauded to show their greatest support for her.

Afterwards, she and Shen Lang and others left, and only her assistant Marianne stayed behind to do the finishing work.

Soon, the media reported the incident extensively.

After learning about the situation, people in the Hong Kong entertainment industry all wished her to be strong and defeat cancer and to face it optimistically.

Twins' Zhong Xintong showed worry when she learned that Anita Mui had cervical cancer. Cai Zhaoyan also said: "Hope she gets better soon." They both said that although they were not familiar with Anita Mui, they loved listening to "Bad Girl" when they were young and knew that she was a very good person.

Rong Zuer said that she met Anita Mui at the "1:99 Anti-SARS Concert". When she received support from a group of friends yesterday, she believed that the power of friendship could push Anita Mui to face it stronger.

Ekin Cheng just returned to Hong Kong from Venice. He said he heard the news about Anita Mui in the car. Although he could not help much, he hoped that the media would cherish Anita Mui and stop making random guesses and putting too much pressure on Anita Mui to avoid affecting her condition.

The reactions from the public and fans were all to cheer for Anita Mui, hoping that she could overcome the difficulties and recover soon.

"Seeing Anita Mui facing this with such strength, she is so brave."

"No matter what decision she makes, we fans will support her!"

"We fans believe that she will win this battle. She is a good role model!"

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A villa in the Central and Western District, Hong Kong.

This is the house Shen Lang bought in Hong Kong, not to house his mistress, but to have a place to stay when he comes here.

Just as the paparazzi's attention was attracted by Anita Mui's affairs, Shen Lang called Gao Yuanyuan over.

"Is Sister Mei's condition really very serious?" Gao Yuanyuan went to the hospital to accompany Anita Mui several times. During this process, she clearly noticed that Anita Mui was in poor health.

"I didn't ask the doctor for the specific situation." Shen Lang did not substitute the memory of Mei Yanfang's illness in the original time and space, but only explained the situation he currently knew.

"I hope Sister Mei can overcome the disease and recover her health soon." Gao Yuanyuan's brows were full of worry, and this sentence truly expressed her deep concern and care for Anita Mui.

"Sister Mei has always been blessed with good fortune. I believe she will get better." Although Shen Lang did not judge Mei Yanfang's condition based on the memory of the original time and space, he could sense the seriousness of the situation from his observations.

"Can I go to Sister Anita Mui's concert?" As a fan of Anita Mui, Gao Yuanyuan naturally didn't want to miss this concert.

"Of course, I'll get you the ticket then." Shen Lang could understand her feelings and would definitely fulfill her little wish.

The two chatted for a while and went to bed early.

The next morning, before dawn, bodyguard Chen Cui came to pick up Gao Yuanyuan to go to the crew of "New Police Story".

Shen Lang slept until nine o'clock, had breakfast, went to the hospital to see Anita Mui, and then brought Zhang Guorong to the Hong Kong Coliseum.

"It's a lot more convenient to have a music company. I'll have to trouble you again at my farewell concert."

"Ah? Brother, you are only in your 40s, which is the prime of your life."

Shen Lang prepared Anita Mui's concert through Jingtao Music.

There are 8 games in total, starting from November 11th, with two games in a row, followed by a day of rest, and the last game is on the 6th.

A total of 28 songs will be sung, with more than 50 guests in total, so the lineup is very strong.

Seeing the plight of her good friend Anita Mui, Zhang Guorong felt an indescribable feeling in her heart.

During this period, his heart was filled with complex and contradictory emotions. Sometimes, he thought about retiring, enjoying life in peace, away from the hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry; however, sometimes he felt that it was too early to retire, and he was reluctant to leave the dazzling stage and the various experiences that acting brought him.

This contradictory mentality made him feel very conflicted. The light on the stage and the dedication in acting had brought him endless happiness and satisfaction, which was an inseparable part of his life. But on the other hand, the tranquility and comfort of life were also beckoning to him. This was the life he had always longed for.

"Perhaps, only time can give the answer and let me find my own direction in the future. But if I want to retire, I have to wait until I am over 50 years old." Zhang Guorong smiled.

"Huh..." Shen Lang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he was depressed again.

"What about you? When did you break the record for consecutive openings here?" Zhang Guorong said with a smile.

The full name of the Hong Kong Coliseum is the Hong Kong Hung Hom Stadium. It has a unique shape. Not only does it not have any pillars, but it is also wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, like a diamond or an inverted pyramid.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that it only has 12500 seats, it is still the “dream place” for Chinese singers and a “holy land” for concerts.

The stage is fully open on all four sides, and whether you are at the top of the mountain or at the handshake seat, the live experience of the Hong Kong Coliseum concert is superb.

In the eyes of the audience, the Hong Kong Coliseum is also a rigid standard for measuring and testing a singer's ability and level. Anyone who has never held a solo concert in the Hong Kong Coliseum is definitely not a first-line singer, but at best a second-rate role.

In the 90s, when the Hong Kong music scene was at its peak, top stars such as Xu Guanjie, Teresa Tsui, Zhang Guorong, Alan Tam, Anita Mui, and Zhang Xueyou could even hold or concerts in a row at the Hong Kong Coliseum. This is the strength of the superstars and the charm of the Hong Kong Coliseum.

Therefore, as a concert venue, the symbolic significance of the Hong Kong Coliseum as a "hall of fame" is self-evident.

Shen Lang's previous Asian tour only held two shows here.

The main reason was that there were too few Cantonese songs and there was relatively little time at that time.

As time goes by, his works continue to become richer and his influence grows. Now he has basically no problem holding more than ten or twenty shows in a row.

Shen Lang has arranged five shows here for his world tour this time.

Actually, although the Hong Kong Coliseum has a special status in the Chinese music scene, its venue capacity is indeed limited. Holding a concert at the Yanjing Workers' Stadium is equivalent to holding five or six concerts here.

He prefers larger venues that can accommodate more audiences, so the scene will be more lively and he will enjoy singing more. Of course, no matter the size of the venue, he will use the most exciting performance to repay the fans' support.

"Continuously" does not mean holding concerts every day, but means holding concerts in Hung Hom within a year.

Singing every day for thirty or forty days in a row is something that even a god cannot accomplish. Physical strength is not the main problem; the key is that the throat cannot bear it.

The record for consecutive concerts at Hung Hom is held by Teresa Teng, who held 1992 "Golden Light Concerts" throughout 43.

This is outrageous to think about. Singing 43 shows a year is almost equivalent to an average of one show per week. This is undoubtedly a huge pressure and test for the singers, the band and the entire team. The singers need to maintain a good vocal condition and singing level in frequent performances, the band must cooperate tacitly to ensure the musical quality of each performance, and the team must be perfect in terms of logistics support, stage layout, etc.

"I'm afraid no one can break this record." Shen Lang couldn't do it, as this world tour would only have 20 shows.

After watching the progress of the venue's stage construction, the two left.

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Nashville, Tennessee, United States.

Taylor ended his performance at the Bluebird Cafe early today and is now on his way home.

Recently, she has been in a particularly good mood. Whenever she thinks about joining Shen Lang's company and Chen Yaochuan giving her a clear answer that he will release an album for her next year, she can't help laughing out loud.

She felt that she was extremely lucky, as if she was especially favored by the God of Fate. This luck filled her heart with joy and gratitude, and also made her secretly determined to seize this rare opportunity.

Looking at the scenery flashing outside the car window, Taylor's thoughts gradually drifted away.

She began to look forward to the future, imagining what kind of sensation her album would cause after it was released.

At a certain moment, she seemed to see her name high up on major music charts, her fans cheering crazily for her music, and the media rushing to report her success. It was short but brilliant.

"(English) Mom, I'm going to practice the piano. Call me when it's time for dinner." After returning home, Taylor said goodbye to his mother and hurried upstairs to his room.

She comes from a wealthy family and her father is a successful financial advisor.

There are all kinds of musical instruments at home, including pianos, guitars, etc.

Computers are naturally not lacking.

Taylor threw her bag on the bed and first turned on her computer to check her emails. This was something she had to do every day for fear of missing any messages from the company.

Sure enough, she saw an email from Chen Yaochuan in her mailbox and couldn't wait to open it to check it out.

After reading the content of the email, a beautiful smile bloomed on her face.

Chen Yaochuan said in the email that her album has started production and is scheduled to be released in March next year. It will also be premiered at Shen Lang's world tour concert in New York.

Moreover, Shen Lang looked at her songs and wrote a title song specifically for her album to see if she liked it. If she didn't like it, he would use all her own songs.

"Oh my God, I'm not dreaming, is there really such a good company? Such a good boss?" Taylor was very happy and surprised at the same time.

Then she clicked on the attachment in the email.

[——Love Story

Lyricist: Shen Lang

Composer: Shen Lang

Arranger: Shen Lang]

When Taylor saw that the prelude was played by banjo and guitar, he immediately went to the music room next door to get his banjo.

The banjo is a West African musical instrument with an upper part shaped like a guitar and a lower part shaped like a tambourine. It has four or five strings and is played with the fingers or a plectrum.

She liked the sound of the banjo, which had a very country feel, and learned how to play it.

"Wait, wait, wait..."

After just playing the prelude, Taylor fell in love with this song because it belongs to her favorite country music genre.

Country music is a type of popular music with American folk characteristics. It emerged in the southern United States in the 20s. It has its roots in British folk songs and is a representative of American white folk music. It is characterized by simple tunes, steady rhythms, narrative elements, a strong local flavor, friendliness and enthusiasm without losing popular elements. Most of them are in ballad form, two-part form or three-part form.

After playing the melody once, she could no longer contain her inner joy and excitement, and could not help but sing while playing.

"We were both young when l first saw you
When I first saw you we were both young

I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I closed my eyes and the past scenes reappeared in my mind
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air
I stood on the balcony and the air was thick with the smell of summer..."

The reason why Taylor paid attention to Shen Lang and bought his album was because of the country song "Need You Now" from his English album "Shen Lang·Towering Waves".

And in the current song "Love Story", every note and every word of the lyrics seemed to carry magic, touching her emotional nerves.

It's very similar to her songwriting style, it's really tailor-made for her.

"Did he write it in my style after reading the songs I wrote? This is amazing."

For someone who has never written a song, the best way to start is to imitate.

Imitation is not simply plagiarism, but a learning process. By imitating excellent works, you can understand the techniques of song structure, melody direction, rhythm control, etc., and gradually master the methods of creation.

When Taylor first started writing songs, he was also imitating.

She draws inspiration from her favorite singers and songs, learns their creative styles and techniques, and then in the process of imitation, she constantly tries and explores, gradually forming her own style.

However, she cannot compose songs in other people's styles, as there are too many things to consider, such as voice, singing style, singing skills, etc.

That's why she thinks Shen Lang is amazing. He only watched a dozen songs but he understood her style and created a song based on it. The key is that the song is very well written.

“I like it!”

After singing "Love Story" again, Taylor decided without hesitation to use this song as the title song of her album. In the process of singing it repeatedly, she felt more and more the charm and potential of the song.

At the same time, her curiosity about Shen Lang grew, and a sense of admiration for him gradually arose in her heart.

She put down the banjo in her hand, took out Shen Lang's album from the drawer, and gently opened the poster inside.

Shen Lang on the poster has deep eyes and unique temperament, as if he has endless stories.

Taylor stared at Shen Lang on the poster for a long time, his heart full of longing.

She really wanted to meet this mysterious man from the East in person and experience his extraordinary qualities.

But next March is still a long time away...

(End of this chapter)