Huayu98: Starting with mentoring pop divas

Not far away, Commander Zhou and Li Shuo's grandparents, who had arrived at the scene early in the morning and had been silently watching from the outer rest area, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

They adopted a hands-off approach, focusing only on results, and let Li Shuo do whatever he wanted for two days, though they were actually quite anxious.

The quiet atmosphere before the show started made Li Yisheng frown and secretly sweat.

But who would have thought that this kid's actions would actually cause such a "stir"!

In front of the stage, the young audience watched with great interest, and many even unconsciously swayed their bodies gently to the upbeat rhythm.

Looking at those focused faces, a subtle hint of approval appeared on Li Yisheng's old face.

Song Zhuohua gently patted her husband's arm, her eyes filled with the gratified smile of her beloved grandson making her proud.

Commander Zhou, standing next to him, turned to Li Yisheng excitedly, giving her two thumbs-up and speaking with a thrilled tone.

"Old Li! Your grandson is truly something else! Absolutely amazing!"

This made the two elders laugh.

However, when the second brand-new prelude began, Li Yisheng and Song Zhuohua exchanged a puzzled look.

The melody is light and bright, with a distinct pop feel, but through the interpretation of the pipa and bamboo flute, it reveals a unique charm, a tune they have never heard before.

Strangely, as soon as the music started, many citizens who had just stopped to watch in the distance quickened their pace and gathered more eagerly toward the stage of "Tian Gong Music Hall".

The young audience members below the stage were absolutely in an uproar!

Commander Zhou listened intently, muttering thoughtfully, "This tune... it sounds familiar. It seems like it was playing everywhere I went when I was on a business trip to Shanghai a couple of years ago..."

Behind the stage.

In an inconspicuous corner stood two people. One of them was director Sin Chi-wai, who, at the request of Li Shuo, used his personal connections to coordinate musicians and equipment from Tom Lee Music, and had come to show his support today.

Standing next to him was a tall, composed middle-aged man.

He is Liu Changle, one of the leaders of ATV.

Today, he simultaneously controls Phoenix TV, which targets Chinese audiences worldwide, and ATV, which is based in Hong Kong, making him a true "television tycoon."

Recently, he has been feeling exhausted by the complex integration process following the acquisition of ATV, which has been dubbed the "Titanic of Hong Kong Media".

The original purpose was to take some time to communicate with Sin Chi-wai about the progress of ATV's highly anticipated new drama, "My Date with a Vampire".

I happened to hear that the young man who composed two excellent Mandarin theme songs was having a "special" performance here, so I came over to relax.

Unexpectedly, this look amazed him, and his weariness vanished instantly.

"That's interesting..." Liu Changle whispered to Xian Zhiwei.

Then, glancing over the young male and female musicians on stage, their youthful energy and vibrant playing style radiating modern vitality, and the young drummer who controlled the rhythm of the entire performance.

"This completely breaks away from traditional folk music... The idea is very avant-garde, but the effect is excellent! Is this the Li Shuo you were talking about?"

Sin Chi-wai nodded with a smile.

"Yes, Mr. Liu. Isn't this handsome young man's thinking quite unique?"

On stage, Li Shuo's drumbeats and the electric band created a flexible rhythmic foundation.

And guided by the clear, pearl-like tremolo of the pipa, the flowing, gurgling glissando of the guzheng, and the lively, leaping melody of the bamboo flute.

A melody that is very familiar to the younger generation across Asia is being reinterpreted by "Tian Gong Music Workshop".

It was the theme song that became popular with the phenomenal Japanese TV drama "Tokyo Love Story," titled "Sudden Love."

In 1998, this classic Japanese drama from the early 1990s had already transcended national borders, becoming an "emotional motif" for an entire generation of young Asians about urban love and youthful regrets.

Rika Akana's smile and Kanji Nagao's hesitation conveyed the fresh atmosphere between the end of the Showa era and the new generation in Japan.

The complex emotions between men and women, and the unstable fast pace under the bubble economy.

They all became new world sound waves in the sense of "coincidence," etched into the memories of countless people.

The theme song sung by Kazumasa Oda is clear, passionate, and full of sincerity. With the popularity of the TV series in recent years, it has resonated throughout the streets and alleys.

The broadcast of the show on Shanghai TV in 1995 became a memorable audio experience for young people in mainland China during that period.

It's not just a song; it's the earliest and brightest resonance about "love" in the youth of countless people born in the 70s and 80s.

At this moment, when this melody from the depths of memory is reawakened by Li Shuo's arrangement and the new folk music form of "Tiangong Music Workshop", the impact is wonderful.

The original electric guitar tone was replaced by the unique articulation of the pipa and the lingering charm of the guzheng, while the flute infused it with a more ethereal Eastern narrative feel.

The familiar love story, as if veiled by the mournful tone of the erhu, is filtered through a graceful yet powerful Chinese aesthetic, preserving the original melody's emotional intensity while adding a touch of freedom and poetry.

Below the stage, more and more young audience members widened their eyes, their faces initially showing disbelief and surprise, which then turned into excitement and ecstasy, exclaiming, "I know! It's that song!"

Some people couldn't help but hum along, some raised their hands and clapped along, and many more were completely captivated by this unprecedented "unconventional" performance and became deeply immersed in it.

The visual impact is just as strong as the auditory innovation.

To complement the melody, which has a modern urban feel, Li Shuo meticulously designed the stage poses for these female musicians.

The girls playing the pipa, zhongruan, and erhu did not sit upright as is traditionally done. Instead, they stood and played elegantly using instrument straps that Li Shuo had specially made.

They stood tall and swayed gently to the music, their fitted skirts perfectly outlining the youthful curves of the girls.

The other seated musicians also had their postures specially adjusted by Li Shuo, with straight backs and relaxed demeanor. When they were focused on playing, they would slightly lower their heads or turn to the side, creating vivid scenes.

The uniform, eye-catching red-soled high heels, occasionally tapping lightly on the ground with the rhythm, became the dynamic focus on the stage.

All of this envelops the already moving melody in a visually pleasing "buff," making it undeniably attractive to the audience, especially male audience members.

Liu Changle watched as the light in the eyes of the audience below grew brighter and brighter.

His gaze swept across the audience, and he noticed that not only were there reporters from ATV, but also cameras from his own Phoenix TV news channel capturing the excitement of the scene. His eyes suddenly lit up!

"Zhiwei! You just said they have another show tomorrow night?"

Sin Chi-wai, caught up in the atmosphere, watched the performance on stage and casually remarked, "Yeah, that handsome guy's show tomorrow night, they put in even more effort during their rehearsals!"

The new wave of folk music sparked by the "Tian Gong Music Ensemble" has swept through the entire Victoria Park.

What was originally just a casual Saturday and Sunday performance turned into a series of climaxes thanks to Li Shuo's meticulously arranged and inspired six new songs.

The audience responded enthusiastically, with calls for an encore coming incessantly, almost turning this public performance into a private concert for the "Tiangong Music Ensemble".

Finally, Li Shuo had to pick up the microphone himself and promise the audience with a smile that there would be even more exciting songs and arrangements the next night. Only then did the enthusiastic crowd, full of anticipation and discussion, reluctantly disperse.

The backstage area was filled with tired yet extremely excited laughter and chatter.

The young musicians gathered together, chattering and reminiscing about the enthusiastic response from the audience, their faces beaming.

Li Shuo was receiving heartfelt praise from his grandparents and Commander Zhou!

Although Zhu Zhu was a little tired after the performance, she subconsciously stood next to Li Shuo.

She blocked the view of the several strikingly beautiful female musicians over there, her beautiful eyes occasionally glancing at the guy next to her!

Then Xian Zhiwei led Liu Changle over.

After a brief introduction, Liu Changle got straight to the point.

"Li Shuo, that was a truly impressive performance. It's a pity we can't arrange a live broadcast, but I'm thinking of recording your entire performance tomorrow night and making it into a special program for ATV. What do you think?"

Is this for real?!

Li Shuo was secretly delighted, but he didn't show it on his face.

He rubbed his hands together, his slightly embarrassed demeanor perfectly conveying the situation.

"Mr. Liu, you think highly of us, so of course we'll cooperate fully... However, regarding the costs of the stage, musicians, and equipment, Tom Lee Music is only offering their support as a friendly gesture. If this is to be broadcast on television, what about the costs and the nature of the sponsorship..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Changle, who was standing to the side, already understood and laughed heartily.

"Don't worry. Tom Lee Music's sponsorship rights for tomorrow night's show can be converted into product placement on ATV. Furthermore, all additional costs for recording and production will be borne by ATV!"

Finally, looking at Li Shuo, she added, "If you have any other requests or ideas, you can bring them up now."

Li Shuo didn't stand on ceremony. He thought about an arrangement he had originally planned to make for tomorrow night, but since it was difficult to do in the short term, he gave it up.

But this person in front of me should be able to help solve the problem!

"Mr. Liu! I actually have an idea!"