Folk music a calling for young singers (2)

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Folk music a calling for young singers (2)

By Victoria Fei (Shanghai Daily) 09:53, October 16, 2013

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"Many people find my songs full of Beijing flavor in lyrics and melody. That is because I grew up in Beijing. If I was raised in Shanghai, my music might be full of Shanghai flavor," Hao says.

"If I have time, I would like to take a stroll in Shanghai's alleys and feel the city's uniqueness. Each city has its own unique culture and characteristics. Similar incidents may lead to different emotions among people from different cities. Folk music is an art form that releases city people from pressure," the singer adds.

Hao says many of his best-known songs are inspired by his life experiences. Hao combines influences as disparate as Peking Opera, Chinese lute, blues and folk.

His music possesses broad appeal for both young and old.

"My fans are from five years old to seniors," Hao says. "One thing they have in common is that everyone needs to be inspired and relieved of everyday cares."

Urban folk, he says, "is really a release of emotion. My inspiration originates from my understanding of life."

While Hao has performed all over China at music festivals and shows, Fan Qie's label represents around 10 folk artists, few of whom have gained any level of fame.

Fan Qie's musical clients write, play and sing their own songs. Some are just starting to write songs. He helps them plan their records, arrange performances and mold the singers' career paths.

All the singers are amateurs who have other jobs, but who have a passion for playing their songs for audiences.

Fan Qie, too, holds down another full-time job, doing marketing at a magazine.

"All of us need to first earn our own bread and then we can invest energy in our hobby," he says. "I also have a bar close to Baoqing and Huaihai roads." The bar, named Cloudy, sometimes serves as a place to rehearse.

Some singers signed with Youth-us will perform this Saturday at the Tiny Dream Music Festival in Beijing. They have also performed at other local music festivals such as the Strawberry Music Festival in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as bar events.

"The market for contemporary folk songs is growing, especially compared to other genres. In the next two or three years, more people are likely to become fans," Fan Qie says.

He says his aim is to make his artists a commercial success "so they are not just playing for themselves."

To attract young talent, Fan Qie arranges tours at universities and promotes folk songs on websites such as Douban.com. He found one of his singers, Chu Yunjie, who is studying law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, through the Internet.

He says that while some musicians may not dedicate themselves wholly to music, he won't push them away.

"Some young amateurs will pursue their education abroad after signing with us," Fan Qie says. "But I will still give them guidance on planning their music career."

Hao, the Beijing singer, says great folk music is the product of musicians who are true to themselves.

"As a singer, I like to focus on creating music and expressing my innermost thoughts to the audience through folk songs. Rather than spending a lot of time on studying what the market likes, I focus on creation only," he adds.

Hao says he uses both music and humor to engage his audience, no matter where he is.

"My live performance is always like a gathering for friends. I'll sing songs from my new album this time," Hao says, adding that he plans to continue to travel and live new experiences. "It gives me inspiration and hopefully, I will use it to create more good work."

Hao Yun's Shanghai performance

Date: October 18

Venue: Q.Hall of Qianshuiwan Art Center, 1/F, 179 Yichang Rd

Tickets: 180 yuan (150 yuan in advance), 100 yuan for students