“Everyone, please pause for a moment. Next, let me introduce our contestant for this round—a Cantonese singer who has earned a platinum record certification—Zhao Jiaqiang!”
Director Chen walked into the room, and behind him was a middle-aged man in his forties—none other than this round’s contestant, Zhao Jiaqiang!
“Hello, Teacher Zhao!”
“Teacher Zhao, I grew up listening to your songs!”
“Teacher Zhao, it’s truly such an honor to be on the same show as you!”
…
Upon seeing Zhao Jiaqiang, almost all the singers stood up.
Although Zhao Jiaqiang’s current popularity was nowhere near that of Qin Yunxuan and Chen Qiyun, he was, after all, a veteran singer, and his status in the industry was something ordinary people couldn’t match!
Even if some of these singers might secretly look down on him, their surface manners were absolutely flawless!
After all, if word got out that they had disrespected a senior singer or acted like a diva, they wouldn’t be able to survive in the music industry.
Though Zhao Jiaqiang was over fifty, he had taken good care of himself—he looked like he was in his forties, with a modest smile on his face. He greeted everyone in slightly awkward Mandarin!
When he reached Qin Lang, Zhao Jiaqiang stopped in his tracks.
“Miss Qin, your recent songs are wonderful. I really enjoy them!”
“Thank you for your praise, Teacher Zhao!” Qin Lang also wore a fake smile on his face, even though he didn’t know this Teacher Zhao at all.
But that didn’t stop him from flashing the same fake, brilliant smile.
“It’s not praise—it’s the truth. Your creative ability and singing skills are among the strongest I’ve ever seen. However… have you ever considered developing in Cantonese songs?”
Develop in Cantonese songs? Qin Lang was stunned for a moment.
What did that mean?
Was he trying to get him to… create Cantonese songs?
“You have tremendous creative talent. I think you could consider it!” Zhao Jiaqiang smiled slightly. “If you need any help in that area, I’ll do my best to assist you!”
Looking at Zhao Jiaqiang’s sincere gaze, Qin Lang seemed to understand something.
This was a pure musician—or rather, a pure Cantonese singer. The main reason he could join this show was that he hoped Cantonese songs could flourish once again!
So he had cast aside personal gains and losses, competing on the same stage as the younger generation of the music industry!
If he won, fine. But what if he lost?
Then the glory and reputation he had accumulated over half a lifetime could collapse in an instant!
Although Qin Lang didn’t know him, he still deeply admired his persistence and dedication.
“Alright, Teacher Zhao, I’ll consider your suggestion!” Qin Lang said in a low voice.
Zhao Jiaqiang smiled. “That’s good. I look forward to you delivering an extraordinary performance in Cantonese songs as well!”
Zhao Jiaqiang went to his own dressing room, and Chen Qiyun grabbed Qin Lang.
“Hey, Xuanxuan, you’re not really thinking about creating Cantonese songs, are you? No way, no way?”
Qin Lang found it a bit funny. “What’s the big deal? Cantonese songs are great too.”
“But right now… Cantonese songs have hit a bottleneck. Their potential has been completely exhausted. If you try to create Cantonese songs, you’ll only end up miserably!”
Qin Lang blinked. Really? Were Cantonese songs really in such a sorry state now?
…
At this moment, outside, when Zhao Jiaqiang appeared backstage on the singer show, the internet finally learned the identity of the fourth round’s contestant.
It was actually the Cantonese king—Zhao Jiaqiang!
The creator of that platinum record, the prince of Cantonese love songs, the idol in the hearts of countless middle-aged and elderly women!
Even in many public squares, his signature songs still echoed.
But for many young people, Zhao Jiaqiang was just a name that existed in memory.
After all… Cantonese songs had declined!
At least in the past ten years, you couldn’t find a single Cantonese song in the top twenty of the pop music charts.
Cantonese songs were like a first love in the hearts of countless fans.
So beautiful in memory, yet… so rarely seen in reality.
“Zhao Jiaqiang, the Cantonese golden melody king of his time! I never thought the singer show’s production team would actually invite such a big shot!”
“My youth is back! When King Zhao was dominating the music scene, I was just a kid who had just started middle school. Now… my kid can already run errands!”
“Weakly asking—is Zhao Jiaqiang really that amazing? Who is he? Is he as popular as our Congcong?”
“Get lost! Where did some internet singer come from, daring to ride the coattails of our great Cantonese golden melody king?”
“Who the heck is Congcong? This is the most King Zhao has ever been dissed!”
…
Sure enough, just as expected, once the news that Zhao Jiaqiang was joining the singer show was released, it instantly drew countless people’s attention.
And Cantonese songs once again returned to everyone’s view.
While countless people sighed with emotion, even more felt a pang of sadness!
Cantonese songs had indeed declined to such an extent that a king from twenty years ago had sunk to competing on the same stage as a bunch of youngsters.
This was practically trampling on the youth of those days.
So, online, besides some comments looking forward to Zhao Jiaqiang’s brilliant performance, there were also attacks against him.
Things like “he’ll ruin his late-life reputation,” “he’s blinded by money,” “bullying the young,” “seeking fame and praise”…
“Brother Jiaqiang, these people are going too far!”
Zhao Jiaqiang’s assistant saw those comments online and wore an angry expression. “I say we shouldn’t have accepted the singer show’s invitation. Now a lot of people online are questioning your motives for competing!”
Zhao Jiaqiang smiled. “Mouths are on other people’s faces. Let them say whatever they want! Can we really stop people’s freedom of speech? We just need to know what we ourselves want!”
“I know, but with your status… joining a show like this…”
“My status? What status do I have? King? Prince of love songs? Those are just my past honors. Besides… those titles only have value when fans like you. But when you stop singing, they’re nothing but passing clouds!”
Zhao Jiaqiang said calmly, “I am first and foremost a singer, and a singer’s destiny belongs to the stage! Whether the stage is big or small, whether the audience below is male or female, old or young—none of that is what a singer should care about!”
“Right now, Cantonese songs have walked into a dead end. Those old-timers cherish their feathers one by one, all afraid of destroying their half-lifetime glory. And the younger generation is restless and impatient—not a single one is willing to calm down and make music. If this continues, Cantonese songs will completely withdraw from the music scene!”
“I won’t allow that! I became famous through Cantonese songs. Everything I have was given to me by Cantonese songs. So I must do something for Cantonese songs!”
“Back then, Cantonese singers were arrogant and looked down on singers from other places, which made Cantonese songs’ path narrower and narrower, leading to where we are now. What I want to do is become the pioneer who breaks down these barriers, letting Cantonese songs reconnect and clash with other music—even if… I ruin my own reputation!”
