Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 436 Industry Treasure
After Valentine's Day on February 214th, Shen Juan continued to complete her work and enjoy life in an orderly manner, as planned.

He went live to meet his fans as promised.

We chatted for a while about what we've been up to lately.

I answered some questions.

I watched some videos edited for him by his fans.

He played some games he wanted to play on Steam for a while.

I sang some classic old songs that everyone wanted to hear.

Then, being a very considerate person, I paid for Bieber's new album, his first in five years. After listening to it, I went live with Bieber, who rarely gets up early and waits on the other side of the ocean for Shen Juan to call him, and gave him a fairly good review.

It's important to maintain interpersonal relationships, especially those that are primarily based on shared interests.

Anyway, Shen Juan didn't think he possessed the kind of charm that made everyone love him and flowers bloom for him, that he could make everyone unconditionally and willingly become his true friends.

In addition, album production is progressing steadily.

The rap single "INDUSTRY BABY" in collaboration with Naza has been completed, and Shen Juan plans to catch the tail end of the Grammy hype and release it as soon as possible. Therefore, next Friday, February 21st, has become his best choice at present.

Then, the lyrics and music for the new collaboration single "Stuck With U" that I had previously agreed to with Ariana Grande have also been completed.

Shen Juan plans to collaborate with Ariana Grande and Republic Records to market it as a charity single, which will not be included in an album.

Just like Shen Juan's other charity single "Ordinary Angels," which was being produced in parallel at the same time, the music video focuses on the current severe protest situation, bringing warmth and encouragement to people in difficult circumstances as much as possible.

Finally, Shen Juan also planned to use his connections to organize an online charity performance to raise funds.

But there’s no rush yet.

Because the epidemic hasn't spread overseas yet.

Many foreigners are still unaware of the seriousness of the situation.

That's right. In addition to Chinese singers, he also plans to invite foreign singers, such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber, to create a world-class charity concert for global audiences.

World-class superstars should demonstrate world-class influence.

Meanwhile, perhaps because there were too many news topics related to Shen Juan on Valentine's Day, or perhaps because Ge Li was really bored at home, the discussion about "Sister-in-Law 101" inexplicably reignited.

Many gossip enthusiasts have joined in.

It even seems to be gaining popularity beyond its original niche.

This caused Shen Juan's public relations team to keep a close eye on things, not daring to relax for a moment, for fear that the opposing forces would take the opportunity to escalate what was originally a very ordinary situation to the social level and subject Shen Juan to moral suppression through public opinion.

For example, on the well-known Q&A app Zhihu, a question and answer session recently emerged that has generated a lot of discussion.

[Among all the contestants in "Sister-in-Law 101" and "Sister-in-Law 202," who do you think is a favorite? Who got the role of a sacrificial lamb?]

The top-voted answer said this.
The True Royals: Cheng Xiao and Zhou Ye
But I don't think Cheng Xiao is bad. She met Shen Juan, who also withdrew from the competition and returned to China, right after returning to develop her career. Under the company's arrangement, they filmed a music video together and formed their first CP. They can be considered unconventional childhood sweethearts. Moreover, after being with Shen Juan, she never caused any trouble and never deliberately mentioned Shen Juan in public to attract attention. She can be said to be the most well-behaved among the sisters-in-law (I have no intention of implying anything about Sister Tian. I signed with Spring Super Topic for half a year, so please don't attack me, fans). As for being a royal resource star, it is related to Shen Juan's favoritism (I would also favor him if I were him), and has nothing to do with her personally.

As Shen Juan's classmate in university, Zhou Ye's relationship timeline is questionable. It's hard to determine whether she cheated on Tian Jie or Tian Jie cheated on her. However, based on the order in which Starlink officially announced the signing of its artists, it can be roughly inferred that she was the later one and that she cheated on Tian Jie.

From her debut film "Better Days" (second female lead) in 18, to "The Matchmaker" (co-lead with Tian Jie) last year, and her current business and fashion resources (LV brand ambassador, Tiffany brand ambassador, etc.), she has basically had intricate connections with her old classmate Shen Juan.

What's most outrageous, absurd, and unbelievable is that she and Shen Juan were born on the same day, month, and year—specifically, on the special day of May 520th! This gives them a perfectly legitimate reason to celebrate their birthdays and May 520th together, making it hard not to believe in the existence of superstition.

Zhou Yutong desperately wants to rise to fame, but her debut value is limited and her skills are not strong enough; neither the production team nor the audience is buying it.
It's clear this woman has been buying articles about her and Shen Juan appearing together in the same clothes and hotel since 17. Many marketing accounts on Weibo are analyzing and speculating about clues suggesting a relationship between her and Shen Juan, saying how sweet they were back then, how much effort they put in to overcome societal pressures to be together (even claiming that Tian Jie was just a shield used by Shen Juan, and that Tian Jie was actually a female character covering for Shen Juan), and that they eventually separated due to certain events and reasons.
A group of online trolls expressed their sympathy.

Then they started marketing the ultimate tragic ending of mutual dislike, saying things like "like the wind, it seems neither of them owed the other anything," "some people, once missed, are gone forever," "hands that can't be held, anonymous friends from now on," and "they are like hidden side quests in a game, subtle and beautiful."
Despite her less public interactions with Shen Juan compared to her cousin (who at least has 18 years of material showing lucky fans visiting the set and solid evidence of their dating in London), some netizens still take this marketing persona, who painstakingly cultivates to enhance her image and attract attention, as a real sister-in-law.
It's just hilarious.

Explosion-proof: Tian Xiwei
I won't go into too much detail about this; anyone who followed Produce 101 should know this and there's nothing to argue about.

Hidden recommendation: Wang Churan
From the "Guerlain One-Day Boyfriend" campaign to the Sydney fireworks event a while ago, the promotion couldn't be more obvious. It's ridiculous that some people thought the massive fireworks display in Sydney Harbour was specially set off for her. The marketing of her looks is also excessive. They even dare to try to compete with the "Fairy Sister" (a famous Chinese actress).
Offering sacrifices to heaven: Yang Mi, Li Xiaolu, Song Zuer

Yang Mi and Li Xiaolu, both married women with children, are clearly not suited for the entertainment industry. Anyone with eyes can see that Shen Juan doesn't seem like the kind of low-class scumbag who would interfere in someone else's marriage and leave a child without a father or mother. However, before being eliminated by the show, they did manage to give Shen Juan a boost. The former was portrayed as a simp, while the latter got together with "the bankrupt beggar, a super low-budget version of Shen Juan," Pigewan, which indirectly highlighted how charming Shen Juan was.

As for Shen Juan's first rumored girlfriend after returning to China, Song Zuer, it's unclear whether she'll be a sacrificial lamb or a debut star. I think the production team is probably still observing and will have to wait and see how things develop.

Some people agreed with this answer, while others expressed different opinions in the comments section.

[The more obvious royal family members: Cheng Xiao, Zhou Ye, Wang Churan, Shen Yujie (Don't tell me my cousin isn't a royal family member. Just look at the level of protection she's receiving from the production team right now. I remember when Sister Tian was being criticized and arguing with netizens, she didn't receive this level of treatment).

Anti-explosive but also a true royal: Tian Xi and Weina Zha (To be honest, Tian Jie is quite puzzling. Although the production team didn't give her much screen time, her presence was incredibly strong. As for the latter, the recent "Poor Ha" and "You Are My God" already explained the problem. I personally don't believe there are such coincidences.)

Song Zuer is in a bad situation. She came to the show with the goal of competing for the center position, but now she not only has little screen time, but also has to act as a madam for Shen Juan, serving as an NPC in the newbie village.

However, I personally feel that she seems to enjoy it, and even seems more addicted to being a madam than an actress.

[Some people are practically oozing sour grapes. Tian Jie calling herself an empress? That's hilarious! Open your eyes and look at the Weibo hashtag and the view counts and readership data on various platforms. She's top in both popularity and talent. If you're not happy, keep it to yourself! Tian Jie isn't someone you losers can mess with!]

[Is Sister Tian really not a "royal"? I've watched all the Produce 101 materials recently, and it feels like Produce 101 is actually riding on her coattails. There are more check-ins in the entire Chinese entertainment industry's CP (couple) supertopic than individual check-ins. Who else but Sister Tian? It's expected that she's being promoted; calling her a "royal" is inappropriate.]

[Sister Tian truly rose to power through her own abilities and personality, while Cheng Xiao, Zhou Ye, and Wang Churan are the true emperors. Cousin Nazha is the hidden emperor. And there's another key figure you might not know about: Song Zuer's roommate, Hu Lianxin. My friend from the Beijing Film Academy says she's quite impressive too.]

[Yeah, Sister Tian got all this screen time and attention through her own hard work, how can anyone call her a queen? The production team is completely bullying my Sister Tian! This world is strange, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, while the well-behaved ones are always ignored. Shen Juan, you have no heart!]

[Has no one mentioned his overseas girlfriends? I think Minami Hamabe from Japan and Jisoo Kim and Miyeon Cho from South Korea also have close relationships with Shen Juan! Even Sydney Girl and Kendall Jenner from the US seem to have had affairs with him; the gossip news there often reports on Shen Juan's stories with American actresses.]

[With the domestic situation still uncertain, are they already planning to import an overseas version of "Sister-in-Law 101"? Isn't that a bit too hasty?]

Judging from Shen Juan's current fish-raising speed, I don't think there's any rush at all. You never know how many fish fry he'll put into the pond at once, so if we wait until all the fry have grown up before counting, it might really be too late.

Putting down her phone, Tian Xiwei looked expressionlessly at Shen Juan, who was sitting next to her, and asked, "Don't you have anything to say?"

Shen Juan knew that Sister Tian wasn't angry, but rather just being coquettish, so he didn't reply. He simply snatched her phone and threw it aside, then leaned forward, grabbed her wrist, and, under her surprised yet expectant gaze, pressed her down onto the sofa, demonstrating his attitude through his actions.

The two bodies were pressed tightly together, so close that they could clearly feel the temperature of each other's breath.

"Let's go back to the bedroom to do this kind of thing," Tian Xiwei's voice trembled slightly, and she was incredibly soft.

It's not that she's afraid to do it with Shen Juan on the living room sofa; after all, she's already had the experience of being roughly crushed and then gently reshaped while lying on the floor-to-ceiling window of a building on the 70th or 80th floor.

How could I not accept it being in the living room?
And she's so happy to do this kind of thing!
How could they possibly refuse?

In fact, she was just worried that the scheming bastard and the idiot would hear the commotion and catch them in the act.

Although she and Juanjuan could hardly be said to have been having an affair.

But there is indeed a strange feeling.

It was as if Juanjuan was secretly giving her special treatment.

It's as if she's cheating on her sisters.
"What? Are you shy? Are you embarrassed?"

"No!" Sister Tian denied decisively.

"Then let's not waste our time."

Shen Juan's kiss had already landed.

From forehead to cheeks to lips and then to neck.
We continued downhill, crossing mountains and valleys.

The lark couldn't help but chirp merrily. The sunlight outside the window was just right, warm and pleasant.

Zhou Ye, who was taking a nap in bed, turned over.

I feel like today is a beautiful day.

The time came to February 21st, Friday at midnight US time, which was Friday at noon China time.

Shen Juan's new song, which had garnered much attention due to a week-long pre-release promotion, has finally been released as AS3's third single.

Fans and netizens who had been eagerly anticipating the event naturally started listening on major music platforms and apps as soon as possible.

INDUSTRY BABY

Alex Shen / Lil Nas X
As the song begins, a powerful intro suddenly bursts forth, with a cleverly designed drumbeat that is not only as powerful as a boxer's punch but also provides a solid rhythmic foundation for the gradual introduction of vocals and orchestral music, propelling the song steadily toward the chorus.

"Baby back, ayy, couple racks"

The very first line of lyrics sung by Shen Juan made many longtime fans who have followed him since the Rap of China exclaim that it was just right and satisfying!

Fxxk!

Still maintaining that sophisticated air!
It still has that silky smooth flow!

Dove should really hire him as their spokesperson!

The chorus is also extremely exciting, with the vocals repeatedly descending and the orchestral music repeatedly ascending, creating a stark contrast.

This sense of confrontation gives the song a battle anthem-like effect, making it highly infectious and memorable. You can tell at a glance that it's a pop hit that's likely to become a popular song!
And most importantly, the lyrics of this song
"Guess who's made a fortune, with several Grammys and a platinum-certified hit single. That's a fact. Swallow your complaints and shut your mouths. This song is dedicated to those champions. I haven't lost a single game since it started. What's funny is that you say my career is about to end. If that's true, I'll come back stronger again."

“I told you long ago on my road to fame that I have what they have been waiting for. I will not run away. Gather your soldiers and tell them that I will not surrender. Anyway, you have never believed in me. When I return to the top, I want to hear you say that he will not run away. Gather your soldiers and inform them that the break is over and the show is about to begin.”

(Simply put, Li Nacha is only responsible for singing the part from 0:57 to 1:22, while Shen Juan sings the rest.)
What the fxxk, man!

This is clearly a direct message to Camilla, who was criticizing him on her alternate account, and those haters who are always questioning him!
This is clearly a thorough reckoning with those cowardly haters and those petty people who only dare to hide in the gutter and secretly belittle him, after winning the Grammy Album of the Year, officially being crowned the world's number one male artist, and drawing the most perfect end to the past year's achievements and efforts!

Perhaps passersby are not aware of the reasons behind it, and can only listen to the melody without getting emotional feedback from the lyrics.

But fans who knew the inside story and what Shen Juan had gone through in the past few months were now all excited!

Fuck!
That bastard who fled from Cuba to the US and still likes to play racial knights deserves a good beating and humiliation!

This song should be used to forever nail her to the pillar of shame, making her name go down in history with no possibility of redemption!
Let the world never forget the awful things she did!
Despite the phenomenal success of Leviathan last year, which caused many potential rivals to back down and avoid the limelight, leaving Shen Juan with fewer enemies and rivals who would openly compete with him, many people overlooked how much of an unconventional artist he is who loves to fight.

But his fundamental character has never changed!
That is resistance and struggle!

He will not yield to injustice and darkness.

Faced with doubts, smears, and slander from others, he could, like many highly respected senior masters, choose to turn a blind eye, remain calm, and then claim that he has matured. He would no longer vent his dissatisfaction through music as he did in the past.

But what if I upset him?
He will still retaliate without hesitation.

Whether it's the "Sword Tomb Squid" trying to ride his coattails to revive his career, the "Cuban Biaozi" who's jealous of his achievements and likes to use alternate accounts to gossip about him, or the blond-haired leader who's like a sasaeng fan clinging to him and mentions "Alex Shen" on Twitter about once a day, it's all about him.
He treats everyone the same.

He responded with a little grass indiscriminately to all of them.

Edison constantly talks about how great he is, but he has never been able to put the hip-hop spirit into practice. On the contrary, the spirit is best embodied in Shen Juan, a "hip-hop traitor" who was attacked by the hip-hop community for saying in an interview that he did not like hip-hop.

Alex is still the same Alex!

Shen Juan is still the same Shen Juan!
He defeated that bunch of rabble-like hooligans in the hip-hop circle with honor and won the first year's championship of The Rap of China!
Although this title and achievement are not even in the same league as his current status as a pop superstar and the world's number one male.

It even feels a bit embarrassing and beneath me to say it out loud.

But this is enough to show that he possesses the professional skills and basic qualities that a professional rapper should have.

In fact, he simply felt that focusing on hip-hop would negatively impact his career development, and thus set a ceiling for it.

It wasn't because of the food that I chose to give it up.

Just as country music is dominated by white Americans, and singers of other races would be ridiculed by villagers if they tried to enter the countryside despite the negative connotations, hip-hop has always been Black music. Perhaps only one white rapper like Eminem, who breaks through prejudice, is so rare.

In addition, the perception of rappers in China is not very good due to a combination of factors. Drake, who made his name through rap among the top five new generation male rappers in Europe and America, is also being met with a cold reception overseas. Therefore, as long as Shen Juan is not stubborn, he should make the decision that best suits his current and future interests.

After listening to the song, most listeners who are into hip-hop recognized it as a single that Shen Juan rushed to produce after winning the Grammy, thanks to its decent melody and lyrics that perfectly captured Shen Juan's personal experiences and resonated with countless fans and netizens.

So, excited, they flocked to various social media platforms and video websites to share their feelings after listening to the whole song, and then recommended it to more friends and netizens to become listeners of the song and hear Shen Juan and Li Nacha's story about self-affirmation and fighting back.

[This song is a shoo-in for number one, it's absolutely amazing, I'm going to put it on endless repeat! Personally, I feel it suits my taste even better than ROM! I love this kind of arrogant, unapproachable, and domineering vibe! Billboard, get ready for another hit single to be ruined by my performance!]

The whole song feels like a triumphant general returning home with his scars and honors, expressing both affirmation of his past and ambition for the future. Alex is so damn cool! It feels perfect as background music for sports videos.

At its core, this song is about overcoming challenges, criticism, and self-doubt; it's a victory anthem. Shen Juan mentions his achievements in the industry, such as winning a Grammy and achieving platinum status, showcasing his success to refute those who once looked down on him. The lyrics also criticize the music industry's tendency to mold artists into predetermined images to fit market trends, emphasizing the pressure musicians face to conform to specific standards. It encourages artists to break free from these industry constraints, rediscover creativity, and reflects his disdain for traditional industry rules.

[Captain America probably never imagined that after tagging so many big-name singers, only Shen Juan would respond.]

Low emotional intelligence: petty and vindictive; High emotional intelligence: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that's true greatness!

[If it were me, I would have cursed back too! Although Capcom did criticize a lot of people, those things happened many years ago. Only the criticism of Shen Juan happened this year, and Shen Juan was the one who received the most attention. Everyone else only had a few words, but Shen Juan wrote a whole short diary.]

[So good! I can't wait to see Capcom's reaction to this song, haha! I can't wait to see Nas collaborate with his favorite Nicki Minaj, he's mentioned it so many times already, haha! Nas will definitely be as popular as Nicki Minaj!]

While this song clearly caters to streaming, and the theme and motif are indeed repetitive, it's important to remember that this is a hallmark of hit songs! Even a master like Beethoven enjoys this style. The key lies in the richness of the theme variations; the quality of pop music is reflected in the arrangement. Of course, the contrast between the two rappers' different styles is also a nice touch. The simplest way to judge a song's quality is actually how long you can listen to it on repeat before you get tired of it.

So where's the music video? Is it because Alex hasn't had time lately, so they released the song first? But it doesn't really matter without a music video; this song clearly doesn't lack the streaming points that a music video would bring, since the inherent hype surrounding their collaboration is probably only slightly less than that of Alexana.

The song title, INDUSTRY BABY, translates to "Industry Star," "Industry Darling," or "Industry Treasure." It responds to his enemies and haters with a confident and assertive victor's attitude, fighting back against the industry's constraints. It also conveys the core meaning of a self-assured, benchmark-setting presence within the industry. Therefore, without a doubt, Alex Shen is the music industry! He embodies the perfect future development of the music industry in the streaming era!

In this increasingly diverse world, no single song can ever gain universal approval.

However, this improved and upgraded version of "INDUSTRY BABY" is clearly more likely to be loved by most people.

So, as Rolling Stone commented on Shen Juan's personal feedback an hour after the single's release:

As a pop singer, he was on par with Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Madonna.

As a songwriter, he has been compared to Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Jonny Mitchell.

Nobody knows his ceiling.

No one knows how many surprises and precious treasures this gifted, talented, and radiant Gen Z pop king will bring to the world in the future.

The only thing we know and can be certain of is...
Alex Shen has left an indelible mark on the music world, becoming a figure destined to be remembered in history.

(The concept art for the song cover was mainly suggested by Li Nacha. He thought it would be cool to design an image of Shen Juan as an angel wearing shackles, and Shen Juan accepted it.)

　I was too tired last night and went to sleep early. I finished coding the rest this morning.

　　Thank you all for your votes, monthly passes, and subscriptions!

　　Thank you, Chestnut God, for the 10000 points for the Wang Churan character!

　　Thanks boss!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)