Beijing Boys were discovered in 2000 by Zang Tianshuo, a famous Chinese musician and songwriter, while performing at a popular hotel in Beijing. The five-member Chinese Pop/Rock band signed a production contract with Zang and released their debut album Beijing Boys in May 2005. Songs on the album feature diverse music elements and cover a wide range of topics including the environment and the 2008 Olympics. Their presentation is powerful and unaffected, and their music is said to be a representative of Chinese urbanite lifestyle.
DJ Dimi
Electronic
Dimi Palamidas is an ARTIST, COMPOSER, and PRODUCER breaking down boundaries. Pulling influences from Chillout / Funk & Acid Jazz/ Rock/ World & Traditional Indigenous Music to create exciting new hybrids. Moving to Sydney, Australia from New Zealand in late 1990, it was clear that Dimi would become a versatile musician. The groove came with Funk band Dr Mofo, the melody and harmony with Acoustic group Sweet P and the sense for a hook and arrangement by playing in a number of high profile concept cover bands.
Caidanzhuoma
Tibetan
Caidanzhuoma, a famous Tibetan soprano singer, began her musical career in 1956 when she joined the Tibetan Rikaze Song and Dance Ensemble. Her singing talents won her a seat at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1958 despite her illiteracy and lack of music training. Caidanzhuoma rose to fame quickly with her singing and performance in the musical “The East Is Red” in 1964. Caidanzhuoma is known for her sweet, passionate, and sonorous singing. Her songs have a strong Tibetan flavor. Her hit singles, “Singing a Folk Song For the Communist Party,” “On The Golden Hill In Beijing” and “Happy Liberation of Helot” remain popular in China today. Caidanzhuoma’s song “On The Golden Hill In Beijing” was widely used in many primary and high school performances from 1993 to 2000. Caidanzhuoma performed in over 30 countries over the years.
Chang Hai
Chinese Metal
Chang Hai was born into a music family and began studying jazz drums and dulcimer at six years old. He later received rigorous training in guitar and piano. Starting out as a professional songwriter, he signed with Beijing Birdman Entertainment Co. (Pang Long) in 2004 and released his debut album Mail From the Tropical Fish. In 2005 Chang Hai was chosen as the exclusive spokesperson for Ovation-Mainland China, the world-famous guitar company, for his unaffected style of guitar playing.
Dong Wenhua
Vocal
Dong Wenhua, a famous Chinese singer, began her musical career at the age of 15. Dong rose to fame by performing folk ballads that were loved by the Chinese people. Many of her singles, like “The Full Moon,” “Story of the Spring,” “The Long Great Wall,” were very popular in the 1980s and 1990s. As part of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Zongzheng Song and Dance Ensemble, Dong performed extensively in China and abroad. Her sweet singing voice won her the nickname of the “Army Moon Sister.” Dong was voted the Most Popular Singer in China in 1987. Dong also won the Golden China MTV Award for four years in succession from 1993 to 1996. Her song “Story of the Spring” performed at the 1997 Spring Festival Gala (a high-profile concert in China) won the first prize of “Most Liked Song.” She remains active and released two albums, Harbor in 2004 and Duckweed In The Pond in 2006.
Chun Qiu
Chinese Metal
The Chun Qiu Band (Spring & Autumn) formed in 2000 and has since performed over 100 live concerts. Guitarist Kaiser Kuo, a former member of the band Tang Dynasty (Tang Chao), describes Chun Qiu’s music as a blend of progressive metal, hard epic rock and traditional Chinese music with aggressive elements and dense melodies. They signed with R.H.C. Records in October 2005 and released their debut self-titled album Spring and Autumn in February 2006.
Buyi Band
Chinese Pop
The name Buyi refers to a commoner who wears cotton clothes. Formed in 1995, the ethnic rock band Buyi Band began their musical career in their homeland Ning Xia Autonomous Region in Northwest China. For five years, they remained a local band performing across the region, gaining a fervent local following. Currently based in Beijing, Buyi Band has been hailed as pure and emotional, combining traditional Chinese music with local folk music of Northwest China. In 2000 they released several singles from their self-titled debut album including Fall, The Free Bird and A Place Called Sanshi Li Pu, many of which feature traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng (a plucked zither). In 2004 Buyi Band had the great fortune to be interviewed by the BBC. The band continues to remain active and performs live on a regular basis.
Guo Lanying
Chinese Folk
Guo Lanying, a famous Soprano, began studying Shanxi Bangzi, a traditional local opera of Shanxi Province at the age of 6. She started performing at the age of 11 with a local theatrical group. In 1946 Guo Lanying joined the Song and Dance Troupe of North China United University. In 1947 she was admitted to North China United University, majoring in opera. Guo Lanying later joined the Song and Dance Theatre affiliated to China’s Central Conservatory of Music, and the China Opera House. Guo Lanying is known for her sweet, unaffected singing style. Guo Lanying made her name by her performance in many well-known operas, like “The White-Haired Girl” and “The Marriage of Little Er Hei.” As an ambassador of Chinese art, Guo Lanying visited and performed in many countries. Guo Lanying gave her last stage performance in 1982. She taught in China Conservatory of Music. In 1986, she set up Guo Lanying Art School in Guangdong.
Gao Qi & Overload
Chinese Rock
Formed in 1991, the band Gao Qi & Overload quickly rose to fame as the first thrash metal band in China and still remains one of the most important bands in China’s rock history with Gao Qi as the lead singer and songwriter. Throughout the years, the band has released three albums Overload in 1996, Magic Blue Sky in 1999, and Life Is An Adventure in 2002. Overload was an overnight success with their first single Shadows of the Ancients, which was prominently featured on the legendary rock compilation China Fire gaining them a solid fanbase and great media attention. In September 1995, an interview featured in The Wire, a British music magazine, landed Overload a record deal with Magic Stone Records, the mainland division of Taiwan’s Rock Records. Stylistically, their self-titled debut release Overload is thrash metal, as opposed to their follow-up releases Magic Blue Sky and Life Is An Adventure which are more pop and rock oriented. In March 2006, Overload performed together with famous German metal band EDGUY in Beijing.
Guo Song
Chinese Folk
Guo Song is a famous Chinese soprano folk singer. Born in Liaoning (a northeastern province in China), Guo Song was exposed to diverse folk music, particularly local Northeast Chinese folk music, since his childhood. His music talents landed him a job with the Songjiangruyi Song and Dance Ensemble as a solo singer in 1953. In 1956 he rose to fame with his newly arranged Northeast folk song, “Loss of My Finger Ring,” which he sang at the 1st Chinese Music Week. A prolific songwriter, Guo Song has written over 50 popular songs, like “A New Street Vendor,” “The Boat Song Of Wusuli River,” “Visiting My Neighbors,” and “Beautiful Landscapes Make Us Drunk.” He toured many foreign countries.
Mei Lanfang
Peking Opera
A Peking Opera legend, Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) remains a household name in China. Born into a family of Peking Opera and Kunqu performers, Mei began studying Peking opera at the age of eight. After being told by his teacher that he held little career promise due to his lackluster eyes, Mei practiced his eyes persistently and managed to make them look bright, keen, and highly expressive. A master of singing, dancing, and acting, Mei rose to national fame before the age of 20. A highly accomplished female impersonator, Mei performed almost all kinds of the Dan (female) roles, ranging from Qingyi (graceful female roles) to Huadan (vivacious young female roles). In his 50-year stage life, Mei played over 100 characters in the Peking Opera repertoire. Mei’s effortless, perfectly timed, self-assured style has come to be known as the “Mei School.” Mei was accredited as the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to an overseas audience. Mei’s exotic but exquisite performance won him great acclamation abroad (like the US). A virtuoso of Peking Opera, Mei also wrote many new Peking Opera plays.
Hang On The Box
Chinese Punk Rock
Hang On The Box is an all female rock band formed in the summer of 1998 in Beijing, China. At that time vocalist Gia W (Wang Yue), guitarist Yang Fan, bass player Yilina and drummer Shenggy (Shen Jing) were only 15 years old. One of the best and brightest bands to emerge from China’s growing rock scene, Hang On The Box is widely regarded as one of the most popular and well-respected bands in Hong Kong/Taiwan/Mainland China. For the last two consecutive years (04 and 05), Hang On The Box was nominated for “The Best Rock Band” at the Chinese equivalent of the Grammy music awards – The Annual Pepsi Music Award.
Han Shuo
Chinese Pop
A devoted and persevering singer, Han Shuo invested all his life savings into his self-titled debut album. The first track Xu Yu is a melody played with the Xun, an ancient Chinese clay flute, and conveys the overall theme of the album, it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Han Shuo features diverse styles ranging from pop, rock, and R&B to bossanova.
Jiang Dawei
Chinese Folk
Jiang Dawei is a celebrated tenor in China. His musical career began in 1968 when he joined the Forest Trooper Art Troupe. In 1975 Jiang Dawei’s singing talent landed him a job with Beijing Central National Song and Dance Ensemble as a solo singer. Jiang Dawei is known for his sweet, clear, and unaffected singing. Over the past three decades, Jiang Dawei has sung many well-known movie and TV series songs like “Where Is The Road To Take.” His hit singles like “Where The Peach Blossoms,” “Song of Peony,” and “Marching Forward On the Broad Road of Socialism” remain popular in China. Jiang Dawei has performed in many countries and regions.
Zhu Fengbo
Vocal
Zhu Fengbo, a famous soprano in China, made her name in the 1960s. Her singing talents landed her a job with Shanghai Opera House in 1960 after she got her Bachelor’s degree in archiecture at Tongji University. Zhu then studied under many famous vocalists (like Ju Xiufang) at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In 1965 Zhu left for Shanghai Dance Institute. Later Zhu worked in Beijing China Art Troupe, Shanghai Ballet Troupe, Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble, and Shanghai Light Music Ensemble as a solo singer. Zhu is known for her smooth, unaffected, and highly expressive singing style. Her singing draws on both traditional Chinese folk singing techniques and bel canto techniques. During her 40-year singing career, Zhu has sung over 800 songs, raning from Chinese folk songs to foreign folk songs to children’s songs.
Second Hand Rose
Chinese Pop/Rock
Formed in 2000, Second Hand Rose band is well-known for its bold combination of traditional Chinese instruments with solid rock and roll fundamentals. The lead vocalist Liang Long also the guitar player unlike other lead singer, he often performs in Qipao, a traditional Chinese dress and plays both the roles of male and female. He combines the traditional er-ren-zhuan, an art of story telling from the Northeast of China, which is still popular nowadays and rock roll. His unique talking and singing style fascinates many fans. In 2002, the band was only foreign band to be invited to perform at the Swiss Show Mountain Music Festival and was well received by the Swiss. They were also one of the few Chinese rock bands invited to perform in Shanghai at the 2003 China-Japan Pop Music Exchange Concerts. The first album “Second Hand Rose” was released in 2004. Currently, they are working on their second album. They have earned more and more recognitions from rock music world.