Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 478 The Overwhelming World's Number One
Including the two bonus tracks in the deluxe edition, the album "Sisyphus" contains a total of 22 songs, divided into two parts: Daytime, which is more commercially oriented and ensures sales results, and Nighttime, which is more personal and emotional and helps Shen Juan build his artistic personality and transform from a simple pop singer into a popular artist.

Of course, it's not entirely a transformation.

Shen Juan had no intention of becoming an artist.

So to be precise, it's about adding a new identity.

Artist identity.

Then construct an artistic personality.

This will attract more die-hard fans to join the fandom.

This is the prerequisite for transitioning from a single-song artist (a shooting star) to an album-song artist (an evergreen).

Pop stars like Justin Bieber, who only release hit singles but whose albums receive only mediocre responses (hit singles are usually pop songs, both domestically and internationally), or streaming stars like Taylor Swift, whose albums have outstanding achievements but whose singles are often overlooked, are not the most perfect development models.

Shen Juan's goal is to break down the boundaries between single-song singers and album-song singers, combining the strengths of both into his own style.

Only in this way can we transcend this era.

Actually, making pop culture is much harder than making art.

Making art can provide refuge in the sanctuary of art.

Just like those so-called art films.

If the market response is poor, just say that you made an elegant and sophisticated art film and are not pursuing box office success.

Gradually, I deceived myself into it, hiding alone in the ivory tower, fantasizing about how extraordinary I was.

Popularity, in essence, means nakedly presenting oneself to the public, with flaws and merits clearly visible, and successes and failures readily apparent.

Everything is judged by results.

Red is red, and pounce is pounce.

There aren't that many excuses to make.

Therefore, whether it's moving from other fields to pop or moving out of pop, there are actually great risks and pressures involved. In the extremely competitive environment of North America, if such a breakthrough across genres fails, there is a high probability that even the original base will not be retained.

Fortunately, Shen Juan succeeded.

This album, "Sisyphus," which could easily be released as two separate albums, successfully balances artistry and commercial appeal.

Moreover, he did not completely leave the mainstream.

He simply used popularity as the core to ensure business success, while adding other elements to it.

Therefore, this album, which was highly anticipated before its release and hailed by the media as a "savior of the market," received rave reviews after its release and was praised by fans as a "savior of the world." It quickly swept and dominated the comment sections of major music, social media, and video websites at an astonishing speed.

Of course there are negative reviews.

After all, Shen Juan has quite a few haters.

But almost 90% of the reviews are positive.

[Leave The Door Open is a fantastic song! This is the kind of music the music scene needs; this is the attitude of seriously making music. Drake is just coasting along, no wonder Alex broke all of Drake's proud streaming records in just two years! Talent and professional attitude are completely different. Drake is a pure traffic star, everything he does serves the purpose of generating traffic, unlike Alex who has lofty goals and whose efforts are all for the sake of achieving greatness.]

Alex's guitar-obsessed lifestyle continues in "My Ex's Best Friend," he's just too damn charming!

[This "Heartbreak Anniversary" song is absolutely amazing! It's fucking hot!]

[This won't stop Alex from raising dozens of fish at the same time.]

[It's normal. Although your heart is broken, each piece may have fallen in love with a different person. After listening to this song, my thought is: Alex, I'm so sorry someone hurt you so deeply, but to the person who hurt Alex, I want to say thank you so much, you are the epitome of womanhood!]

Am I the only one who watched the "Anyone" music video twenty times in a row? Alex has such a great body, I'm totally drooling over it!

Those who haven't heard of Deep Green can't possibly understand the sense of redemption felt on a bus ride home in the evening, with greenery flashing past the window and this song playing in your ears. In that moment, you can forgive everything! Absolutely divine! This man is a god!

Listening to the nighttime parts of this album without wearing headphones and turning up the volume would be a complete waste—it's absolutely amazing!

Is "Bruce Lee" a tribute to the Chinese community? Then why not write a song called "Jackie Chan"?

[I'm not a fan, but compared to his previous two albums, Sisyphus truly stands out as a landmark and groundbreaking work in my mind! If Leviathan brought him to the pinnacle of commercial success, then Sisyphus paved a new path, announcing his return to the journey.]

[Waaaaah, when "Tears of the River" first came out last year, a bunch of people said that with "Blind Light" already a masterpiece, it had drained all their inspiration, and this album would likely be a creative failure and a letdown. But is that really the case? Let's not even mention the first few songs that topped the charts; anyway, no matter how good the results are, there will always be haters who won't appreciate it. Let's just discuss the other songs on this album. After listening to the whole album yesterday, I can hardly believe it! The vast majority of songs suit my taste! They're super good! He's not only a commercial genius and a pop genius, but also an artistic genius. Shen Juan has always been a singer I genuinely like; he's so outstanding!]

[I've said it before, the moment I, Tired, released Sisyphus, I was able to set aside all other singers of my generation. Duck, The Bonsai, Bieber, Mars, and Ah Huang can continue to be the new generation of kings, but I don't care, because I, Tired, am in a class of my own, radiating holy light, blessed by God.]

[Hilarious! I've seen several comments saying the album is awful and the quality has declined, and then some people are praising the independent thinking as impressive. It's normal to dislike it; everyone has different tastes. The stronger the artistry of a work, the fewer people can appreciate it. Not to mention, half of Alex's album is R&B, and the pop portion is much lower than his previous two albums. To say it's awful? That just exposes your low-level taste. Not only are you unaware of your own tacky taste, but you also love to show off your critiques. It's laughable!]

Aesthetic taste is a very personal matter. I didn't feel that the quality of this album had declined; maybe I'm just naturally tired of listening to music.

[The most amazing thing about Sisy is that every now and then, she'll fall in love with a different song from the album.]

Fans may blindly dote on their idols, and music critics and news media may give insincere praise in order to get paid.

Those who lack independent thinking skills and whose aesthetic sense is still at a beginner level will be swayed by popular trends.

The fact that so many non-fans and casual listeners are giving positive reviews is enough to show that this album is truly excellent. It not only met or even exceeded people's expectations, but also broke people's preconceived notions about Shen Juan, giving the outside world a qualitative leap in his artistic image.

So, just like the situation faced by Leviathan: the attention and expectations had already been pushed to their peak, and the work delivered the answer without any compromise, completely living up to expectations and becoming an instant hit upon release! It not only drove its proud fans into a frenzy, but also impressed passersby who nodded in admiration!
The initial burst was explosive, but the momentum was immense!
At this extremely special time of the pandemic, the double fermentation of such reputation and popularity will only attract more casual listeners like a magnet, either spending money to buy physical CDs or listening to the album online on repeat until late at night.

The highly anticipated album, Sisyphus, has torn a crack in the global music market's winter, turning all the waiting and anticipation into real popularity, propelling it forward in the face of adversity and continuously moving towards the goal of becoming a "phenomenal hit"!

Qingdao, the Little Red Flower film crew.

Shen Juan was cooking in the RV when Yangyang Jin handed him a form, her excitement evident.

"The results for the first day are in! Take a look!"

"How are the results?"

"Very good!"

Shen Juan put down his phone and took the documents.

The first statistic is the streaming performance.
On its first day, The Voice garnered over 3 million plays!
With 304396777 plays, it surpassed Leviathan's 2.1 million plays last year to become the album with the highest first-day plays in Sound Breaker's history. At the same time, it also broke the record in the US with 1.2 million plays, dominating the top 22 spots on the daily singles chart. Except for the bonus tracks in the deluxe edition, all songs have surpassed 1 million plays!

This helped Shen Juan surpass his own record from the day he released Leviathan last year, raising the record for the artist with the highest single-day play count on The Voice to a significant level, reaching 410 million. In fact, apart from Shen Juan, no other singer has yet been able to break the 200 million mark, including the currently popular Gong Ya.

At the same time, the number of monthly listeners also broke through the 100 million mark for the first time in history, leading all singers in the world by a huge margin of 30 million. As a result, the official team of Sound Break not only published seven articles on their own website, but also booked multiple large screens, including Times Square, to promote this great achievement.

In particular, "STAY," which has been online for half a month, has once again broken history with 2500 million plays, surpassing the previous record of 2100 million plays held by "Blinding Lights." It has become the most streamed single on Soundwave in a single day, without any non-holiday prefix!

Then, in the historical ranking of single plays in the UK region, "STAY" also broke the record of 128 million plays held by British singer Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You" for three years with 150 million plays. The powerful dragon from the Far East successfully suppressed the local British snake.

Moreover, six out of the top ten are occupied by this group.

The top four songs are: STAY (ranked #1), Leave The Door Open (ranked #3), Blinding Lights (ranked #4), Rain On Me (ranked #6), Levitating (ranked #8), and Senorita (ranked #10).

Furthermore, Sisyphus surpassed Leviathan to become the highest-pre-order music track in Target history, the fastest album to reach number one on Apple Music in 100 countries, and became a hit on Amazon, Oricon, and more.
It broke almost all the records set by Leviathan last year, once again refreshing people's understanding of pop music!

This situation has sparked endless discussion among celebrities who are either trying to ride the wave of popularity or simply expressing their admiration.

Li Na updated her social media, saying: "You only meet someone as perfect and wonderful as Alex once in your life."

Then he liked a screenshot posted by a fan of Corden's Late Show last night, in which Shen Juan tricked Li Na into eating gold, and commented: "[There will never be brothers as good as Nas and Alex again.]"

The British newspaper The Observer praised Shen Juan's ability to turn sorrow into inspiration, stating that this might be Alex's most stylish album yet, characterized by its melancholic loneliness, rich details, lessons learned, and silent yet powerful message.

In South Korea, IZ*ONE members Kwon Eunbi, Jang Wonyoung, and Miyawaki Sakura, TWICE members Minatozaki Sana, Chou Tzuyu, and Park Jihyo, BTS members Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook, and BLACKPINK, among other idols, updated their social media, saying they were listening to tracks from "Sisyphus".

In Japan, Masaki Suda posted a photo of himself and his girlfriend listening to Sisyphus at home, Sho Hirano posted a photo of himself and Shen Juan expressing his immense pride, and Nogizaka46 members Asuka Saito and Yuki Yoda, as well as Minami Hamabe, Elaiza Ikeda, and Mio Imada, also posted messages of support.

then
Sales figures are just as crucial as streaming viewership.

240 million units sold on the first day!

What is the concept?
Last year, Leviathan only made 200 million on its first day.

Moreover, Sisyphus's sales of 240 million were achieved despite the pandemic, when people were restricted from going out and the physical record industry suffered a major blow. If the pandemic had not driven the music industry to continue developing towards streaming, this sales figure would probably have been even more exaggerated!
(Previously, because sales in China were not counted, Shen Juan had to delay the release of each album in China by half a month in order to climb the charts. But now, after reaching an agreement with the company in the United States, there is a stable channel for mainland fans to purchase the albums that can be counted in the sales figures, so the albums will be released simultaneously in China.)
So when this shocking data was released, the entire music industry couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

What the hell did I do here?
Are we still living in the streaming era?

Is it really 2020 now, or 2010?

Are Alex's fans really that supportive?
Is his popularity really that exaggerated?
Are there really that many passersby willing to support this?
Is he really the King of Pop of the 21st century?
"Sisyphus" is like a boulder thrown into a calm lake; the 240 million sold on its first day was just the first ripple.

Everyone knows the true value behind the number 240 million; everyone understands that this album's sales curve will not experience a drastic drop; everyone knows that this album, or rather, Shen Juan, the producer of this album, is using numbers to tell the world...
True historical masterpieces are never bound by the constraints of their time, nor are they afraid of any obstacles that time sets for them.

Leviathan is like that.

The same is true of Sisyphus.

To the average listener, Leviathan to Sisyphus represents Shen Juan's transformation in personal style and musical philosophy.

But for Shen Juan, this was actually a pioneering endeavor.

He did not switch to another track.

In fact, he broadened his own path.

He has to compete and challenge multiple singers and artists on multiple dimensions at the same time, and only in this way can the legendary nature of his career be shown!
Returning the data report to Yangyang Jin, Shen Juan leaned back on the sofa and couldn't help but laugh and sigh, "Even I was stunned by this data, let alone the media and industry insiders. Who would have thought that the idea of ​​temporarily expanding from EP to a regular album could go so far?"

As he spoke, he picked up the thermos on the table, took a sip of warm water, and said with a sigh, "Everyone was having a tough time recently. I was at home thinking that since I was just idling around, I might as well write a few more songs to make this album bigger, so that it could provide some comfort for everyone while they were staying at home. But now..."

"When Leviathan was released last year, everyone said that was the sales ceiling in the streaming era. But now? Sisyphus tells us that there are new ceilings above the ceiling. Breaking records is not the point. The important thing is that we have broadened the path for the future, isn't it?"

"The story continues!"

Yangyang Jin chuckled softly, her eyes filled with pride and self-satisfaction as she looked at Shen Juan.

What could be more fulfilling than watching the child you raised become the world's number one male player?
People say that Shen Juan likes girls from ordinary girls' colleges and high schools and loves playing the role of nurturing girls, but isn't she the same way?

The difference is simply this:
Shen Juan actively seeks out promising talents to nurture, while she inexplicably falls in love with the person she nurtures.

Thinking about it that way, it really is true.
People who aren't on the same wavelength won't end up in the same place. "It turns out your fans support and love you more than you imagined, and you're far more outstanding than you thought!"

"And what about you?" Shen Juan looked at Yangyang Jin sitting across from him. "Yangyang, do you think so too?"

"I?"

"Do you support and love me even more than I imagined?"

Yangyang Jin glanced at Shen Juan with feigned composure, her voice trembling slightly: "How can you be so shameless?"

"It's not that I'm thick-skinned, it's that you're thin-skinned."

"There are no thin-skinned people in the brokerage industry."

"Okay, let me correct you. It's you who's particularly shy when you're with me, is that alright?"

Under Shen Juan's gentle gaze, Yangyang Jin's fingers tightened slightly as she held the report, her breath hitched, and the blush on her ears was impossible to hide. After a long while, she managed to squeeze out a very soft sentence: "Fans' love for their idols is called support, while managers' love for their artists is called occupational disease."

Shen Juan chuckled and stretched lazily: "Then I hope this occupational hazard of yours never gets better."

After he finished speaking, the RV fell silent.

The weather outside the window was perfect, and a few rays of sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains onto Yangyang's golden face. The blush on her cheeks had not yet faded, but it was already coated with a hazy golden edge, as if a soft-focus filter had been added, giving her a shy and gentle look. Compared to usual, she had become much more womanly.

"Is this how you use this straight-up approach to fool those girls?" she asked in a very low voice.

"First of all, I didn't lie to them. Secondly, I don't actually throw things out there directly, because I have different ways of getting along with different people. After all, everyone has a different personality and preferences, and you have to be flexible." Shen Juan was very frank, because this was something everyone knew.

"Don't you feel very tired?"

"Tired? Why do I feel tired?"

"Playing different roles must be exhausting." Yangyang Jin felt like she was sick, actually feeling sorry for a scumbag who flirted with women. Could it be that being in love really makes people's IQ and moral standards keep declining?
Shen Juan nodded slightly in agreement, but still explained, "You won't feel tired if you're doing something meaningful."

What does it mean to be meaningful?

"Liking it is the most important meaning."

"for example?"

“For example, I think it's very meaningful to throw a direct punch at you.” Shen Juan handed the initiative to the seemingly uneasy agent. “What do you think?”

"I think it's OK."

I want to hear a precise answer.

"Then I also think it's very meaningful."

The capital city is gradually falling into the dead of night.

Although the college entrance examination is getting closer, Bao Lujia, who is buried in the preparation for the exam in Beijing, can't fall asleep.

Because she was so excited!
Excited by Sisyphus's performance on Day 1!

I'm so excited for Shen Juan!

Despite the severe global emotional distress in the current climate, it still managed to surpass Leviathan's actual sales performance!

That's amazing!

So she started surfing aimlessly.

Then I came across this video on Bilibili.

The title is: "Shen Juan's Golden Path: Pursuing Fame and Fortune, Aspiring to Greatness, Embracing Pressure, and Obsessed with Suffering!"

The cover features Shen Juan holding up the Album of the Year award at this year's Grammy Awards, looking triumphant.

I clicked on it with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

The video started playing automatically.

"In 2020, everyone on Earth knows that Shen Juan is the world's biggest superstar. He holds the record for the highest number of plays on Spotify in a single year, month, week, and day. He has twice dominated all the top spots on the daily charts, and his album sold a whopping 240 million copies on its first day, leaving everyone else in the dust!"

"The tour grossed over one billion US dollars in just six months, becoming the largest tour in human history. He became the youngest person ever to be named a Forbes World's Most Valuable Person, and won six out of ten Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year, making him the first person of the new era to achieve this!"

The voice of this content creator sounds strangely familiar.

I feel like I've heard this somewhere before.
But Bao Lujia didn't think much of it.

After all, there are plenty of people in this world with similar voices!
Moreover, she was certain that she didn't know anyone with that kind of voice.

So I stopped thinking about it and kept watching.

"In 2019, he toured from China to North America, Europe, and South America, and then back to Asia and Australia. In every country he visited, the GDP soared. He not only created a huge global effect in the pop culture circle, but also drove a lot of commercial booms in the economic circle, such as tourism and culture. As a result, many national leaders competed to invite him to hold concerts in their countries."

"From a hip-hop champion who dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol but ultimately returned to China to debut as a rapper, to now standing at the top of the world and at the forefront of the times as the world's number one superstar, whether you love him or hate him, the name Shen Juan is destined to dominate this era!"

"In July 2019, I watched three of Shen Juan's Leviathan Era tour concerts in Shanghai and Beijing. The concert lasted for nearly four hours and featured more than 40 popular hits. The audience was exhausted, but Shen Juan, who did not take a break at all, continued to perform with all his heart on stage!"

"As I rubbed my aching legs, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer amount of energy humans possess."

"During the interview, the reporter asked him, 'Why do you hold such a long performance?'"

"Shen Juan said I know my fans and music lovers went to great lengths to get my tickets. Many of them may have never been to a concert in their lives, and they gave me their first one. So I want to hold a concert that lasts longer than they expected."

"Because of this, I and they feel very satisfied when the performance ends and we leave the stadium."

"I know that no matter if I'm sick, injured, heartbroken, uncomfortable, or for any other reason, I will still go on stage to meet my fans, because I don't want to let them down, because I want each of them to have a wonderful night, because that's part of what it means to be human!"

"Since his official debut in 2017, Shen Juan has released three English albums, one Chinese album, one Japanese album, one English EP and one Japanese EP, totaling 109 songs (excluding songs performed in the Hip Hop competition and special performances in Korean and Cantonese at concerts)."

"While touring concerts in dozens of countries around the world, he also participated in the filming of many films, TV series and variety shows as an actor. Among them, the movie 'Better Days' grossed more than 30 billion RMB at the global box office and helped him become the youngest Best Actor in the history of the Hong Kong Film Awards!"

"The TV series 'Go Go Squid!' has gone abroad and sparked a craze for watching Chinese dramas in Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. The variety show 'Back to Field' has become a cultural export project recognized by the state and has successfully inspired the Chinese dream in the hearts of countless people in Southeast Asia."

"You think this is the end?"

"No! After releasing his first English album, he personally negotiated with Universal to retain his music copyrights, and during his tour after releasing his second English album, he filmed his own tour movie, just to leave memories for fans who couldn't come to the show."

"Then, after the incident of loyalty, he secretly formed a team to start filming his new movie. Moreover, he has already written the script himself. That's right, he has already written it! That's right, by himself! After the current anti-cancer movie finishes filming, he will join the team to film the new movie."

"In addition, he has collaborated with other singers on several new songs, including but not limited to big names like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber, as well as rising stars like Gracie Abrams and Bill Madison. This is only what we know so far. As for how many unannounced projects and new songs there are, and whether there will be a new album and tour next year, only he himself knows."

"Seeing this, everyone can't help but sigh. Shen Juan seems to be a man with superhuman energy. He seems to be omnipotent, but behind this superhuman omnipotence is actually his incredibly strong and unwavering determination!"

“In a 2018 media interview, he said that he would be 21 years old the following year and would be entering the golden stage of his career. He needed to make a better and more outstanding album. The respect and recognition he gained through ‘Underrated’ was far from enough, so he needed to work harder!”

"Two years later, you may say you don't like Shen Juan's music, you don't like reading his news, and you don't like his messy love life, but you and I have to admit that he is indeed the most diligent, most persevering, most driven, and most talented singer in the industry."

"He was even praised by foreign media this year for his unprecedented dominance of the global pop music scene in terms of physical album sales, digital album sales, streaming numbers, radio airplay, major charts, and tours, with the statement, 'Alex Shen is the music industry.'"

"When he came to China, many people also called him the World's Number One, the World's Number One who transcends gender, the World's Number One who overwhelms everything!"

"Yes, he is already the biggest pop superstar of this era. His songs have spread to markets in every country around the world. His photos, name and story have been printed, disseminated and translated into hundreds of languages. He is the giant of this era who is closest to being a legend!"

"However, I gradually realized that what I truly admired about him was no longer these prestigious awards, no longer the dazzling star power, and even no longer his music. As I grew older and experienced the hardships of life, I discovered that what I truly began to admire about him was his clear mind, his strong self-control, and his extremely brave and indomitable personality!"

"No matter how big the crisis or how dark the trough, he will do everything he can to turn the crisis and the trough into energy and nourishment to drive his continuous progress. He absorbs the pain and transforms it into life wisdom that he shares with his fans."

"So perhaps no matter how many years pass, I will still appreciate, support and love Shen Juan. But this time it's not because of his looks and music, but because his personality completely conquered me. He is a master who has truly sculpted himself and stands at the pinnacle of this era entirely through his own talent, career planning and life wisdom! He is the most beautiful version of a human being after truly achieving self-realization."

"He not only achieved his goals, realized his ideals, and made his own brilliance, but also used his art and philosophy of life to forever influence the world and millions of young people. As long as he continues to work hard and continue to climb to new heights, you will always see him demonstrating to you and everyone that the only secret to living a better life in this world is to make passion your whole life."

"Always, I mean always."

"Our Shi Yi, our Shen Juan."

"He's always on fire!"

"He's always shining!"

After the video ended, Bao Lujia remained silent for a long time.

That's so well said!

This is why Shen Juan's influence and fan base are on a completely different level from all other singers. Other singers' fans just listen to their songs and look at their faces, but Shen Juan truly captivates people with his personal charm.

At first, I just thought she was pretty and her singing was good.

Many people may have initially followed his popularity simply because of the trend.

But after truly getting to know him and truly understanding him, I realized how truly remarkable he is!
It has such an irresistible charm that it's hard not to fall for it!

It began with music, but went far beyond music.

His insatiable ambition, unwavering determination, ability to keep his word, clear career planning, mature yet gentle and romantic personality, and his constant awareness of what he wants are all important qualities that I feel I lack but yearn to possess.

We fans draw energy from him, are inspired by him, and find spiritual comfort in him.

Perhaps this is the true meaning of being an idol!
so.
Decided!
My 18th birthday this year.

I want to spend my life with Brother Shen Juan!

I'll send a WeChat message to Brother Shen Juan in a bit!
Since he, as an idol, is so brave and fearless, then I, as a fan, must also be brave this time!
This content creator says the only secret to living better in this world is to make your passion your whole life.

Bao Lujia thought it made a lot of sense.

She decided to put this into practice in her life.

Because Shen Juan is her passion.

So, how do you live a better life in this world?

Then let Brother Shen Juan be my whole life!
(End of this chapter)