‎中國新歌聲‬ SING CHINA Season 1 Episode 5

The episode opens instantly to 25-year old 阿克江-阿依丁 (A Ke Jiang A Yi Ding)  performing 在那遥远的地方. He mixed electric elements in his new age singing style which piqued the interest of Na Ying and Harlem. Ultimately, he decides to choose Team Harlem.

Next up, 付豪 (Fu Hao) - yes, it sounds like 'rich guy' - sings a mash-up between 恼人的秋风 and Wake Up Call by Maroon 5. I love this kind of cross-cultural mash ups because it brings so much more interesting possibilities. The judges are all in awe of his performance, but again, the competition is between Harlem and Na Ying - in the end, another one into Team Harlem.

33-year old 吕俊 (Lv Jun Zhe) from Henan challenges one of VOC's previous songs 大惊小怪 sung by 张心杰 (Zhang Xin Jie). Harlem points out that Lv Jun Zhe is using a very Euro-American style to achieve the high notes. Of course, Wang Feng is the first one that could not resist slamming the button, followed by Harlem. Na Ying and Jay Chou subsequently hit the button too. Ultimately, he chose Team Wang Feng. (No surprises)

岳靖淇 (Yue Jingqi) from Guizhou sings 冬季到台北来看雨 from 1992. His voice sounds like a male version of Joanna Wang, a little flirty. Team Na Ying is the only place he could go, but I can see why - he probably won't fit anywhere else. 

The lead singer of a band, 项亚蕻 (Xiang Ya Hong) sings Don't Cry by Gun N Roses. His performance will bring you into a rock 'n' roll reverie that reminds me of those live bands playing in farflung restaurant bars. He is one of the contestatnts that cannot choose - he can only go to Team Wang Feng, which is probably the only team that suits him as well.

Later, the show eases into the next part: Jay Chou performing a magic trick with cards! He predicts that Harlem will have 12 students using poker cards, Wang Feng to have 11 students (J card) and Na Ying to have 13 students. I don't really understand this part of the show, but okay. The show is finally starting at the home of SING CHINA - Zhejiang!

One of the oldest contestants this time in SING CHINA is Taiwanese官灵芝 (Guan Lingzhi). Is this going to be a case of "the older the ginger, the spicier it is"? Definitely - She received The 23rd Golden Melody Awards for Best Hakka Singer and is undoubtedly an accomplished singer already. She sings Unchain my Heart by Bobby Sharp, with an amazingly thick voice, an incredible sense of performance and beat! She definitely has the ability to capture the audiences' attention. She has been singing for 38 years, and can handle a great repertoire of songs across languages Hakka, English, Mandarin Chinese, Portugese, and Japanese. She chose Team Harlem.

The next contestant 周旸 (Zhou Yang) has a personality similar to papi酱., but when she sings, it is as if she took on another personality altogether... Zhou Yang sings one of my favourite songs 我好想你 by Sodagreen! It is certainly easy to like the song, but not easy to sing it well at all. First line - SHE IS AN INSTANT YES. After the slew of many boring contestants over the past episodes, I finally see one that's of VOC-standard again. I like how she slow down the whole song to give it a different feeling, a darker emo feel - has an edge to it that seemed almost like 人质. A She's definitely one of my favourites right now, with this cover of 我好想你 the best till date. All the judges come down one after another except for Wang Feng. I don't know what he is waiting for even though he said that she was good halfway during her performance. Zhou Yang chooses Team Na Ying.

Chengdu pair rappers 杨和苏 (Yang De Su) and张馨月 (Zhang Xin Yue) met online and started playing rapping together through webcam. So cute, one from Chengdu and another from Shenyang. They named themselves the 低调组合 (low-key pair) and they sing a mash-up of 我的天空 (fantastic song, go listen to the 貝貝 修兒 duet on this as well) and Me, Myself & I. Both of them are crazily explosive and addictive to watch. They definitely can sing AND rap Oh my, goosebumps inducing! They fired up the stage. 杨和苏 is damn impressive, I think, it's like he took tongue twisting to another stage. Well-deservingly, all judges slammed the button. Finally, the pair chose Team Jay Chou.

Part of an acapella team, 汪晨蕊 (Wang Chen Rui) sings a classic song from Jacky Cheung - 深海. Her voice is timelessly beautiful and will be able to deliver even without accompaniment. Na Ying is the first to slam on the button, and I think  Team Na Ying would definitely be the one that will be able to shape her to have a more unique personality.

吴江 (Wu Jiang) sings a cute romantic song by Jonathan Lee - 17岁女生的温柔, but in a reggae style. From Sichuan, this contestant is totally suited for Harlem. His rap is quite steady but more of the playful and performative sort. It is very relaxing and fun to watch him. Wu Jiang decides to follow his wife's suggestion and chose Team Jay Chou.

A beautiful Chinese descendant living in Brazil, 吴映香 (Wu Ying Xiang) sings a mashup of 我的梦 and Undo by Sanna Nielsen. Somehow, she reminds me of Japanese pop singers, a very smooth sort of singing. All the judges hit the button! Harlem emphasize on how she seemed like an anime theme song singer. Wu Ying Xiang decides on Team Harlem.

18-year old American-born Chinese 林恺伦 (Lin Kai Lun, Karen) sings 爱是什么, in a very mystical and dreamy way. Wang Feng nods eagerly. All but Na Ying wants to have a go at poaching her to their team. She has also sung one of the OST songs (一雙人) to 秦时明月. In the end, she chooses to join Team Wang Feng.

The next contestant is 羽田 (Yu Tian). He migrated to Toronto, Canada when he was 9 years old.He has returned to China to work for some media production in Beijing and entered SING CHINA. He sings a song that he dedicated for his grandmother, 那些花儿. It is quite different from the original song but made it even better, imho. Warning: a tear-jerker performance. This affective voice has got to be one of my favourites again. I can't wait for his next performance again. Yu Tian chooses Team Jay Chou, with little surprise actually because Jay Chou has emphasized on family ties so often in his songs.

The young 包师语 (Bao Shi Yu)'s voice totally exceeded beyond her 19 years of age. She plays her guitar as she sings a beautiful, understated minyao 安和桥.  Towards the end of her performance, Na Ying, Jay Chou, and Wang Feng slam the button. All the judges try to convince her that they can help shape her minyao style. She chooses Team Jay Chou, bringing the blind auditions to a close for this season.

阿克江-阿依丁 (A Ke Jiang A Yi Ding)

付豪 (Fu Hao)

官灵芝 (Guan Lingzhi)

吴映香 (Wu Ying Xiang)

吴江 (Wu Jiang)

羽田 (Yu Tian)

包师语 (Bao Shi Yu)

岳靖淇 (Yue Jingqi)

 汪晨蕊 (Wang Chen Rui)

吕俊 (Lv Jun Zhe)

亚蕻 (Xiang Ya Hong)

林恺伦 (Lin Kai Lun, Karen)