HDIEUMDBTSB **Chapter 21: What is a Happy Planet**
**Volume One: The Road to Fame**
**Chapter Twenty-One: What is a Happy Planet**
Zheng Yingying didn't understand why the singer from the island nation in front of her was so excited, more so than she was about her own successful performance.
"Lin-san and Li-san also gave wonderful performances. Tonight's stage was truly star-studded," Hengkou Yi concluded his praise, his mind wandering to Chu Zhi's sickly appearance, though his concern was minimal.
The pale, weak look, combined with heart-wrenching singing, made for an absolutely beautiful stage effect. Hengkou Yi even thought Chu Zhi looked better sick, with an apparent increase in his charm. He didn't have any friendship with Chu Zhi; it was purely an appreciation of beauty.
"Welcome back, the saddest person of the night," Zheng Yingying's sharp eyes were the first to spot Chu Zhi entering the hall.
Hengkou Yi stood up to greet him, delivering a long string of compliments in Japanese, making their music partner Zhang Yue quite exhausted from translating.
"Have some milk. Singing with such emotion takes a lot out of you physically," Hou Yubin casually picked up some milk from the sponsor on the coffee table.
"It is indeed a bit tiring. Thank you, Teacher Hou," Chu Zhi accepted the milk with thanks.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes, let's all drink this classic pure organic milk," Wei Tongzi, not as considerate as her senior, grabbed two more cartons after being reminded. She said, "It seems like you're not in great health, Teacher Chu. Drink more."
"I'll do my best, but I'm not a cow," Chu Zhi said, drinking the milk. Even though it was from a major sponsor, it really didn't taste good.
"Teacher Chu, you really are suited for singing love songs. When you sing them, it feels like you're really living them," Zheng Yingying said, no longer calling him by his nickname, Orange.
"Wait, I feel like you stole my line," Lin Xia interjected. "Such obvious statements usually come from me."
If Gu Nanxi were in the hall, she would have rolled her eyes. Zheng Yingying said, "Finally admitting that you talk nonsense, huh? What I meant was that when Teacher Chu sings love songs, it feels like he's just gone through a heartbreak, still loving deeply and desperately."
"Watching others fall in love and crying like a mess yourself," Chu Zhi explained briefly. But Zheng Yingying's words gave him an idea. With his voice of despair, paired with a couple of good love songs, he could really take off.
"Deserted Island" could only be considered a minor masterpiece. If he could draw songs from Zhou Chuanxiong or Jeff Chang, that would be the real deal. Songs like "Love Like the Tide," "Faith," "Cold Deserted Island," or "Dusk," paired with his voice of despair, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to become the Prince of Love Songs, right?
Even though the gathering in the hall was relaxed, it didn't hinder the program's progress. The final performances were by Hou Yubin and Yang Guiyun. The latter had a name that was difficult to recognize, which didn’t sound like a name that could become popular. They scored 633 and 577 votes respectively.
Hou Yubin's performance level was consistent. He sang Wu Xi's representative rock song from the first match. It wasn't that he liked it particularly, but Wu Xi was the only first-round contestant to be eliminated so far. Hou's move was a gesture of support from a senior.
The reason Hou's vote count was lower than usual was because he followed Chu Zhi's performance and got overshadowed. The audience hadn't moved past their sadness and couldn't get into the spirit of iron and blood, hence only scoring 633.
Yang Guiyun's level was stable at over 500 votes. He was one of the earliest soul musicians in the country.
Soul music is a blend of rhythm and blues with gospel music. It can be understood as the commercialization and secularization of religious music. Its history isn't much to talk about; it's easily recognizable. If you listen to foreign songs with strong rhythmic melodies discussing grand topics like "love," "human rights," or "environment," and the singer enunciates tightly, it's likely soul music.
The only well-known soul artist in the country is Khalil Fong, but strictly speaking, Fong's singing style is similar to soul music, while his lyrics and arrangements are closer to R&B (rhythm and blues). In short, it's very niche domestically, and no different in a parallel world. Besides Yang Guiyun, there’s no one else, and it's normal that not many people like it.
7+1, all eight contestants finished their performances. No one was eliminated this round, keeping the overall atmosphere happy.
What is a happy planet? A happy planet is one where no one gets eliminated. Zheng Yingying's chatter became much more relaxed.
"Teacher Chu, what do you think of soul?" Yang Guiyun, who hadn't interacted much, suddenly spoke up, interrupting the laborious conversation between Hengkou Yi and Chu Zhi.
"Soul" is the phonetic translation of soul music, and calling it that sounds more high-class? Fortunately, Chu Zhi had crammed some music knowledge.
**Ugly people cause more trouble!** Hengkou Yi gave Yang Guiyun a sharp look.
"The music form that best expresses the inner self, very good," Chu Zhi replied after pondering.
Hearing this, Yang Guiyun's wrinkled face showed a satisfied smile. He played soul music not just because he liked it, but also because few people in the country did. Niche music naturally has a sense of superiority over popular music.
Yang Guiyun enjoyed the superiority that niche music brought. He had asked almost every contestant, including Lin Xia, Hou Yubin, Gu Nanxi, and others, "What do you think of soul?" He loved hearing people praise it. Online, he was even called the "Father of Chinese Soul Music."
"I came to this show to promote soul," Yang Guiyun said. "Currently, there's too little soil suitable for soul music in the country."
"That also requires Teacher Yang's efforts," Chu Zhi said, picking flattering words.
No artist is easy to deal with; each has their own personality and musical philosophy. Teacher Hou prefers to spread ethnic music, Lin Xia jumps between pop and avant-garde metal, Gu Nanxi focused on jazz when she was developing in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but switched to funk after coming to the mainland. To simplify, funk can be considered danceable music, mainly using electric guitar, electric bass, and synthesizer. The earlier "Mount Everest is Fluid" was funk swing.
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is one of the most famous funk and disco songs. Chu Zhi had roughly figured out everyone's musical pursuits. Thinking carefully, it seemed he didn't have any particular pursuit; he just wanted to be famous, make money, and gather a large fanbase.
The last to return to the hall was the host, Gu Nanxi. Her gaze casually swept over Chu Zhi, seemingly wanting to discern something.
"If the previous episode's 'The Wind Blows the Wheat Waves' slightly changed people's impression of Chu Zhi, this episode's performance of 'Deserted Island,' despite any scandals, could still win him back some fans." As a woman, Gu Nanxi understood the impact of Chu Zhi's stage presence very well.
Which woman could refuse a heart-wrenching male god? She, having dated two younger men and being well-versed in love, knew that seeing Chu Zhi sing like a shivering kitten under a streetlamp would trigger a nurturing instinct in women.
Similarly, which man could refuse a goddess in tears?
The most beautiful Miss Hong Kong, praised as such, was once criticized as a homewrecker, with bad reviews widely known. Yet, in edited footage highlighting her beauty, the public was still captivated by her looks. It's not that values follow appearance, but eyes are outside the brain, and beauty's impact is too strong.
"Could Chu Zhi really make a comeback through a music show?" Gu Nanxi arrived at a seemingly absurd conclusion.
After careful consideration, if things continued this way, it might actually be possible. She decided internally to befriend Chu Zhi, seeing great potential in him.
The eight chatted for about twenty minutes, and the show's director, Meng Fan, had yet to arrive.
"As long as Director Meng hasn't arrived, we won't know the rules for the next episode," Lin Xia, eager to know what songs they would sing next, said.
Five minutes later, the director arrived, fashionably late.
"Too slow, director," "A staff member said Director Meng fell in the restroom. Is that true?" "We've been waiting forever," and other comments filled the room.
Faced with everyone's "complaints," Meng Fan remained unfazed and didn't explain why he was late. Smiling, he announced the competition rules: "The next episode is our semifinals, and our song selection requirement is no requirements!"
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