Chapter 114: “Painting” Again? Poetic Lyrics, Who Wrote Them?
He Jiong: “Please welcome Zhao Lei, bringing 《Painting》.”
Xie Na: “Please come on stage.”
Painting?
Another song I haven’t heard…
“What the heck, is he singing an original again?”
“He probably is. Looks like he’s going all out, bringing out his best songs.”
“Great! I love listening to originals, that’s what makes it interesting.”
“…”
Chen Gang, far away in Shanghai, felt a wave of dizziness. “No way, why is he singing an original again? Is there no end to it?”
Shen Qing chuckled: “Rumor has it, Zhao Lei isn’t signed. If he doesn’t sing an original, he’ll be eliminated. He’s definitely bringing out his ultimate skills.”
Chen Gang, with nowhere to vent his frustration, finally found an outlet. He cursed: “Mango TV is shameless, a blatant exploitative contract. Our Dragon TV would never do such a thing.”
Long Danni: “Last year, Zhang Liangying faced a similar situation, but Zhang Liangying’s strength was too great. It would have been unreasonable not to give her the championship, and Mango TV didn’t dare to go too far back then!”
Chen Gang nodded: “Zhao Lei doesn’t have Shen the Talented’s help, and Wang Peng has already been tricked once. They’ll definitely be on high alert. Even if Zhao Lei sings exceptionally well later, he probably won’t advance.”
Zhang Liangying felt a bit worried.
After all, when Zhao Lei called earlier, he kept calling her “Master’s wife,” which made her happy. So she had a good impression of Lei Zi. “Go for it! 《Painting》 will definitely help you advance!”
…
Meanwhile.
Zhao Lei moved a high stool and sat in the center of the stage.
This time, no one accompanied him. He only had his guitar, and a female harmony singer standing in the middle of the band.
Zhao Lei appeared somewhat lonely.
But the audience in front of the TV didn’t know the pressure he was under. Seeing his worried expression, they just thought he was trying to get into the singing mood.
“I dedicate this song, 《Painting》, to everyone. I hope you like it.”
“Zhao Lei, King of Folk Song!”
Someone shouted this, and his fans below joined in. Lei Zi’s toes curled in embarrassment, thinking: Stop shouting, stop shouting.
Taking a deep breath again, he adjusted his emotions and strummed the strings.
At this moment,
he recalled the scene when Shen Qing gave him this song. The shock in his heart was indescribable. How could anyone in the world write such beautiful lyrics?
“I must sing it well, I can’t lose my boss’s face!”
The prelude was simple, with a few clear and crisp notes, lacking any flashy chord techniques. To many ears, it sounded a bit monotonous.
Fans of other contestants started to laugh.
“Haha, I thought he’d continue the glory of 《Anhe Bridge》, but it seems he stumbled just now.”
“I knew it, geniuses don’t last forever. How many years does it take for a talent like Shen Qing to appear? What makes Zhao Lei think he can?”
“Amulong, go! Beat Zhao Lei!”
“…”
Even Zhao Lei’s fans started to frown.
They didn’t understand the prelude either.
What’s going on, Lei Zi?
Moreover, Chen Gang, Long Danni, and Li Jing were all confused… The auditory gap compared to 《Anhe Bridge》 was too vast!
Chen Gang: “I thought it was some amazing song, but this? My worries were completely unnecessary. Xu Song’s Snow on the Broken Bridge might be a match.”
Long Danni: “I think the gap is huge. I don’t like the prelude at all.”
As for Chen Chusheng, Su Xing, Wang Zhengliang, and others, they had no idea what Zhao Lei was up to because they hadn’t heard him sing this 《Painting》 before.
There was no such segment during rehearsal!!!
Lei Zi, are you holding back a big move?
Just as everyone was wondering, a female harmony singer began to hum, and the mood of the prelude suddenly changed, no longer so monotonous and bland.
When the prelude of 《Painting》 ended, Zhao Lei looked up and sang the first line of lyrics.
His voice had a rough, grainy quality, and in the lower register, there was significant chest resonance. At first listen, it had a strong narrative feel, as if he were telling a story in your ear.
This timbre was very suitable for folk songs.
Therefore, the first line he sang immediately captured everyone’s attention.
“Paint a moon in the lonely night sky”
“Paint me singing beneath that moon”
“…”
Hmm?
The first two lines of lyrics are good~
This was the first thought of many who heard him sing.
Many who had been mocking decided to stop laughing and listen to him continue, to see what he had in store!
“Paint a large window in the desolate house”
“And then paint a bed”
“Paint a girl to accompany me”
“And paint a quilt with lace edges”
“Paint a stove and firewood”
“We’ll live and breathe together”
“…”
Hearing this, the three judges nodded silently.
Bao Xiaobai: “A love song, using the metaphor of painting. A very good idea.”
Yang Erche Namu: “It seems so, but also not. I don’t think Zhao Lei is such a superficial singer. There might be other meanings.”
Bao Xiaobai: “Haha, let’s keep listening then.”
The next eight lines all sang about simple aspirations for a good life, with similar connotations to the previous lyrics.
Many thought 《Painting》 was just that, a passable folk song.
But the lyrics that followed made their hearts tremble, as if their softest spots had been struck.
“Paint mother’s peaceful posture”
“And the arguments that can be erased by an eraser”
“Paint grain for the four seasons, without worry”
“Leisurely people with no worries”
“…”
Oh, this~
So the beautiful future envisioned earlier was to highlight family discord? Do parents often argue?
“I don’t have an eraser to erase the arguments”
“Only a pen that paints loneliness”
“The moon in the night sky is no longer bright”
“Only a melancholic child is singing”
“Paint a moon in the lonely night sky”
The music abruptly stopped.
Zhao Lei opened his eyes and found no one was mocking him anymore.
He took another deep breath, as if relieved, and left his fate to the audience.
Lei Zi’s fans shouted encouragement, and Zhao Lei bowed to thank them.
Meanwhile.
He Jiong and Xie Na returned to the stage. Amulong and King Group also stood beside Zhao Lei, waiting for the final judgment.
During this time, text message voting methods were continuously scrolling on the TV screen.
Many passerby viewers in front of the TV, after snapping back to reality, started voting for Zhao Lei. This was because 《Painting》 was one of the two best songs they had heard that night, the other being 《Anhe Bridge》.
No matter the era, as long as you satisfy the audience’s eyes, ears, and entertainment, you will receive their rewards.
Singing is no exception.
Sitting on the edge of the stage, Chen Chusheng, Su Xing, and Wang Zhengliang were all applauding Zhao Lei, feeling both admiration and envy.
At this moment, judge Yang Erche Namu began her critique.
The screen also started showing real-time feedback on the contestants’ vote counts, with Zhao Lei’s votes soaring ahead.
…
Shanghai.
Chen Gang rubbed his temples, feeling a headache. “What’s going on with this Zhao Lei? This 《Painting》 seems pretty good too.”
Long Danni chuckled: “The fact that he could write 《Anhe Bridge》 shows he has some talent.”
Chen Gang: “Fortunately, it’s not an explosive song. Although the lyrics of 《Painting》 are excellent, its reach might not be that wide.”
In Old Chen’s opinion, it was a blessing in disguise.
At this moment, the text message votes were rapidly scrolling at the bottom of the TV screen, and Zhao Lei’s lead was still widening. His advancement was already a certainty.
He Jiong breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao Lei had indeed not disappointed him. The conversation he had with Wang Peng earlier was actually Wang Peng reluctantly giving him face.
The better Zhao Lei performed now, the more it proved that He Jiong had made the right decision.
Judge Bao Xiaobai adjusted his microphone and asked: “Zhao Lei, your 《Painting》 moved me greatly. These are the most beautiful lyrics I’ve seen in a long time. Did you write them yourself?”
Zhao Lei hadn’t expected him to ask that.
After thinking for a moment, he replied honestly: “Thank you, Teacher Bao. 《Painting》 was not written by me. It’s a song written by someone I greatly admire. I call him Master, but he never admits to having me as a disciple.”
Huh?
Master!?
You kid, you actually know someone that powerful?
Yang Erche Namu: “What about 《Anhe Bridge》 earlier? Was that also written by your so-called… Master?”
The camera zoomed in on Zhao Lei again, awaiting his answer.
Zhao Lei: “Yes! He’s a very capable music producer. He’s written several songs for me to sing for everyone.”
Lei Zi’s fans knew he had backing, and a powerful music producer at that, and immediately cheered. They suddenly felt he wasn’t fighting alone and abandoned!
Who understands this sense of security~
He Jiong, Xie Na, and Wang Peng’s minds raced, and a name instantly popped into their heads: Shen Qing!
“No wonder this kid isn’t signing. He has someone behind him.”
“Could it be someone from Shen Qing’s camp?”
“No, how old is Shen Qing? How could he be his master? Besides, Shen Qing isn’t good at folk music, so it’s definitely not him…”
Wang Peng felt as if he had eaten a fly. Zhao Lei’s advancement was now a certainty, leading the other two by 100,000 votes. To suddenly halt his votes was too blatant.
…
At this moment.
Who wrote songs for Zhao Lei became the hot topic of gossip.
The judges couldn’t wait to know who it was!
Others also looked eagerly at the stage.
The audience in front of the TV was scratching their heads, eager to get the scoop.
Yang Erche Namu: “Can you tell us who this music producer, who is both your mentor and friend, is? I’m sure I’d know his name. He can’t be unknown.”
Bao Xiaobai: “Yes, someone who can write 《Anhe Bridge》 and 《Painting》 must have some reputation in the industry. Perhaps I’ve even dined with him. Zhao Lei, can you tell us?”
