Chapter 79: Writing Songs Carelessly When Young
My teeth were ground to dust!
You, how are you so strong?
How can I possibly judge you as a loser when you sing covers like this?
Why the hell did I bet everything on Li Yuchun?
……
Wang Peng asked himself three soul-searching questions!
The current President Wang finally understood Zhuge Liang’s feelings back then.
Facing an untalented Liu Shan, no matter what clever tricks you pull, it’s useless. Liu Shan just wants to ‘forget Shu and indulge in pleasure,’ just wants to muddle through life, what can you do?
“But…”
“Singing one song well doesn’t mean anything!”
“Don’t panic! We still have a chance for a comeback.”
“Li Yuchun’s popularity is definitely not inferior to hers. Right now, the text message vote counts for the two should be neck and neck. As long as the difference doesn’t exceed 500,000, I can make Li Yuchun win directly. The final data is in my hands anyway.”
“Heh, Liangfen fans want to re-examine the data?”
“This data is held by Mobile, Unicom, and PHS. How can they possibly check it? Even if they get the data from one company, it’s useless. It’s also difficult for the other two to get all of it.”
“Win!”
Wang Peng regained his confidence and said into his earpiece, “Li Xiang, please ask Zhang Liangying to leave the stage as soon as possible. Time is tight.”
Li Xiang was a little embarrassed.
But she didn’t dare to completely ignore Wang Peng’s words and had to speed up sending Zhang Liangying off the stage, starting the next segment.
But the Liangfen fans’ emotions had not yet been vented!
At this moment.
Hundreds of Liangfen fans in the audience continuously called out Zhang Liangying’s name.
“It was so beautiful.”
“《Crazy for Love》, Liangying, you are my goddess!”
“This is what a cover should be! A cover that surpasses the original!”
“Zhang Liangying, you sang my heart to pieces.”
“I thought of my ex-girlfriend, *sob sob sob*…”
“Who understands the pain of a heartbroken love~”
“……”
As Zhang Liangying stood in the resting area at the edge of the stage, the Liangfen fans were still calling her name, over and over. Some were already moved to tears.
This shows the magic of that song.
It truly touched everyone’s hearts.
They had never heard 《Crazy for Love》 that didn’t lose to Liu Ruoying’s version, and in some ways, it even surpassed the original.
And this song was sung by their idol.
How could they not be excited?
Is this Zhang Liangying’s true strength?
After a while, seeing everyone still cheering and applauding, Liangying felt it would affect the live broadcast, so she walked forward a couple of steps.
She approached the edge of the stage, made a shushing gesture, and quietly reminded everyone, “Everyone, please be quiet, quiet down, okay? We can talk after the competition!”
Only then did the Liangfen fans’ voices subside.
……
Below the stage, in the first row.
Ke Yimin turned her head and said, “Hei Nan, I truly admire Zhang Liangying’s singing skills now. I used to think she was a bit amazing and liked to show off, and I didn’t like her much. But now my opinion has changed. She has the right to show off.”
Hei Nan smiled and replied, “I’ve always thought she was very capable and liked her, but tonight she still surprised me. I really want to see what her limits are!?”
Ke Yimin said, “I should have come to the rehearsal this afternoon. Now I don’t even know what song she’ll sing next… Do you think it’ll be an original or a cover?”
Hei Nan: “It should be an original. Shen Qing’s songwriting, composition, and arrangement skills are very strong. He wouldn’t be content to sing someone else’s song in the finals. He’s definitely planning something big.”
Ke Yimin: “I’m really looking forward to it! I hope to see Zhang Liangying’s limits! It wouldn’t be a waste of my trip back from abroad to watch the finals.”
……
Meanwhile.
Viewers in front of their televisions discovered something unusual.
Uninfluenced by the live atmosphere, they clearly felt that Zhang Liangying’s interview time was shorter, seemingly only two-thirds of Li Yuchun’s.
Ordinary passersby were curious: What’s going on?
Not to mention the Liangfen fans who cared about the competition results, they were all cursing.
“Liangying’s interview today was so short!”
“Is Li Xiang targeting us? Those two tomboys were interviewed for two minutes, and our Liangying sang such a powerful 《Crazy for Love》, and it was less than a minute and a half.”
“Damn it, this competition is so rigged.”
“Liangying has really been targeted all along. If it weren’t for her strength, she would have been eliminated by Tianyu long ago.”
“Liangying, we support you not signing with Tianyu. Such a company isn’t worth your effort! After the competition, you and Shen Qing should pick a major company. Which of Sony, Universal, or Warner isn’t better than Tianyu?”
“……”
Wang Peng wanted to use this tactic to shorten the audience’s voting time for Zhang Liangying, but he was too naive.
Even if a small number of passersby forgot to vote due to the short time, it was only a small portion. Those who were deeply captivated by 《Crazy for Love》 had already picked up their phones to edit text messages.
This song kept countless young and middle-aged men awake at night!
They enjoyed it thoroughly.
Naturally, they would tip （ and vote ）!
……
Between the first and second rounds, many segments were interspersed, such as lucky draws, fan chorus vote campaigns, fan calls from outside the venue, performances by veteran artists, and video blessings.
After all of that was completed, it was finally time for the long-awaited contestant showdown.
“Damn it! Mango TV really knows how to drag things out. Can you let Zhang Liangying come up and sing? We want to hear originals!”
“Get lost, I want Yuchun.”
“You wasted a full 20 minutes of my time. I just want to see Bichang!”
“……”
Amidst the fans’ eager anticipation, the second round of competition finally arrived.
Zhou Bichang took the stage first.
She wore her signature hairstyle, donned black-rimmed glasses, and wore a purple trench coat, performing Jay Chou’s 《Black Humor》.
This song was from Jay Chou’s first album, released in November 2000.
Music students say it’s a difficulty level 9 for popular singing.
Shen Qing believes that among Jay Chou’s most difficult songs, 《Black Humor》 is definitely T0 level.
It heavily tests vocal cord function and technique, such as the high notes and the continuous high-density appearance of mixed voice and head voice, from beginning to end.
Some people might say, isn’t this song very simple?
It’s just an A4 high note, the runs aren’t particularly difficult, I can sing it too…
But that’s the trap!
Being able to sing it doesn’t mean being able to sing it well.
Many people can sing it from beginning to end, but their vocal cords are tight, giving the impression of singing through a pinched throat.
That’s wrong.
You have to sing it effortlessly, and integrate techniques like mixed voice, high notes, and runs densely, without making any mistakes…
That’s very difficult.
Zhou Bichang’s vocal cord function is average; she is nowhere near being able to effortlessly master 《Black Humor》.
Her performance was a minor disaster.
Every line hovered on the verge of losing control.
It was a bit heartbreaking to listen to.
Moreover.
Most importantly, it didn’t go beyond Jay Chou’s style. In comparison, many people felt her rendition was a bit subpar.
……
The live executive director: “Please welcome Li Yuchun to perform 《Maria》.”
This is a Spanish rock song.
The melody is dynamic and energetic.
It seems Chun-ge has gone completely off the rails.
You ask what singing skill is?
Chun-ge has no idea!
She just wants to jump around happily right now.
Below the stage.
Shen Qing shook his head: “When a singer stops caring about singing skills and starts focusing on external things, they undoubtedly won’t go far.”
Hei Nan and Ke Yimin exchanged a smile; neither of them said anything.
Facing Tianyu’s favored child, what’s there to say? Just praise, praise, praise. They were too lazy to explain further, as it would only displease Wang Peng.
The difference in strength on stage was already clear. No amount of concealment could hide the gap in singing skills.
As for He Jiong, Chang Kuan, and others, they watched the stage with smiles. Everyone knew in their hearts, “The gap is quite large!”
Wang Peng stood by the window, stroking his chin, lost in thought.
But from his gaze and expression, it was clear he was not very happy.
But one man’s poison is another man’s meat.
The Corn fans who liked Li Yuchun were overjoyed.
They just liked this kind of cool and handsome singer. Singing skills weren’t that important; it was all about having fun.
……
The live executive director: “Please welcome Zhang Liangying to perform 《Moonlight》!”
Finally, it was Liangying’s turn.
Not only the fans applauded, but Hei Nan, He Jiong, and others were also applauding.
This group of musicians also wanted to taste some of the good stuff~
“It’s an original!”
“Yes! The lyrics, composition, and arrangement are all by Shen Qing. Amazing.”
“Judging by the title, it seems like a lyrical song.”
“Hmm? Something’s not right! The prelude has a bit of a wuxia feel. Could it be a lyrical song with a wuxia theme?”
“Brother, this is called Chinese Style, like Jay Chou’s ‘East Wind Breaks’.”
“……”
Zhang Liangying walked to the center of the stage, smiling gently.
Then.
She took a deep breath and entered the zone in one second.
“Holy crap! She got into character so fast?”
“As expected of Liangying, she’s amazing.”
“Looking at her expression, it should be a rather painful love song?”
Once the emotion was in place, Liangying gave the band leader an OK gesture.
The band leader returned an OK gesture and excitedly pressed the first key.
They loved this song.
During rehearsals, Zhang Liangying’s singing was like eating nine-turn intestines, twisting and turning, with countless melismas.
The band members were amazed the first time they heard this singing style.
Collaborating with such a master was their goal.
Who wants to accompany amateurs?
Accompanying Li Yuchun earlier was not enjoyable at all; Li Yuchun wouldn’t even notice if they played a wrong note.
……
As soon as the sounds of the guzheng, erhu, and xiao emerged, a strong Chinese Style filled the air.
Ke Yimin: “Chinese Style?”
Hei Nan: “Yes! This prelude definitely is. Many traditional instruments were used.”
Ke Yimin: ‘Haha, I’m getting a bit excited. Did she finally pull out her trump card in the finals? I hope her Chinese Style can surprise me.’
Hei Nan glanced around and leaned closer to Ke Yimin, saying in a low voice, “She has no choice but to use her trump card. If her votes aren’t significantly ahead of Li Yuchun’s… the championship is still uncertain.”
Ke Yimin had a look of “Holy crap.”
No, is this something you can just say?
Hei Nan, you’re getting carried away!
……
Fans in the audience and in front of their televisions were also discussing animatedly.
Many people liked this prelude.
After all, the style was completely different from before.
“Moonlight’s hue, a woman’s fragrance”
“Tears like a broken sword, love’s length”
“How much pain, unspoken thoughts”
“……”
Three words, three words. This is a typical R&B style.
Hu Yanbin is indeed the only contestant from Mainland China who can contend with Zhou, Wang, Tao, and Lin. His understanding and application of R&B are in no way inferior to those four.
The first few lines showcased Zhang Liangying’s expected standard.
Her enunciation was clear, her voice was round, the texture was premium, it was soul-stirring, and the lingering sound was like heavenly music for those who enjoy lyrical music.
But these were just appetizers; the winding mountain road was yet to come!
Anyone who has heard 《Moonlight》 knows that Hu Yanbin in his prime vocal and physical condition was a divine being capable of hundreds of melismas.
Zhang Liangying: “Forget you~~~”
Below the stage.
Hei Nan laughed and said, “Haha, as expected of her. This line alone has ‘6717’ melismas.”
He Jiong asked, “Teacher Hei, what technique is that?”
Hei Nan replied, “It’s a universal melisma formula used in many songs. I can tell you about it after she finishes singing.”
Hei Nan would regret saying this~
The melismas Zhang Liangying would sing later would be too numerous to count, taking three days and three nights to explain.
“Lonely soul, drifting with the wind”
“Who thinks of the devoted lover”
“This battlefield of the mortal world”
“With thousands of troops, who can be king”
This section directly thrilled the fans and passersby. The repeated melismas made their hearts tingle, it was incredibly satisfying.
But this was still just an appetizer.
The truly difficult melismas were still to come.
The chorus arrived!
“Crossing the pass of love, who dares to charge”
“Gazing at the bright moon, the heart is desolate”
“An eternal regret, tasted through reincarnation”
“Close your eyes, who is drunk and wild”
The grievances and enmities of the mortal world rushed at them, the desolation and sorrow were unstoppable.
Why did it feel so impactful?
Because this section had as many as 83 melismas, and with Liangying’s unique, ethereal, and emotionally rich head voice mixed with falsetto, it was amplified.
Who wouldn’t be mesmerized?
Even from the perspective of an ordinary viewer in front of the television, this section of the performance was hair-raising.
Too many viewers in front of the screen at this moment let out exclamations.
“So satisfying!”
“It’s incredibly beautiful.”
“Listening to Zhang Liangying sing is truly an enjoyment.”
“Aren’t those two tomboys ashamed?”
“Tianyu actually forced Zhang Liangying away. I really don’t know what their boss was thinking? Can’t they give talented contestants better contracts?”
“Zhang Liangying, the championship tonight must be yours!”
And those professional viewers~
Many analyzed it from a professional standpoint. The more they analyzed, the more despair they felt, and they couldn’t help but exclaim, “Is this what genius looks like?”
In “Who dares to charge,” the word “who” has 4 melismas, and the word “dares” has 6 melismas.
In “Gazing at the bright moon,” the word “moon” has 8 melismas.
“Tasted through reincarnation” has a total of 12 melismas.
This entire chorus section has a total of 83 melismas.
Try to learn it! You’ll be speechless.
This is a nine-turn intestinal-breaking song that makes people sing like they’ve eaten nine-turn intestines.
Who wrote this song?
Shen Qing?
Can’t you consider Liangying’s limits? What if Liangying can’t sing so many turns in a few years?
And Shen Qing didn’t care at all. After all, Hu Yanbin in his previous life was always said by fans to be ‘the original singer has disappeared,’ but it didn’t affect his fans’ liking for him.
This song isn’t his anymore~
Sorry, Hu Yanbin~! Shen Qing now only wants to crown Liangying as the goddess of ‘melisma’ in charge of the Qin Dynasty. Unless you can write a song better than 《Moonlight》 in the future.
For a naturally talented contestant like Hu Yanbin, perhaps he could achieve it?
Pushing their potential is definitely the right move.
……
The first rendition of the entire song finished.
Warm applause and cheers erupted in the studio.
Even the judges, directors, and artist teachers sitting in the first row were applauding Zhang Liangying’s performance.
However, the fans of Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang couldn’t be happy. The more excellent Liangying was, the more difficult it was for their idols to win the championship.
At the same time, Wang Peng and Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang’s faces were equally grim.
Especially Wang Peng, he so wanted to rush up and turn off the sound system: Sing, sing what! Is this how you bully people?
At this moment, Liangying was completely unaffected by the outside world.
She was still immersed in the song’s mood.
In addition, the band musicians and harmony teachers were also immersed in the music, paying no attention to the surrounding noise.
Soon.
The second rendition arrived.
This rendition was different from the previous one. Not only were there more melismas, but it also incorporated vocal fry and crying tones, and frequent switching between falsetto and head voice.
This was terrifying.
Most importantly, Zhang Liangying made not a single mistake throughout.
At every point, she flawlessly executed Shen Qing’s requirements, with perfect emotional timing, making it clear she had experience in the mortal world and was a true child of the mortal world!
As the last note fell, Zhang Liangying took a breath and smiled.
The intensity of the applause from below the stage made her realize she had perfectly completed Shen Qing’s task.
In the second round, she still had no equal.
Zhang Liangying no longer saw Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang as rivals, because their singing skills were completely unworthy. She now wanted to challenge herself.
Seeing Shen Qing sitting calmly in the audience, Liangying recalled his words: You already have one foot on the championship podium. For the next song, 《Myriad Lands》, you must make others lose the desire to compete with you and completely kill the competition!
Thinking of this, Zhang Liangying clenched her small fists, determined to fulfill Shen Qing’s expectations: “Win the 2005 Super Girl championship, and then conquer the Chinese music scene!”
