He Xizhou felt suffocated whenever he thought of this, but seeing his strange expression, his teammates became interested.
"Hey, Brother He, what's going on?"
"What bad luck has happened to you? Tell me now so I can have a good laugh!"
He Xizhou was too lazy to pay attention to these people. He thought that based on the boy's appearance and the place he appeared, he was most likely a student of this talent show, but there were too many people at the scene and it was difficult to find him, so he could only wait and see the first stage later.
The students arrived one after another, and the last boy hurried in, only to find that there was only seat number one at the top left. He had a look of doubt on his face, and finally, under the loving and kind gaze of the 98 students, he walked up hand in hand, and sat down at the top seat tremblingly like a sleepwalker.
"All students are in place." A clear mechanical voice suddenly rang out in the studio, "Next, please welcome the initiator and the mentor team!"
The main stage was lit up, and the four celebrity mentors and the male group's initiator walked into the scene with background music. All the students stood up, and cheers and applause surged like waves, flooding the entire studio.
The recording venue of "Dream Maker Plan" is lavish, and the guest lineup is also luxurious, all of whom are well-known names in the entertainment industry: the initiator Pan Li is a well-known host of Pineapple TV, known for his high emotional intelligence and ability to control the situation; one of the singing and songwriting mentors, Wang Henian, is one of the four "kings" in the mainland music scene. He has been popular for twenty-one years and has a pivotal position in the music scene; another mentor, Luo Ziteng, is as famous as the king. She is a triple-acting actress, and several of her film and television hits have become enduring classics.
In comparison, the two dance instructors are much younger. Pei Changxu was a member of a Korean pop boy band and was very popular in his early years. After the group disbanded, he returned to China to develop his career and released several albums. His future is limitless. Although the other one, Fan Le, is not very famous in the entertainment industry, he is very capable. He won awards in various street dance competitions in Asia in his early years. Now he is a choreographer employed by the leading entertainment company Fenghua Entertainment. I wonder how many young students are scrambling to get his guidance.
It is no exaggeration to say that many students participate in "Dream Maker" largely for the instructors.
"This lineup is absolutely amazing..." A student touched the goose bumps on his arm and sighed, "The program team is really rich."
The instructor took his position, the initiator Pan Li picked up the microphone, and the students on the scene consciously quieted down.
"Hello everyone, I'm Pan Li, the initiator of the Dream Project." Pan Li looked at the nearly 100 young and handsome faces sitting in the pyramid seats and smiled. "First of all, I want to congratulate you all for standing out from tens of thousands of people. Being able to sit here has proved that you are good enough."
"But," Pan Li's smile faded and he said in a deep voice, "This is just the beginning."
"We aim to create the best boy band, not to gain short-term benefits by attracting attention and traffic. In these three months, your abilities, character and beliefs will be strictly honed and trained. This process is not as glorious as you imagine. If you don't have enough courage and tenacity, you can leave now."
These words gradually wiped away the excitement and complacency on the students' faces, and their heated brains quickly calmed down. Everyone held their breath, moved their buttocks, and quietly straightened their sitting posture.
"This process is full of challenges and opportunities, and you need to grab the opportunities with your own hands." Pan Li looked around the audience, "Today's initial stage evaluation is your first extremely important opportunity."
"Now I declare that the first stage evaluation of the Dream Project has officially begun!"
As soon as the words fell, there was a commotion at the scene:
"What, it's starting now?"
"It's too sudden!"
"It's over, it's over. I'm starting to get nervous. What should I do?!"
Based on past experience, this kind of program would have many complicated segments at the beginning, and the mentors would also show off their talents, talk about their experiences and encourage everyone. Unexpectedly, after Pan Li briefly introduced the rating rules, he immediately asked them to perform on stage!
"Our seats are numbered 1-99 from high to low. When you choose your seat, I believe you are also evaluating your own abilities." Pan Li smiled, "So our performance order will be based on your seat number, starting from number 1."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar!
"I'm going to die. Why did I have to sit so close to the front?"
"Damn it, I'm not ready yet!"
"That's great, that's great. It'll take a long time before it's my turn..."
Some people breathed a sigh of relief, some became even more nervous, and Liu Chang, the individual student who was forced to sit in seat No. 1 because he was late, was already in a state of soul-leaving.
The first person to perform on stage undoubtedly had the greatest pressure. Liu Chang shook for a long time before he could barely calm himself down. He took a few deep breaths and walked onto the stage. After a brief self-introduction, he sang a classic film and television hit "Lover".
The original singer of this song was sitting at the scene, Luo Ziteng. Liu Chang was a fan of her songs and specially chose this song as his debut song.
The accompaniment sounded, and Liu Chang held the microphone and sang with great devotion. When he finished the song, the whole audience was silent.
Wang Henian looked to his right and said with a smile: "Since the original singer is here, we won't steal the show."
Luo Ziteng was known for her queen image when she was young. After 20 years in the entertainment industry, she has developed a domineering aura. She did not refuse the words and took the microphone to give a comment with a smile: "If I didn't know that the song was called "Lover", I would have thought you sang "Enemy".
As soon as these words were spoken, the other three instructors laughed, and the students on the scene couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahahaha, Teacher Luo is too cruel!"
"But Liu Chang did overdo it. This is a ballad, so the high notes should be touching. But he just roared it like it was on the Hulunbuir grassland."
Liu Chang was also very embarrassed. He touched the back of his head awkwardly and bowed repeatedly: "I'm sorry, teachers. I'm too nervous."
Pei Changxu smiled in understanding: "Is it because I'm the first one to appear?"
"It's more than that." Liu Chang said honestly, "I came late this morning, so I could only sit in the first seat. I thought there were so many talented people here, and I couldn't perform too badly if I sat at the top! If I don't have the skills, I can make up for it with the momentum. The result was like what happened just now."
The more he spoke, the more regretful he became. Before he knew it, his native dialect blew out: "I thought of that, too!"
There was another burst of joy at the scene, and the mentors couldn't help laughing. In the end, they gave him a C grade.
The result was not good, but Liu Chang knew that he had made a mistake and had nothing to complain about. He bowed politely and left.
This opening was quite dramatic, and thanks to Liu Chang, the other students were able to ease some of their tension. The next performers did not make any obvious mistakes, but there was no particularly eye-catching performance either. Until the 30th performer, there was not a single A rating.
The first stage will divide the students into four levels, A, B, C, according to their performance. Only those whose appearance, strength and character meet the standards of the mentors will get A. The first stage rating is very important, which represents the first impression left by the students in the minds of the audience and will largely affect their subsequent development.
"Has A not appeared yet?" Wang Henian stood up and looked around at the students sitting in the pyramid seats, raising his eyebrows, "Is the level of the students present limited to this?"
The students pursed their lips and lowered their heads quietly, feeling ashamed. At the same time, they couldn't help but complain in their hearts that the instructors' requirements were too high.
These mentors have all experienced many ups and downs in the entertainment industry and are at the top of their respective fields, but their students are just trainees who have not yet debuted, and most of them have no experience in stage performances before. If we go by the mentors' standards, then the only student who can get an A here is probably He Xizhou.
"I know that some of you think we are too strict and inhumane." Wang He was young and easily saw through the thoughts of these young people. He did not get angry, but just asked calmly, "What do you think our program is going to choose?"
What to choose?
Naturally, he is an idol.
"What is an idol?" Wang Henian said, "In ancient times, the word idol was given a very sacred meaning. He was a god that people admired and pursued because he could bring people hope, light and peace."
"It should be the same now. Idols should shine, be infectious, and bring happiness and strength to everyone. No matter how perfect their appearance is, without substance they are just an empty bag; no matter how skilled they are, without emotion they are nothing but a pity."
"We don't ask you to have proficient skills or rich experience, because you are still young and have plenty of time to learn and enrich yourself." Wang Henian said in a deep voice, "But 'sincerity' and 'infectiousness' can become your weapons."
"Teacher Wang has made it clear enough, right?" Luo Ziteng took over the conversation. "What we want to see is not a perfect stage, but a stage that is sincere enough to leave a mark in our hearts and the hearts of all the audience."
"If you want to be an idol, this is the basic skill, and it is also the original intention that you must not forget."
After listening to the comments of the two instructors, many students remained silent for a long time, obviously touched by something.
The stage performance continued, and the next one to come on stage was individual student No. 32, Li Jingfei.
"This guy has a strong aura." Qiu Shuang muttered to Ye Ying in a low voice.
If Ye Ying gives people a faint sense of distance, Li Jingfei has a cold appearance.
The boy was 186cm tall, with fair skin and thin lips. He gave people a sharp feeling, like the glaciers and cold wind in December, which would make people feel pain all over. His voice was cold, too. He did not make a fancy self-introduction like the previous students. He simply announced his name and the song and started the performance.
An English song "imagine".
Unexpectedly, it was a rock song with a strong rhythm. Just when the students suspected that the style of the song did not match Li Jingfei, the accompaniment sounded.
Then everyone was surprised to find that Li Jingfei's entire temperament had obviously changed.
He didn't make an exaggerated expression, but his eyes changed from indifference to provocation, his sharp lips slightly raised in an arc, and his expression of arrogance mixed with slight sarcasm instantly drew everyone into the state!
Wang Henian and Luo Ziteng looked at each other tacitly, with a hint of smile in their eyes.
Li Jingfei's voice is rather cold, but it makes the song sound rebellious and passionate. His dancing is even better than his singing, exquisite and skillful. Every joint of his body is surprisingly flexible, reminding people of the wanton rushing water, unrestrained and hearty.
There was a strange fusion of coldness and excitement. Many students unconsciously swayed their bodies slightly along with the singing. It was not until the accompaniment ended that they realized the performance was over.
“That’s amazing!!”
"There really are hidden talents in this camp. This guy is too strong. He must be a winner!"
The mentors were also obviously very satisfied with Li Jingfei's performance. Wang Henian said with a smile: "I believe everyone has experienced it. This is a very infectious performance."
"Your breath is still unstable at times, and your high notes have some flaws, but your condition is so good that people can completely ignore your shortcomings in singing." Pei Changxu nodded and said, "There's nothing to say about the dance, it's perfect."
Fan Le asked: "How many years have you studied dancing?"
Li Jingfei's expression did not change much despite being praised by his instructor. He calmed down and said, "Three years."
There was another round of surprise. Compared to those who have practiced dancing for more than ten years, Li Jingfei has not been learning dancing for too long, but he has reached his current level. It can only be said that he is a genius.
In the end, he got an A rating without any suspense and returned to his position amid everyone's envious gazes.
The ratings continued, and the following performances were wonderful and varied. In addition to the regular dancing and singing, there were also acrobatics, magic and even crosstalk. Although the ratings were not high, they brought a lot of joy to the scene and left a deep impression.
Many students deliberately take unconventional approaches just to attract the audience's attention. After all, there are so many students, and if their skills are not impressive enough, they can only find another way to create a memorable experience.
"Hey, it's your turn next!" Qiu Shuang reminded, "Go backstage and prepare in advance."
Ye Ying nodded and stood up. Qiu Shuang smiled and mouthed "come on" to him.
After student No. 74 finished his performance, the staff signaled him to go on stage. Although Ye Ying often gave speeches as a representative in various occasions during his student days, this was his first time in front of so many cameras. It would be a lie to say that he was not nervous. He took the opportunity to calm his breathing while walking out of the corridor. When he stood in the center of the stage, his expression was calm and there was no sign of anything unusual. He picked up the microphone and bowed lightly: "Hello, teachers. I am a personal student, Ye Ying."
When he raised his head, many people's eyes suddenly brightened.
Even though the students at the scene were all good-looking, Ye Ying was definitely one of the most conspicuous ones. He was not famous, and no one had noticed him before. Now they found that this boy was really good-looking, with excellent manners and temperament. He just stood there quietly, and it was so strange that people couldn't take their eyes off him.
The boy was not like many students who had come on stage before him, either acting cute or talking eloquently in an attempt to make themselves memorable. After introducing his name, he got to the point: "The song I'm going to perform is "Light in the Cracks."
"Ah, I've heard of this!" a student immediately said excitedly, "It's the ending song of the Chinese cartoon "City of Mirrors". It's super nice, but super hard to sing!"
In recent years, Chinese animation has risen, and there is no shortage of excellent works on the market. "City of Mirrors" released last year is one of the representatives.
The heroine Aying is an ordinary girl in real life. She is short, has freckles on her face, is timid and cowardly, and is often ignored and bullied in school.
Until one day, she encountered an adventure - she mistakenly entered another world through the mirror. It was a magical and wonderful place, with Kuns and fish swimming in the sky, colorful mushrooms running on the ground, and a crystal ladder leading directly to the sky. All the things that are unimaginable in the real world can be realized here.
Not only that, Aying also met a handsome boy named Lang here.
Lang is a little hero in the mirror world. He is enthusiastic, cheerful, free and confident, brave and kind. He takes Aying to ride Kun in the blue sky, run freely in the wheat waves, and play hide-and-seek with mushrooms in the forest... In the process of getting along with Lang, Aying gradually gets rid of her inferiority and cowardice and becomes happy from the bottom of her heart.
Later, evil forces arrived, and Lang, Aying and their friends worked together to bravely defeat the other side. After the Mirror City regained its peace, Aying returned to her own world with only a mirror in her hand.
Everything she encountered seemed like a big dream, and the boy was like a gust of free wind, which only passed through the girl's life briefly. But Ah Ying has changed since then. She has learned to be confident and smile, and in a world without the boy, she has blossomed her own light.
The ending song "Light in the Cracks" aptly expresses the mental journey of the girl Aying.
The faint blue light sprinkled softly on the stage, and a familiar melody sounded in her ears. Ye Ying closed her eyes and spoke softly.
The moment the voice rang out, Wang Henian's back left the seat and he leaned forward slightly involuntarily. Luo Ziteng also held his breath, and his eyes gradually brightened.
“…
Like light
You light up the gray world
I have no hope
But I can't help but yearn for it
..."
The boy in the center of the stage wore a simple white shirt, his hair was dark and soft, and the soft light gave it a warm hue. He half-closed his eyes, and the moment he raised his gaze, it was as if all the sounds in the world disappeared, and you could only hear his clear singing voice and your own heartbeat that was gradually sinking and stalling.
"...There are always people better than you. I didn't expect there would be such a person this time." Luo Zihui of Fenghua Entertainment touched his chest and whispered, "Brother Ming, I'm afraid you can't keep your position as the top vocalist."
The boy wearing silver-framed glasses sitting on his right smiled, his eyes still on the stage: "There are many people who are better than me."
"Where's Brother He?" Luo Zihui asked again in a mean way, "Do you still think you are invincible?"
His brother He was silent.
Luo Zihui turned around in confusion, only to see the boy next to him staring intently at the center of the stage. The usual indifference on his face had disappeared without a trace, and his eyes were focused, and he didn't come back to his senses for a long time.
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