Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 542 MJ is my eternal goal and role model
After a hysterical night filled with flirtatious banter and Tibetan slang, Sister Tian, ​​having thoroughly ravaged Shen Juan, didn't linger in Shanghai because she still had to complete the recording of the next episode of "Women's Detective Club 2." Instead, she went straight to the airport and boarded a flight to Changsha.

However, before boarding the plane, perhaps because her true feelings were not as carefree as she appeared when saying goodbye to Shen Juan, she posted several more text-only Weibo posts without any pictures. These were seen as new "dog food" (a term for public displays of affection) by the Spring CP fans, who are always watching the couple's every move and are good at making up their own stories.

All I can say is that Sister Tian's contrasting personality is just too adorable!
He's as fierce as a ghost in front of others.

They confiscate people's family genealogy records and household registration books at the drop of a hat.

They would frequently lead large armies to storm towers and invade the border.

The king descended from the sky, his face contorted with rage and ferocity.

She's a total tomboy!
In front of Shen Juan, she became as soft as a kitten.

And it's an exceptionally good cat with a wonderful temperament!
If Tian Jie hadn't been a regular cast member this year, and if the show hadn't broadcast the daily interactions of this young couple, they might never have known that Tian Jie, whose infamous reputation was enough to stop a child from crying, actually had such a soft, cute, and adorable side—she was a pure, 100% sweet girl!

And the other side.

Shen Juan, who had already cleared out his inventory, also got up very early.

However, it's not like Sister Tian rushing to catch a plane.

Instead, he was rushing to an awards ceremony on the other side of the ocean.

It's 8 p.m. Eastern Time on the 14th.

8:00 AM, China time on the 15th.

The Billboard Music Awards ceremony, which was postponed for nearly half a year due to social obligations, finally began at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

The production crew specifically scheduled his scenes for the afternoon so that he could have more time in the morning to handle other work.

This gave him ample time to watch the awards ceremony live and set up a suitable live streaming environment for remote connection.

This year's host is Kelly Clarkson.

Interestingly, there were no audience members present; she was the only one creating the emotional atmosphere by entertaining herself through the screen.

After finishing the opening performance, she began warming up the audience.

"Welcome to the 2020 Billboard Music Awards!"

"Tonight, a constellation of stars gathers to celebrate the power of music. From pop to country to hip-hop to R&B, Latin music, and all other genres, let music touch our souls tonight, because of its unique unifying power. No matter who you are, music can always move us."

"We have prepared many amazing performances for you tonight, including Sia, Brandy, Doja Cat, and the most spectacular show ever! I swear I've seen the rehearsal beforehand, and this is absolutely the most breathtaking stage ever. You'll be completely amazed!"

"Then BTS will come all the way from South Korea, Post Malone will perform for us at a top-secret location in Los Angeles, and my favorite Alex Shen, who holds the record for the most nominations in a single year, will also be performing a medley of songs that he completed in Shanghai tonight! I'm really looking forward to it!"

"But before the performance officially begins, let's present our first award in a long time. Please welcome Nicole Richie!"

The award presenters went on stage.

The first award to be presented tonight is B200 Best Album.

“There are some albums that we don’t fast-forward through. We listen to them from beginning to end, and every track is incredibly beautiful. We play these songs on repeat because they become the accompaniment to our daily lives, the highs, the lows, and the little things in everyday life. Next, please see the TOP BILLBOARD 200 ALBUM nominations.”

Short videos of each nominee began playing on the big screen.

"When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" by Billie Lee.

Ariana Grande's "thank u, next".

Marlon's "Hollywood's Bleeding".

Taylor's "Lover".

Shen Juan's "Leviathan".

After the nomination video finished playing, the presenter didn't waste any time and directly opened the envelope in his hand to announce the results.

Because there really wasn't much of a suspense.

They've already won the Grammy Album of the Year, which is the most prestigious award, so there's no reason they shouldn't win the Billboard Best Album award, which places more emphasis on commercial performance.

"The winner is my favorite, Alex Shen!"

"Leviathan!!!"

As Nicole Richie finished speaking, the chorus of Blind Light began, and the online live stream audience exploded!
Although for Shen Juan, who has already become the world's number one, this is only a minor, insignificant award.

But no matter what, it's still an honor!

No matter what, it's a great start!

So we still need to give them enough face!
The live stream chat must be flooded with comments!

At the same time, the live broadcast seamlessly transitioned to the pre-recorded content, and Shen Juan's prepared acceptance speech immediately began to play.

"A great start, I'll accept this award! Thank you Billboard, thank you to all my fans, thank you to the other nominees and my competitors, and thank you to my team for fighting alongside me all this time. Of course, I also want to thank myself four years ago for not giving up on my dream. And because we are still in a special period, everyone must remember to wear masks and take precautions when going out! Let's encourage each other and cheer each other on. I believe we will get through this difficult time soon!"

The acceptance speeches have ended.

The trophy was accepted on behalf of Li Na, who was present at the event.

The awards ceremony proceeded as planned.

In the following time, Sia, Kane Brown, Gun Sister, and one other guest performer took to the stage.

During the competition, the Best Single award was ultimately given to Shen Juan's "Blinding Lights," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart last year.

The Best Female Artist award went to Billie Eilish, who had just won two general categories at the beginning of the year: Best New Artist and Song of the Year.

The Best Country Artist award went to Luke Combs.

This award has always been a paradise for older white men.

Shen Juan wondered if, if he ever got involved in rural affairs, he might just as easily anger the white people as he angered the black people.

Then they united to oust him from the village.
The Best Single Sales Artist award went to Shen Juan, and the Best Latin Artist award went to Bad Bunny, who is about to become a huge star.

The Best Male Artist award was unsurprisingly given to Shen Juan.

Addison Rae, a foreign TikTok influencer recently signed by Starlink, along with other foreign TikTok influencers, took turns on stage to promote TikTok. They also awarded the Billboard Achievement Award and Best Social Media Artist, which are determined purely by fan votes, to Shen Juan, the most popular singer at present, without a doubt.

As long as the award is decided directly by fan votes, Shen Juan cannot possibly lose, and the organizers cannot possibly engage in any underhanded tactics.

Because Alovers are indeed the largest, most powerful, and most cohesive fan group in the world right now.

Time passed and the party came to an end.

The long-awaited medley performance by Shen Juan, which many Alovers and casual viewers had been eagerly anticipating, was finally broadcast. The performance included a three-single medley: the super hit single "STAY", the hit single "Leave The Door Open", and the hitsong "Go Crazy", which had been stuck around number ten for a long time (recorded remotely in collaboration with Bieber and Li Na via split screen).

A large number of fans flooded the live stream, and backend monitoring showed that this was the peak of real-time viewership for tonight's awards ceremony.

After all, this is technically the world premiere of "Sisyphus," so it's hard not to attract extra attention from the outside world.

Next up is the most prestigious artist.

Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson announced the results on stage: "This is the most prestigious award of the year, and there is a reason why it has been kept under wraps until now. The nominees are the most outstanding singers of the year and the most prominent names in the music industry today. Their music has set a benchmark for all future generations."

The nominees for Artist of the Year include Billie Eilish, the Jonas Brothers, Marlon Brando, Taylor Swift, and Shen Juan.

"The winner is..."

There was still no suspense; the answer was revealed directly.

"Alex Shen!!!"

The chorus of "Blind Light" plays again.

There is no shady dealing behind Leviathan's numerous honors and great records. In fact, if any singer were to beat Shen Juan, who released Leviathan last year, to win the honor, they would probably suspect that the organizers colluded with their rivals to set them up and make them the target of online bullying.

On the one hand, Shen Juan has indeed dominated the pop music scene for the past two years, and he is a topic that no contemporary singer can avoid.

Both morally and logically, this award should be given to Shen Juan.

On the other hand, the example of the male duck who incited public sentiment to launch a cyberbullying campaign against Shen Juan some time ago serves as a cautionary tale for them.

This guy has been criticized so much that he's now considered a coward.

But they don't have the same depth of experience as the Ducks, so naturally they don't want their careers to be ruined by the angry Alovers.

However, unlike the previous award acceptance speeches, this time they didn't play a pre-recorded acceptance speech. Instead, they switched directly to Shen Juan's live stream from across the ocean, where he shared his feelings and emotions in real time.

Dressed in formal attire, Shen Juan smiled easily at the camera before giving his acceptance speech: "Thank you for the recognition from the organizers. The BMAs are my lucky place. The first major award I won in North America was the BMA Best Social Media Artist. I remember every effort my team and my company, Republic Records, have put in for me. The support and companionship from Alovers is beyond words. You all know how much I love you!"

"As for haters and those peers who are jealous of my achievements?" He raised an eyebrow, his tone disdainful, as if mocking someone: "I have to thank you, because you at least had to listen to my songs and do the data for me before you could criticize me, but in the end, what you wanted still ended up in my hands."

"I deeply regret this."

“I remember two years ago, when I first released Underrated, they said I was too confident, that I wasn’t underestimated, that I would stop there, that this was the highest I could ever reach; last year, when I released Leviathan and broke all sorts of long-standing records, they said that was the greatest achievement I could ever make; but the truth is, this year, five months ago, my AS3 Sisyphus broke all the records held by Leviathan, and then I stood here and received the Billboard Music Award for Best Artist.”

“I have tried my best to maintain my dignity and endure all of this, but I have gradually realized that it is damaging my reputation. So to those who keep pouring cold water on me, questioning me, and smearing me, I just want to say that you are actually adding fuel to the fire, making me burn brighter and brighter!”

After delivering his acceptance speech, directly refuting the haters, Shen Juan's face showed no extra expression. However, his composure and calmness after winning the award, along with his undisguised and almost passive "passive skill" of arrogance and high spirits, stood out brightly in the live broadcast broadcast to a global audience.

Seol-yoon, Minji, Daniel, and others watching the awards ceremony live from South Korea couldn't help but scream with admiration.

Our boss, our Shen Juan oppa, is so handsome! We all want to be like him and directly confront our haters in the future!
This is the kind of person we should follow!
Ning Yizhuo, Liu Zhimin, and Jin Dongyu, members of aespa who are about to debut, were also quite surprised by this incredible acceptance speech.

You have to understand that we live in the internet age, and every word a public figure says can be saved and recorded.

Isn't he afraid of being hit by a boomerang? Isn't he afraid of being punished in the future? Is this guy really that confident?

On the (G)I-DLE side, Song Yuqi and Minnie, as die-hard fans of Shen Juan, have already taken screenshots of Shen Juan's handsomeness and posted them on social media.

My god! My Master Juan is so handsome! So arrogant!
But it's actually normal.

After all, a young man who isn't reckless and impetuous is not a true youth.

My buddy's in the gaming community, and people call him Crazy Little Tired.

Zhao Meiyan and Ye Shuhua both blushed and tightly closed their legs, clearly thinking of some unhealthy things.

However, the two are fundamentally different.

That means Sister Mian got to eat it, but Sister Ye didn't.

So one was reminiscing, and the other was daydreaming.

The BLACKPINK members also had different feelings.

Kim Jisoo simply thought Shen Juan's speech was cool and had a lot of attitude. No wonder he was the man she fell for at first sight!
Jennie is becoming increasingly obsessed with Shen Juan.

As a well-known female idol in the Korean entertainment industry who only dates top-ranked celebrities, she really wants to date and have a rumored romance with Shen Juan!
Just thinking about it is exciting!
It's really impressive to tell people about it!
My boyfriend is Se-Il, who is your boyfriend?
Lisa has always regarded Shen Juan as the big shot who led her out of K-pop and onto the world stage, and she has often shown him concern and care.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a good opportunity to get in touch with them.

This often caused her distress.

In addition, live streaming channels and social media platforms were also overwhelmed.

So many fans and casual viewers were so impressed by these words that they couldn't help but share their excitement at that moment.

[That damn confident and high-spirited feeling, it's overflowing with self-assurance! It really dampened the enthusiasm of the haters.]

[I was thrilled by the confident statement from the handsome male god.]

[I love his genuine and unpretentious personality! Alex is so handsome! If you covered his face, you would never imagine that this was a Chinese person giving a speech at an American awards ceremony! The best way for a hunter to make his entrance is as the prey, so as the hunter who once tried to hunt him down, Drake, are you scared now?]

Alex definitely knows that being cool isn't illegal! I absolutely love this man! His fans can also share in his confidence!

[Most celebrities: I want to thank the organizers, my parents, my company, and my fans. I am extremely grateful to receive this award, and I will work even harder in the future. Alex: I am invincible! This award should have been mine! And all you haters, you are all trash losers!]

For celebrities with exceptional mental fortitude, haters are also extremely important, as they can provide a significant amount of traffic.

[Confident, strong, and skilled at self-promotion—this personality is perfect for the entertainment industry! Alex is a born idol!]

Online discussions about Shen Juan using the opportunity of giving his acceptance speech during a live stream to directly respond to his haters and counter the online harassment he faced during the BLM movement continue to escalate. The discussions have become increasingly heated with the participation of more netizens, and the topic continues to gain popularity.

However, the awards ceremony is already in its final stages.

There were no intermission performances after the Best Artist award was presented.

We proceeded directly to the Billboard Music Awards Spotlight Award ceremony, which the BMA specially organized for Shen Juan this year.

Host and presenter Kelly Clarkson took to the stage, silently becoming the backdrop for this scene destined to go down in history.

"In the long history of the Billboard Music Awards, the Spotlight Awards are the most dazzling and extraordinary! It is dedicated to recognizing artists who have achieved outstanding results on the Billboard charts. Since its inception, it has been highly regarded and has become an important benchmark for measuring the influence and achievements of artists in the music industry."

"In 1988, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, achieved unprecedented success with his album 'Bad,' which produced five number-one singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100. He was awarded the inaugural Spotlight Award for this achievement, becoming the first recipient of the award in its history."

"In 2012, Katy Perry continued her legendary career with the album 'Teenage Dream,' and with five consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, she became the first female artist to receive this honor, taking over the torch of glory passed down by the Spotlight Awards, which also proved the award's continued recognition of outstanding artists from different eras."

"Last year, Alex Shen, a musician who demonstrated extraordinary commercial dominance and stirred up a storm in the global music scene, tied the record previously held by Michael Jackson and Katy Perry with five number-one hit singles from 'Leviathan'."

"Therefore, in recognition of this musician's significant achievements last year and to bestow upon this talented singer who has taken up the torch of the times the highest honor in the music industry, the BMA organizing committee has made a major decision this year. Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome Billboard Spotlight Award winner, Alex Shen!"

As the familiar music played, Alovers around the world once again went into a frenzy for their idol!
Kelly Clarkson brought up the 20 trophies Shen Juan won that night, and Shen Juan's live stream footage appeared simultaneously.

(There are dozens of awards in total, but only about ten are presented at the awards ceremony; the rest are announced on the official website.)

"I've already said my thanks countless times tonight, so I won't repeat them now. I hope you all understand. They told me before that only Michael Jackson and Katy Perry have ever won this award, so I'm incredibly excited and honored to receive this honor!"

“MJ is my eternal goal and role model.”

"Then, I would like to take this opportunity to say to the fans who support and recognize me that you should treat your energy as a luxury. You should know that not everyone can afford to consume your energy, and not everyone is truly devoted to you and worth spending your energy on them."

"You must learn to love yourself before you can love others."

"Then I want to say to those who are moving towards their goals and ideals or who are in a difficult situation, that human effort should have no boundaries. We are all different, but no matter how bad life seems, there is always something you can do and you can always succeed. Where there is life, there is hope."

"If I can do it, I believe you can too."

"Then, as everyone probably knows, there have been some controversies surrounding me recently. Some people say I fabricated data, some say I appropriated culture, some say I discriminated against people of color, some say I am keen on hype, and so on. There are too many unfounded accusations that have been imposed on me for various reasons."

Shen Juan looked at the camera, paused for a moment, and then continued in a measured tone, "I remember there's a saying that goes something like this."

“When I’m on the first floor and someone is cursing at me, I get really angry and want to rush up and confront them with my fists. When I’m on the tenth floor and someone is cursing at me, I can’t hear them clearly and think they’re greeting me. But when I’m on the hundredth floor and someone is cursing at me, all I can see when I look around is the scenery.”

"The problem is that I'm still far from reaching the 100th floor, and besides, I always strive for every minute. So, of course you have the right to question, criticize, and belittle me, but at the same time, I also have the right to fight back, and I must fight back! Yes, I'm very good at enduring, but that doesn't mean I enjoy enduring, so..."

Shen Juan raised his eyebrows slightly and casually shrugged his shoulders.

"AS4 is already on its way."

"That's right, it will be released in the first half of next year, and like Sisyphus, it will also be a big album."

"As for its name?"

"Fame, translated into Chinese, means reputation."

With that, all awards have been presented, and the two-hour BMAs awards ceremony has successfully come to a close.

However, the discussion about Shen Juan winning a record number of awards (20) in a single year and becoming the biggest winner of the year, as well as his sharp and insightful acceptance speech, did not cool down or dissipate after the ceremony ended. Instead, it continued to ferment and rapidly heat up on various social media platforms!
The topic's popularity soared, with major social media platforms and the comment sections under the videos flooded with discussions.

[I've said it before, Alex is a bug! His presence overshadows all other singers, and his appearance makes all awards a foregone conclusion! Some people always say that this isn't the golden age of music, so Shen Juan can't be compared to singers of the past. I can only say that's utter nonsense!]

[Didn't Sisyphus already have six championships? Oh, this is an award ceremony for last year's Leviathan! Never mind then.]

While Leviathan may indeed be a popular hodgepodge, its phenomenal global business success can never be replicated!

[What should I do? Am I getting too arrogant? I feel like I don't even want to talk to fans who haven't won a BMA spotlight award anymore.]

[Having one album with five or six awards is something to brag about for a lifetime! I'm already looking forward to AS4! Go, Little Honor!]

Despite the constant turmoil and controversy that plagued him, he always appeared before us with unwavering resilience and radiant brilliance. He taught me that only oneself can make one strong. He and we shared the most stable relationship; to us, he was a guiding light, and to him, we were his unwavering support.

There are no permanent industry benchmarks, only the eternal next superstar. Alex is a strange and complex celebrity idol. He seems to be both a lofty genius and an approachable idol next door. He can make haters feel ashamed, and he can also give fans the strength to keep going.

[Another sweep! Tonight undoubtedly belongs to Alex; he's practically the god of the BMAs! The spotlight award illuminates his path, his words of encouragement to fans are heartwarming, his responses to controversy are powerful, and his new album is already on the list of most anticipated albums of the year. Hopefully, he can maintain this level of performance and continue writing his legend.]

Fans went wild, while haters disappeared.

Industry peers celebrated on social media, and media outlets published articles to drive traffic.

As for Shen Juan...
The awards ceremony is over.

Next, we need to have a proper meeting with the record company to discuss how to develop a promotional plan for this new album.

(End of this chapter)