On May 10, Singer 2024, a competitive music variety show, premiered after a four-year absence. This season introduced a "live-broadcast" format and featured a mix of international and Chinese singers. However, its first episode sparked heated debates because the only two foreign singers — US diva Chante Moore and Moroccan-Canadian artist Faouzia Ouihya — took the top two spots, while Chinese vocalist Na Ying ranked only third, with the other four Chinese singers trailing behind.

Chinese internet users expressed disappointment, suggesting that Chinese singers have been relying too much on post-production edits instead of honing their authentic vocal performances. Some say that Singer 2024 is a wake-up call for the Chinese music industry, exposing it to international standards.

The show even stirred up nationalist sentiments among netizens, who are calling for truly capable Chinese singers to participate and genuinely represent China.

I believe that everyone should face real challenges. But first, everyone must learn to face their true selves, be honest with themselves, and stick to their own style. This can sometimes be even more difficult.

This was what came to my mind after watching Singer 2024 offline as part of the show's voting audience.

I know there's been a heated debate since the show aired, so I want to clarify the situation for everyone as I was really there on the scene.

First, nobody's perfect. Because the show was a live broadcast, we could see the reality: real singers making real performances and facing their true selves. For us in the audience, it was a relaxing, exciting journey through different styles of music. But for the singers, it was a time to confront their own imperfections, to feel their emotions, and to explore their possibilities.

Standing on that stage, knowing it was their only chance, I believe it was a great challenge for them. They had to overcome their fears and worries and find a way to connect with their voice, their inner feelings, and the audience.

I've heard that unedited performances are more common in Europe and the US, which might explain why Moore and Ouihya were more accustomed to these styles, allowing them to perform steadily. However, for Chinese singers, the new "live" requirements were a bit too demanding and affected their voices and overall sound.

But everyone knows this is not the end. This is only the beginning of the show. The way the singers performed in the first episode was just the first step toward the next level. I believe live performance can train people, push them to strive for better results, and improve their skills.

Written by Melissa Baidak, a 24-year-old Russian who has been studying Chinese for nearly seven years. She came to China in 2022 and pursued a master's degree in teaching Chinese as a second language at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in comparative linguistics there.