"Welcome everyone to 'Melody of the Heart,' brought to you by Yin Yang Throat Lozenges..."
The host walked onto the stage and began the show.
This host was a veteran at the station, known for his steady hosting style and excellent on-the-spot reactions.
The rule for "Melody of the Heart" was one song, one story.
To move people with songs and stories.
Therefore, the themes weren't overly broad.
Love songs were the most easily relatable.
In this program, love songs were very popular.
On the guest bench.
Jiang Xiao’e was dressed simply today, in a t-shirt and jeans, with very light makeup, looking like an ordinary girl next door.
She sat quietly, her gaze occasionally drifting towards the audience.
There, her parents occupied VIP seats in the front row.
Originally, she had prepared seats closer to the stage in the regular audience section for her parents, but the production team had informed her that there were exclusive family seats, closer to the stage.
Since arriving at the lounge for this program, Jiang Xiao’e had sensed something was off. As soon as she entered, the production team assigned an assistant to offer constant care and attention. Not only that, but the makeup artists and stylists were also a renowned team. She recalled that these makeup artists were celebrities in the makeup industry, serving top singers.
Moreover, the refreshments and snacks were plentiful.
Even more astonishingly, the production team had hired a masseuse to massage her shoulders and neck.
Later, a foot masseuse even entered with a basin, but Jiang Xiao’e politely declined.
In fact, she had already guessed the reason.
The production team was surely treating her so well because of Teacher Ting Yu.
"It is the greatest happiness to be able to sing Teacher Ting Yu's songs,"
Jiang Xiao’e took a deep breath.
To calm herself down.
The first singer had already gone up to perform.
The story he chose was about a bickering couple.
And the song he sang was a well-known old song.
In this kind of program, choosing an old song was the safest approach, as most people resonated with old songs, making it easy to immerse themselves in the story.
After the song, many audience members were moved, their eyes turning red.
In the singer's area, Lü Jinbai occasionally glanced at Jiang Xiao’e, a hint of jealousy in her eyes.
"Even the chairs have been changed; this is truly the first time I've encountered this," she murmured.
In the past, the guest benches had ordinary chairs, but the chair Jiang Xiao’e was sitting on was clearly of a higher grade provided by the production team.
A singer next to her couldn't help but chuckle at her words: "What can you do? She's a singer from Ting Yu, after all."
His words carried envy and a touch of resignation. Now, Ting Yu's songs were a symbol of popularity. However, singers like them, considered mainstream A-list artists by others, were no longer comparable to Ting Yu. When Ting Yu wasn't this popular, they hadn't paid much attention. Who knew he would grow so rapidly?
Lü Jinbai's sourness could be felt from afar: "Even if she wins, it's only because of Ting Yu. Isn't it said online that you could train a dog to sing Ting Yu's songs and it would still win first place?"
As soon as she spoke.
The few singers beside her looked at her with surprise.
Although they envied Jiang Xiao’e for being able to sing Ting Yu's songs, they didn't harbor such intense jealousy. Especially Lü Jinbai's remark, which left the other singers unsure how to respond.
Unable to reply, they simply ignored her.
Lü Jinbai also realized she had spoken out of turn due to momentary jealousy.
She also fell silent, preparing for her upcoming performance.
However, she still kept glancing at Jiang Xiao’e.
"Don't think you've already won. You can sing Ting Yu's songs, but can't I sing the songs of the Music God?"
That’s right. Lü Jinbai had originally intended to make Jiang Xiao’e deliberately make a mistake, but it hadn’t succeeded. After discussion with her company, she went and purchased the rights to cover a love song by the Music God Mo Yan.
In the Chinese music industry, producers make money because they own song copyrights. To perform a song on a show, one must purchase the authorization to cover it.
If a song becomes hugely popular, a continuous stream of people will use it on various programs, and these copyright fees are one of the biggest sources of income for producers.
…
Originally, the guest performances were scheduled for the middle of the program.
However, in this episode, Jiang Xiao’e was arranged to be the last.
Because of this, quite a few audience members complained.
As the program progressed.
The previous singers had all finished their performances, leaving only Lü Jinbai and Jiang Xiao’e.
Perhaps because it was rumored that there would be a new song from Ting Yu this week.
These singers had all brought out their best skills.
The program's entertainment value far surpassed previous episodes.
The live audience was also very enthusiastic about the music.
"Now, it's up to Lü Jinbai."
"In the past few episodes, Lü Jinbai's ranking has been consistently low. If she doesn't bring something new this time, she might be in trouble."
"Let her be eliminated. If Jiang Xiao’e becomes a regular, maybe there will be a new Ting Yu song every episode."
"Haha, I thought the same thing."
"Holy cow, you guys are really cheeky. Doesn't Lü Jinbai have any pride?"
Just as the audience was discussing.
Lü Jinbai walked onto the stage.
This time, she not only used a song by the Music God Mo Yan but also brought her friend from the film and television industry, Chen Yunhao, to perform the story for her.
"Us"
When the title of the song appeared on the big screen.
The audience present collectively gasped.
"Isn't that the golden song the Music God Mo Yan wrote for the Diva?"
"Holy crap, she actually got the cover rights to this classic song!"
"It seems Lü Jinbai has gone all out!"
"Look quickly, that's Chen Yunhao! Wasn't it rumored recently that he's filming 'Sword Seeking Immortals' and is even playing the second male lead? He actually took time out to support Lü Jinbai."
"A song from the Music God, plus a popular actor for the story, Jiang Xiao’e is in danger!"
It's important to note that obtaining the cover rights for songs by the Music God Mo Yan is extremely difficult.
This is because he hasn't released many songs in a long time, and many of his older songs have become classics.
For Lü Jinbai to secure the cover rights this time, besides a huge financial outlay, she likely also called in some favors.
The performance began.
The prop team set up a hallway scene.
Chen Yunhao and another actress started their performance.
Stage plays are different from acting; they require an immersive experience on the spot.
The story was simple, and now it seemed a bit cliché, revolving around the concept of affection mentioned in the lyrics.
Two people in love cannot be together due to real-life issues.
…
When the story reached a crucial point.
The prelude began!
That classic accompaniment was as if etched into the hearts of countless people; the moment it was recalled, one could instantly immerse oneself.
"That mottled corridor, once filled with sunshine.
The handwriting faded, time passed in a hurry..."
Lü Jinbai’s status as an A-list singer.
Her singing skills were naturally impeccable.
Although not as deeply emotional as the original singer, relying on the classic sentiment of the song, she still brought many to tears.
After finishing, Lü Jinbai looked at the audience below and couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
Then, she looked at Jiang Xiao’e.
Her eyes held a sense of challenge.
I've played the nostalgia card, how will you win?