Why bother writing songs? Fast forward to the "Don't Laugh Challenge"

Chapter 15 The Chinese Music Scene is Saved (2)

A chill ran down Xiao Zhongge's spine from his feet to his head, and a tremor from the depths of his soul washed over him.

He sang so well it gave him goosebumps!
Xiao Zhongge's eyes showed a hint of shock.

What did he hear?!

This is different from what the previous singers showed. If the previous singers showed how amazing they were in a second, it was the ultimate in excitement.

The feeling that Zhou Yumeng is giving us now is one of tranquility.

Yes, this is a very quiet song.

There were no passionate and intense melodies, nor the resonant cavities and vibrating vocal cords that shattered the world with high notes.

It's so quiet, it almost feels like they want to pull up a chair and sit down to sing.

Then, with a smile, a few lyrics create a feeling of a summer night, under a sky surrounded by fireflies, where the person from your dreams is slowly singing this song to you, as if telling you a story.

Yes, that's exactly how that person in the story felt.

That person was wearing a school uniform, and her eyes were filled with the starry sky.

"This is what singing should be like."

Xiao Zhongge muttered to himself, looking at Zhou Yumeng, who was continuing to sing in the camera lens.

"The world has given me the chirping of insects, and it has also given me thunder."

"You gave me a crescent moon, and you also gave me the evening star."

"You gave me an illness, and then I slowly recovered by ringing wind chimes~"

"You gave me nothing, but gradually filled me with true feelings."

The chorus starts very quickly.
No, it doesn't seem like it can be called the chorus.

Compared to other pop music, this clearly rising melody lacks the emotional build-up and expression that are distinctly different from the verses.

It's more like another continuation of the verse.

Then, combined with the feeling of Zhou Yumeng singing, there was a vague sense that she was singing this song for someone.

Yes, Xiao Zhongge recognized that feeling!

He really felt like this song was meant for someone by Zhou Yumeng!

The way she occasionally glances at the camera, tilts her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes seemingly sparkling with starlight—a shy yet expectant feeling.

"Waaaaah, she's looking at me! She's really looking at me! She's singing to the audience! She's telling me a story!"

the other side.

"Your stage presence has improved a lot!"

At this moment, in the dormitory, Xia Shen and several roommates were watching the final competition together on a projector. He nodded as he listened to the songs coming from the speakers.

How can we describe Zhou Yumeng's performance on stage?
That is, it is completely natural, and the traces of performance are reduced to the minimum.

It was as if she were really singing this song to someone very important in front of the camera, just like the lyrics say, a gift from the world to her.

Several roommates nodded in approval.

Qi Yixiang sighed, "Xia Shen, sometimes I really want to crack open your brain to see how it's structured. Did you really write this song in just a few days?"

However, it must be said that this song suits Zhou Jie very well. Her singing style naturally has a relatively deep resonance, so this song was specially written for her. The final nasal sound in the phrase "空.风" (kong.feng) is exactly in Zhou Jie's comfort zone; the frequency and resonance feel really comfortable.

Zheng Xingqi, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement: "It is indeed a custom-made product."

"And Sister Zhou is truly Sister Zhou, she was very composed on stage, especially since this is a live broadcast," Wenxiong said. "Listening to Sister Zhou sing, I almost had my mind racing." Xia Shen continued watching the girl on the screen as she sang, and as he watched, he couldn't help but become a little lost in thought.

Unbeknownst to her, it seemed she had embarked on a path completely different from her own.

For Zhou Yumeng, she can freely sing those high-quality songs because she has the stage and the resources. She doesn't have to worry about dissemination issues, nor does she need to rack her brains to find another way to attract traffic more quickly.

but
Isn't it a good thing?
This also proves that the soil for good music has never disappeared in China.

During the competition, Zhou Yumeng slowly walked to the end of the T-shaped platform, looking at the colorful lights of the cheering sticks in the surrounding stadium stands, which were like twinkling stars. Not far away, the violinists of the orchestra slowly played their strings.

Halfway through the song, as the drummer's hands slowly brushed against the sound tree, creating a swaying sound like wind chimes, he seemed to be awakened. Then he picked up his drumsticks, and the song finally began to play.

The strumming rhythm guitar also joined in, seemingly foreshadowing a climax in the song after its gradual build-up.

"The world has given me what I have, and it has given me something in return."

"You gave me a small window, and you also gave me a roof."

"Give me a name, and I'm gradually growing up."

"He gave me a poem, and I read it quietly and peacefully."

The melody then quieted down again.

"Some people want to look back, while others want to look forward."

"Let's borrow a white cloud and take a group photo."

"Think about it and ask yourself, don't ask around."

"Those who have gone far away, may they rest in peace."

As the band finished playing their final notes, Zhou Yumeng bowed slowly at the end of the stage.

“wuuuuu——”

A deafening roar of cheers erupted as countless spectators who had come specifically to watch the final burst into thunderous applause.

The cheers and applause lasted for a long time, roughly half a minute, before dissipating.

Then, quite a few audience members were still shouting: Yu Meng! Yu Meng! Yu Meng!
A very rhythmic sound.

This seems to be an expression of their demands through their shouts, a desire to see the winner, and a way to voice their support for Zhou Yumeng.

Next comes the mentor evaluation.

The four mentors sat in their seats and nodded to Zhou Yumeng.

"This song showed me your transformation."

Liang Ying, one of the mentors, was the first to give her evaluation.

"This song really suits your singing style. It's a very standard head resonance performance, and it's different from how other people use head resonance. Only the area from the ethmoid sinus to the sphenoid sinus can produce this kind of listening experience."

It's remarkable that you maintained such consistency throughout the entire song. Furthermore, your breathy, full-voice delivery and soft mixing in the verses, especially the placement of the vocals, were also very stable.

"Correct."

Another instructor joined in, commenting, "And I noticed you use hard palatal sounds to enhance your explosiveness, didn't you?"

“Yes, teacher.” Zhou Yumeng bowed slightly.

"Very good." The mentor nodded in praise: "Although you are not on my team, I still have to say that this was a perfect stage performance."

Then, what deserves praise is the song's creative approach, which differs from typical traditional pop music. The structure is slightly different, with the chorus not being prominent; instead, it's closer to an ABAB-style, layered build-up of emotion, presenting the content in segments like a story. This better suits the song's tone and overall feel, making it a very good and unique presentation.

(End of this chapter)