A clear and melancholic piano melody began.
Accompanying the subtle, low-pitched strings in the background, the previously vibrant atmosphere of the venue instantly became somewhat somber.
This was the magic of music; it could bring joy, and it could also bring sorrow. Conveying emotions through music was a quality a mature producer should possess.
It was a very common chord progression for love songs, yet it formed the main tone of love songs in the entire Chinese music scene.
The audience members in the venue all sat down, listening quietly.
Counting them, Ting Yu had sung four love songs tonight, truly a festive carnival for the domestic entertainment industry! Gossip novels.
Especially at the finale, where Ting Yu performed both singing and playing, this segment surprised everyone and also provided a perfect flourish to this entertainment gala, which was a Ting Yu showcase.
As the string music gradually slowed, the piano melody also turned mournful.
On stage, only a single spotlight illuminated Su Yu. He sat quietly, his hands gently striking the piano keys.
The camera slowly zoomed in, giving him a close-up shot. In the frame, side lighting outlined his sharply defined facial features, a face that was enough to captivate countless young girls.
Su Yu took a deep breath and leaned closer to the microphone.
"The sky, long without sunshine,
Still holds your smile,
Tears shed, yet unable to bury the guilt…"
His deep, slightly husky voice delivered a heavy blow to the audience's hearts!
The moment he opened his mouth, it was as if a sky heavy with dark clouds pressed down.
That lingering smile, intertwined with the inner guilt, painted an incredibly profound and sorrowful atmosphere.
Among sad love songs, "Stranded" could be considered a classic of classics. Su Yu chose it because the three love songs tonight each told a different facet of love.
"Next Year Today" spoke of unrequited love, "Red Bean" of longing, "Rivals" of destiny, and this song, "Stranded," conveyed a sense of indebtedness. These four songs narrated four different emotions, which was Su Yu's arrangement for the love songs tonight.
Furthermore, the song was not only beautiful but also challenging, especially in terms of emotional rendering. If sung with sufficient skill, it would undoubtedly be a major tear-jerking performance.
Everyone had been cheering all night; it was time for some tears.
"A kite stranded on a cloudy day,
My longing still awaits rescue,
I hold the string, replaying the tenderness you gave…"
The first two verses were all about building anticipation and atmosphere.
They vividly depicted the sense of indebtedness, self-blame, and yearning for the beloved!
The simple piano, accompanied by light strings, with an unpretentious arrangement, was exceptionally touching.
"Is this how Ting Yu grasps sad love songs!"
"My heart feels heavy; this kind of love song is so very much like the Chinese music scene!"
"Who says Ting Yu can't write love songs? Just two lines and my eyes are already tearing up!"
"He not only writes them, but he also sings them beautifully; I'm already close to breaking down!"
The bullet comments indicated that many were already struggling to hold back.
The camera panned to the audience, showing singers and producers listening intently, even more seriously than in a class.
After all, this was Ting Yu!
Sad love song + Ting Yu's lyrics and composition + Ting Yu's piano playing + Ting Yu's singing = a full stack of buffs.
A veritable textbook of live musical performance.
Not listening attentively would be a waste of a great opportunity.
"The loneliness left to bake in the sun,
Laughs at my inability to promise,
How could it be, how could it be,
That you actually forgave me…"
As the drumbeat entered, the emotion gradually shifted from low to fervent.
Although the tone still carried a hint of sadness, the weight pressing down on everyone's hearts seemed to lighten slightly, allowing the audience immersed in the song's atmosphere to breathe more easily.
This song used the kite on a cloudy day to describe suffocating emotions. After causing harm, there was a sense of indebtedness. Emotions were always a consumable; repeated hurts could deplete them entirely.
And when the deeply loved person left, it was too late to realize it, because a broken mirror could not be mended, and some people would never return.
"I can only read the dialogue forever,
Reading the hurt I inflicted on you,
I cannot forgive myself,
So please pretend I am no longer here.
I open my eyes to a blankness,
Forgetting your expectations of me,
Having read through my dependence, I will leave soon…"
Because the prior buildup and emotional rendering were sufficient.
In the chorus, Su Yu's magnetic, husky voice, tinged with a hint of crying, coupled with the suddenly soaring strings, directly ignited the audience's memories and sorrow!
"The use of strings in this song is simply perfect!"
The speaker was Jiang Qian from the audience.
As a music prodigy, her focus was naturally on the arrangement. The strings, consistently present in the arrangement, were hard to ignore. From the preceding section, the chord progression of "Stranded" was quite common, but Ting Yu, within these common chords, incorporated string arrangements, elevating the song's melancholic atmosphere by countless levels!
In music, strings were typically used to create an epic feel, the best instrument for grandeur, but they were rarely used in sad love songs. This song used strings throughout, and in the chorus, the strings even became the main element, covering the piano and drumbeats, guiding the audience's emotions, making it refreshing!
"Yes, I agree," Fang Lingyu nodded with a smile upon hearing this.
"The lyrics are also very good. The line 'that you actually forgave me' at the start of the chorus, I thought it was genuine forgiveness, but it meant something else," Chen Shuhao added, taking over from Jiang Qian.
He came from a background of writing love songs and had studied lyrics for over a decade, possessing high attainments in the genre.
Yet, this song, "Stranded," had moved him with just a single line. The earlier lines spoke of forgiveness, but the chorus then depicted the protagonist's heartache.
Forgiveness was necessary to leave without lingering attachments.
Love song lyrics were generally straightforward; to write such profound lyrics was truly remarkable!
"Yes, I agree," Fang Lingyu nodded.
He was about to express his own opinion but suddenly realized that Jiang Qian and Chen Shuhao had said all there was to say. He suddenly couldn't find anything to add, opening his mouth only to close it again.
...
"The sky, long without sunshine,
Still holds your smile…"
The intense strings gradually calmed, and the song's overall emotion returned to its original state.
Both songs and stories were mediums for conveying emotions, and they also emphasized the ebb and flow, requiring ups and downs to better touch the audience.
This song, "Stranded," did this exceptionally well.
"I can't stand Su Su singing sad songs..." Lin Yanyu's eyes were already slightly reddened.
Her relationship with Su Yu was sweet. It was fine when Su Yu sang cheerful songs, but when he sang sad ones, it made her imagine a scenario where if Su Yu suddenly left her, it would be more devastating than the end of the world.
In fact, this was also why Su Yu rarely sang sad songs. He had a habit when singing: he needed to empathize himself to make the audience empathize. His own relationship was sweet and fulfilling, making it very difficult to force himself into a state of heartbreak.