Had it not been for the coronavirus outbreak, Modern Sky, one of China’s largest indie record companies, would have already held the annual outdoor Strawberry Music Festival. However, with millions of people confined to their homes as a result of the coronavirus, the festival has been postponed and Modern Sky is rolling out another online pop concert series: Strawberry Nebula.
This Friday at 8 p.m., Zeng Yike, also known as Yico Zeng, will live-stream a ticketed concert on the Youku and Modern Sky Now apps. Tickets are 18 yuan.
Zeng Yike
Born in 1990, Zeng was a finalist on the Hunan Satellite TV’s singing talent show “Super Girl” in 2009. Later that year, her first album “Forever Road” was released. Although she has been criticized for singing out of tune and having a shaky voice “like a sheep,” her fans have been smitten by her creativity and simple style. Writer Gao Xiaosong praised her in 2009 by saying that “Zeng self-wrote a couple of songs and her style is clear and easy to follow. As long as there is a style, she can get help to produce an album.”
In her song “Be Brave,” released in 2010, Zeng asks “Do I really need a good voice for my music to reach the bottom of your heart?” In the song “Stars and Moon,” released in 2014, she sings about her bravery: “I light up the night. I keep out the gossip. Just remember, you are the star and I am the moon.”
Zeng debuted in the Strawberry Music Festival in 2010 and signed a record deal with Modern Sky in 2017. In the following year, she released her fifth album, “Anti! Yico,” which expresses her desire to redefine herself in the public. In an earlier interview, she said that when she was producing music, she was emotional and complicated and put her pain and fear into her music.
Scan the QR code to watch the show online.
