Chapter 344: The Pop Music King Takes the Stage! (Extra Update) (Monthly Vote Request)
The moment Mao Wei Ang’s name appeared…
The audience’s excitement was palpable!
The b*llet comments in the livestream more than doubled in an instant!
【Teacher Mao, ahhh!!】
【Waa, who understands? I’ve been watching the Dragon Zither Cup just to see Teacher Mao!】
【I really love the songs he writes. I’ve been listening for years. Who would have thought I’d get to see him perform one day!】
【Hurry, hurry! Teacher Mao! My Teacher Mao!】
【.】
As a petite man, looking barely over 1.6 meters tall, walked onto the stage, he humbly nodded to the cheering crowd.
The audience erupted even more.
“We can see that Teacher Mao’s popularity is truly extraordinary! The atmosphere here is electrifying!” Zhu Ye chuckled.
“Of course, he’s the man known as the ‘Pop Music King.’ I grew up listening to his songs,” Feng Ye said.
“Hey, what’s your favorite song by Teacher Mao?” Zhu Ye asked curiously.
Bringing up such a topic at a moment like this was a genius move to stir the audience’s emotions.
“Obviously, it’s ‘On Mount Fuji,’ ‘A Century,’ and ‘Foul-Mouthed’—I don’t think there’s a person in Tianchao who hasn’t heard those songs!”
“Hahaha, I see you’re a fan of King Chen!”
“Yes, but I have to admit, without Teacher Mao’s compositions and arrangements, King Chen wouldn’t be where he is today!”
Zhu Ye responded, “What about you?”
“Actually, I prefer some less popular ones.”
“Share with us?”
“I really like the songs he wrote for Li Gang—‘Drunk Concubine’ and ‘Qingming Shanghe Tu’—with those songs, he made a master of opera singing famous!”
The two commentators bounced ideas back and forth, discussing Mao Wei Ang’s works.
At this moment, the heat in the livestream chat reached unprecedented heights.
【Yes! I only got into Teacher Mao because I love King Chen!】
【Has anyone heard ‘The Strap’ he wrote for Cai Cai? That’s my jam!】
【I get it!! And that song ‘I Love You’… Teacher Mao’s sweet love songs always get to me!】
【Hold on, aren’t we here for a cello competition? Looks like you all are secretly listening to the Chinese music scene, huh?】
【It’s been merged for ages!】
At that moment,
In the rest room.
Looking at the barrage of comments, Lin Tian finally got what kind of heavyweight “Pop Music King” He Zhi Chen was referring to.
This guy was no joke.
Literally every type of song imaginable—he could write love ballads for sweet girls, hard-hitting tracks for men, and even traditional tunes like “Drunk Concubine.”
He really did cover all genres of pop music!
Does this guy have multiple personalities or what?
Even the many viewers in the livestream who weren’t too familiar with him suddenly snapped to attention upon hearing the commentary and saw other comments flowing in.
They couldn’t help but think, “Wait, he wrote that too??” “Huh? I didn’t know!”
After watching for a while,
It’s safe to say, there might be people who didn’t recognize Teacher Mao.
But chances are, there’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard his songs.
Just like the commentators said—there can’t be a Tianchao person who hasn’t listened to Teacher Mao.
“Have you listened to his songs?”
Lin Tian turned curiously to Gan Yan Yu.
“No,”
Gan Yan Yu shook her head.
Aha, found a 500,000 jackpot.
“I didn’t have the means to listen,” she said. “No computer at home, barely used my phone back then, just a radio.”
“True.”
Lin Tian remembered the view from his first visit to her home.
Furniture straight from the Stone Age, even the TV was box-shaped.
There was a radio, but the cabinet was full of classical music tapes.
So when Gan Yan Yu said “never heard,” she probably genuinely hadn’t.
But with her personality…
It’s not like she’d necessarily love this kind of music, anyway.
“Though I haven’t heard it, I think it can’t be as good as what you sang for me on the plane last time,”
“Honestly, it’s not that different.”
Lin Tian ruffled Gan Yan Yu’s hair, and she looked at him blankly.
Soon,
With Mao Wei Ang taking the stage, the spotlight zeroed in.
Lin Tian got a clear look at this guy.
So small.
Standing barely under 1.7 meters, with a frail build—now, some people may lack height but have presence, compensating with style and charm.
But Mao Wei Ang gave off an almost sickly vibe, like he’d finally made it to the stage after being bedridden for a month.
This only made him appear even smaller.
The nickname “Mao Zi” (Little Mao) seemed completely off.
Mao Wei Ang settled into a chair, lifting a cello that looked almost as tiny as he did.
Facing the excited audience…
Mao Wei Ang showed little reaction, just a polite smile, humbly acknowledging everyone.
Then, he raised the bow.
Suddenly,
The bow slammed onto the strings, erupting with a bass-like rumble, like something out of an underground club!
This sound sent shockwaves through the audience.
Next came a joyful, lively rhythm!
Once the music started,
Mao Wei Ang transformed completely, gently tapping the instrument’s body while the strings vibrated, creating a symphony of sound that mirrored a swarm of electronic butterflies crashing into neon walls.
“Wow, I’ve got goosebumps!”
Feng Ye squealed, clutching her head.
“This is too good!”
With absolutely no time to react.
Zero frames in!
Right from the get-go, it was a catchy chorus.
It slammed into Feng Ye’s head like a pop song that you’d stumble across on a good day.
A sudden melody and voice made her scalp tingle with delight.
Scientifically speaking,
This phenomenon is called “skin org*sm,” linked to dopamine release in the brain—particularly elements like unexpected harmonies and descending chords can trigger such reactions.
Only pop music, focused on the audience’s auditory pleasure, can pull off such a feat.
“The name of this piece is—‘The Fifteen Lines of Electrical Current and Sheep Gut Strings’.”
Zhu Ye’s pupils fluttered slightly,
“Beautifully written!”
At this moment,
Even Lin Tian in the rest room felt his spirits lifted upon hearing that melody.
So good!
Really, it was phenomenal!
It’s hard to describe why, lacking any flowery language.
In short, when this melody hit, it effortlessly got everyone feeling great!
Is this the magic of pop music?
There are many types of music, big classifications, small niches, all different.
But classical and pop music are the two most contrasting extremes!
When pop music hits, you don’t even need to think too hard; you can easily dive right into the emotions—whether sad or happy.
Because it’s designed to cater to the listener’s auditory enjoyment; there’s nothing wrong with that.
Classical music? Totally different ball game. Its emotions often require a degree of understanding and appreciation to be felt.
In other words, listening to music is to experience emotional feedback.
Classical music demands some brain power and focus for feedback; if you don’t “put in the work,” the joy will elude you.
One provides instant happiness.
The other has a high barrier.
It’s clear as day.
At this moment,
Mao Wei Ang’s self-composed piece, “The Fifteen Lines of Electrical Current and Sheep Gut Strings,” maximized the advantages of pop music!
It didn’t require deep meaning or buildup, just the purest, simplest notes forming the melodies everyone loves to hear.
No!
Did Lin Tian just call it conservative?
Is there really any depth to this music?
Isn’t it just flaunting skill?
Flaunting composition, flaunting cello!
This surpassed any previous performances of pop music!
In the brilliantly lit concert hall,
Mao Wei Ang was center stage, passionately playing as the beautiful melodies echoed throughout.
His music spread like a viral infection, enchanting everyone, sweeping through the audience.
Every listener who caught the melody wore an expression of pure enjoyment, lost in the experience.
“Just… blissful. So blissful,”
Feng Ye couldn’t help but sigh,
“Not to mention, Teacher Mao’s cello skills are impressive! He’s not one bit behind the other cellists here today!”
“It seems Teacher Mao has really put in the effort to chase his dreams.”
“.”
Everyone knew, Teacher Mao today had unparalleled influence in the Chinese music scene.
Having launched numerous pop superstars, he himself is now crowned the “Pop Music King,” and it’s rare to see someone thrust into the spotlight enjoying this much adoration as a music producer.
With such a fulfilling achievement, for him to still take up the cello and participate in the Dragon Zither Cup…
That dream, regardless of whether you’re in or out of the industry, deserves all the respect.
And this superb cello performance by Mao Wei Ang thoroughly conveyed to the world.
He doesn’t need that respect; he’ll win this stage with sheer talent!
As the melody of “The Fifteen Lines of Electrical Current and Sheep Gut Strings” poured out,
The judges in the front row nodded and exchanged approving glances.
Clearly, this was an outstanding piece that could captivate the youth.
Combined with the Dragon Zither Cup promotion, it was bound to create some explosive hit tracks.
“Wow~ After listening to this pop music, today’s competition is already more than halfway fulfilled.” Feng Ye yawned, stretching as she candidly remarked.
“Why not completely fulfilled?”
“As a commentator, you can’t be too absolute!”
“Hahaha!”
In their casual banter, Zhu Ye glanced at the next competitor on the roster.
A familiar name caught her eye—
Gan Yan Yu. “The Blue Danube.”
Classical music?
(End of Chapter)
