Rene Liu Mingsheng Chen/Billboard China
Once upon a time, Rene Liu was accustomed to being an “aviator” that was frequently on the step. She made use of to start many trips yearly, building up many miles, going across the world to tape-record songs, movie flicks, go to movie events, advertise cds, and start performance explorations. However, after experiencing a number of years of based days and extensive minutes of “off-duty,” Rene Liu ultimately recognized that numerous points are not unpreventable.
The style of Rene Liu’s “Final Call” performance trip was really established as very early as 2019. However, because of numerous scenarios, it wasn’t till 2023 that the performance ultimately had the possibility to satisfy the target market in landmass China. As the “Captain of Ying Airlines,” Rene Liu treasures the get-together with followers she hasn’t seen in a long period of time or satisfied for the very first time: “Each concert bestows upon me the sensation of reuniting with old acquaintances, and anticipation is abundant in the interim.”
Flight days, similar to life itself, are packed with unpredictabilities. Perhaps it is these “uncertainties” that make the trip appealing. Rene Liu has actually found out to accept adjustment: “Every time, I peruse the weather forecast several days in advance. Be it rain or shine, there are peaks and valleys. Once, there was torrential rain, and even the staff couldn’t take off, so I lodged overnight at the airport hotel. I pondered what I should do. However, on the second day, amidst the midnight hour, the staff arrived to pick me up at 5:50 am, and I embarked on an early morning flight, advancing a day ahead through a transfer.”
Hence, also when coming across severe weather such as hailstones at Nanjing Station, she decides to continue to be made up: “Nowadays, I exhibit greater composure in the face of uncertainties. It appears that I am not as apprehensive as before. My mood has transformed, and I seem to be more leisurely, enabling me to confront matters with equanimity.” This self-confidence originates from Rene Liu’s limitless rely on her historical group. Regardless of any type of unexpected scenarios that occur on the trip, everybody teams up to create remedies and make certain smooth efficiencies.
Throughout the means to existing “Final Call” in numerous places, Rene Liu has also knowledgeable dashing hysterically at airport terminals with her group to capture linking trips. “Every cog in our team is tightly fastened. The entire team operates at a velocity akin to flight when it comes to changing dozens of plane tickets overnight, makeup artists preparing in advance, and musicians readying themselves ahead of time. They will find every possible avenue for me, be it driving, sailing, or taking a high-speed train, ensuring my safe arrival at the concert venue.”
Rene Liu defines that to be component of the “Final Call” group, one need to have durable flexibility and a solid heart. On the early morning of the Kaohsiung performance, Rene Liu made a spontaneous choice to consist of the tune “Epitome” (the signature tune of the television dramatization “Women in Taipei”). After pondering with coworkers from Bin-songs, whatever without delay sprang right into activity: setup, efficiency, lights, phase style… The whole “Final Call” group ran at a rate similar to trip.
To make certain that each “Final Call” takes off as arranged, Rene Liu has actually continued working out and boosting her fitness. She also researches techniques for skin bleaching with netizens. All these steady initiatives are carried out to supply a boosted performance experience. Naturally, starting a globe trip is a strenuous endeavor: “Four-sided stages necessitate greater physical stamina since walking on stage entails more steps than three-sided stages. I must jog offstage after changing costumes.”
“An individual’s energy and focus are intertwined with their physical fitness. After all, my age has changed; one can no longer rely solely on resilience. Now, occasionally after singing ‘Love You So Much,’ I feel a slight dizziness. Perhaps it is because I haven’t eaten enough and have become suitably hungry in order to ensure a better fit for the costumes. I aspire for an improvement in my condition. This constitutes a professional performer’s duty; I must honor my work and give my utmost.”
In enhancement to changing her routine to guarantee she retires prior to 9:00 pm, Rene Liu additionally prepares her travel luggage ahead of time to promptly shift right into job setting. Apart from the “Final Call” performance trip, Rene Liu has many various other job interactions as a vocalist, starlet, and supervisor. Various brand-new jobs are topped for activity. Rene Liu additionally wishes for even more chances for target markets to witness her varied jobs.
Rene Liu Mingsheng Chen/Billboard China
Fly to Somewhere Further Away and Meet Old Friends
“Final Call,” this year’s landmass trip, has actually flown to cities where Rene Liu hardly ever has the possibility to do. In truth, several years back, Rene Liu directly reached these areas. “During that time, as long as I could reach a place, no matter how far, I was willing to grace everyone with a performance. I often spent over ten hours in a car, from daytime until midnight, journeying from one province to another, witnessing even the abbreviations of the province on the license plate change to different characters…”
In the past period when there was no mobile network or power financial institution, the high-speed rail network was yet insufficient, and trip timetables were not as regular as they are currently, Rene Liu started cars and truck trips throughout districts simply to satisfy regional followers: “To be honest, I often ponder… as long as I can still work and sing, I will treasure the opportunity to meet everyone in this manner. Regardless of where I go, I am filled with immense joy.”
“Some concert organizers would inform me that the equipment in smaller cities is not as impeccable, but I believe it doesn’t matter. It is not easy for fans to travel to larger cities, so I prefer to visit their cities and sing for them. I believe this also lays the groundwork for the connections I speak about on the ‘Final Call’ stage. Many small cities from the past have now blossomed into major metropolises. It seems that wherever I go, I am reuniting with old friends, and the sensation is unparalleled.”
In enhancement to long-awaited followers, Rene Liu’s old buddies additionally consist of colleagues that periodically make shock looks at various quits and come to be visitors of “Final Call”: “My guests and I are not the type of people who need frequent contact or appointments with each other. However, when the need arises, we will all be present. The same goes for my relationship with my fans. From guests to staff to audience members, as long as you attend our show, we will shower you with boundless love.”
When doing for old buddies, it is just suitable to sing some long-forgotten tracks. The B-side track “Her Gentleness” from 2002 has currently come to be a very desired staple in “Final Call.” “Life is about reaching a stage where we look back and realize that there was a song dedicated to our future friends. I express my gratitude to Jonathan Lee for preserving a song like ‘Her Gentleness’ for future Rene Liu.”
“‘Her gentleness’ is a fire that cannot be casually acquired by any young girl…” Rene Liu shared that when she was young and recording in the workshop, she had just an obscure understanding. It is just currently, vocal singing “Her Gentleness” once more presently, that Rene Liu really understands: it was a letter from Jonathan Lee to her. “In this era of fast food consumption, I still hold firm in my belief that there are certain things that withstand the test of time. I am also immensely grateful to the audience at the venue for granting me five minutes to listen to this song.”
Similar success has actually been attained with “Heard?” from 2004: “After the release of ‘Heard?,’ it was included in the official setlist of a concert. However, when performed live, the audience response was lukewarm. Consequently, in subsequent concerts, this song was largely excluded from the setlist. Perhaps live performances cannot capture the same atmosphere and effect as recordings, and I am uncertain where this song fits within a concert. My concerts are more fluid in nature, not confined to a single song but rather stories intertwined.”
Perhaps every tune has its very own fate. Nearly twenty years later on, “Heard?” ultimately experienced its spring. After the target market in Shenzhen sang it with each other, Rene Liu inevitably changed it right into a shock addition at the Hangzhou quit: “I always believed ‘Heard?’ wasn’t popular, but since Wuzhen, why have more and more audience members been shouting ‘Heard?’ at my shows? Some songs are truly shouted out by everyone; even less popular songs like ‘Immortal’ have received their share of shouts.”
Behind every much less pop music exists a team of people that deeply treasure it. The expression “I deeply love you” in Guangzhou ended up being the restricted version “Light up Orange Trees” at the Chongqing quit. Rene Liu truly really felt a frustrating feeling of being liked by everybody while vocal singing: “Some less popular songs are not sung as frequently, so when performing them, I am unsure of where my focal point lies. I never expected everyone to sing so loudly, and it moved me deeply.”
Time Flies, however Live Performance is Improvisational
On the poster of the “Final Call” performance, there is an expression that reviews, “Time flies, are you still waiting?” After experiencing stationary days, we recognize the worth of chances that allow us to fly. It is as a result of this that Rene Liu has actually chosen to confiscate the minute and not wait any type of longer. She wants to do whatever she hasn’t had the possibility to do and do in cities she hasn’t yet gone to, utilizing “flight” as a means to race versus time.
Rene Liu discussed that she has actually slowly adjusted to the rhythm of touring: “I actually quite like the current pace. From Monday to Friday, I take care of my family, which seems more tiring than holidays. The concert, for me, is like a comfortable respite. The moment I’m picked up by a car to go to the airport, I automatically switch to the ‘female star’ status taken care of by many staff members. I also bask in the love from fans, and then I return to my daily life.”
“Final Call,” inevitably, has to do with not being material without adjustment. “When we were young, we were often taught to be content. But as human beings, we still need a bit of restlessness. Can’t we be less reality? A concert is a small act that allows you to indulge in your emotions, bringing everyone together, reaching different atmospheres and spaces through music: we go back to the past together, imagine the future together, and sing together in the present…”
In the “Final Call” trip, one of the most bold point Rene Liu did was to test the four-sided phase for the very first time in her performance occupation. A four-sided phase needs taking into consideration the target market being in various instructions and includes managing numerous efficiency information with various factors to consider than in the past. “In the past, the record company asked me to do a four-sided stage, but I never agreed because I felt insecure with an audience looking at my back.”
“But later on, I slowly realized that I have toured many times, and the three-sided stage has already showcased all possible angles to the fullest. I’m not a singer-dancer, I don’t have dance music, fancy costumes, or too many sensory stimulations.” Finally, it was CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Zhou Youyang from B’IN Live Co., Ltd. that persuaded Rene Liu to attempt the four-sided phase. “He said that a four-sided stage would bring more audience members closer to me, from only the first ten rows being able to see clearly to more rows being able to see.”
With numerous circumstances of indirect collaboration, this “Final Call” trip, under the cumulative knowledge of B’IN Live, has actually additionally triggered numerous performance aspects that have actually surprised the target market. “My legs are not good, so B’IN Live designed a 360-degree rotating accessible stage for me. Because this stage is rich enough, I can boldly talk about some cold things on stage without fear, even without backup dancers. I’m very grateful to B’IN Live for allowing me to make the concert exactly how I want it.”
Singers might sadly capture a cool prior to an efficiency, and computer systems might all of a sudden collapse for no factor. Live efficiencies, like taking a trip, can run into numerous unforeseen scenarios. Learning to encounter and approve them is additionally component of Rene Liu’s day-to-day regimen. During the “Final Call” efficiency procedure, Rene Liu is additionally exercising exactly how to exist side-by-side with these anxiousness in tranquility: “The most interesting thing about live performances is that every minute is different, very present. Some things may only happen in this particular show.”
“During each concert, I aim to connect with my audience on a deeper level and resonate with them. The process of touring can easily become monotonous; therefore, I strive to provide a unique experience for fans who attend shows many times. How can we transform the same raw materials into distinct ‘dishes’ for each performance? The live experience is never the same and every city inspires a new mood that I aim to convey through my music. Each city evokes a different set of emotions and stimulates diverse imaginations.”
Regarding the abroad efficiencies of “Final Call,” Rene Liu revealed her objective to offer even more popular tracks for the abroad Chinese target market: “Some spectators may have been away from their hometowns for an extended period. On the stage, I noticed that they sang even more passionately than me, including my driver. When I step onto the stage, I want to convey to them that I know everyone is well. I am gonna take the place of your families and like to greet you.”
Each location reveals a distinctive scenic view. Next on the travel plan, in 2023, “Final Call” will certainly fly to Xi’an, and in the future, it will venture to even more places. Once “Final Call” starts, it will certainly not quit quickly. During the meeting, Rene Liu divulged: This trip will unquestionably expand right into the list below year, introducing brand-new cities. Moreover, the “Final Call” setlist will certainly include extra shocks with never-before-performed tracks.
Fly to The Bravest Self, Fly to Seek a Better Self
The live video cassette recorder for the performance trip was carefully routed by Kevin Ko, the gifted supervisor that helmed the movie “Incantation.” Shing-Ming Ho, the film writer that has actually worked together very closely with Rene Liu for an extensive duration, additionally added to the innovative idea of the tale. This brief movie, which depicts the style of “the bravest appearance in love,” ended up being a psychological emphasize for the target market. During a meeting, Rene Liu recognized that she is constantly relocated when she listens to these brave lines in the brief movie while waiting backstage for an outfit adjustment, also if she has actually heard them in the past.
“Recently, I read some articles stating that constantly looking back implies aging. However, I realized it was not true. After I stopped being a child, I often reminisce. Therefore, I believe that by looking back at the past, we can only move forward to the future. Without those experiences, how could I have become who I am today? Our audience comprises individuals at various stages of life, and I hope they can see themselves at different points in the VCR.”
In my viewpoint, vocalists like Rene Liu not just do preferred love tracks however additionally undertaking to sing even more tracks concerning life, which exhibits real valor. In Rene Liu’s current brand-new tracks, “Each Well” is a tune concerning going into the following phase of life and finding out to allow go, while “Golden Age” undertakings to discover the subject of life and fatality. These tracks, consisted of in the “Final Call” performance playlist, imbue the whole performance with an extensive deepness of life.
Rene Liu’s nationwide hits like “Later” and “Step Aside” are tracks that constantly cause a cumulative sing-along in the target market. These tracks have actually reverberated with lots of people’s psychological experiences. Even after singing these tracks for an extensive duration, Rene Liu discovers it exceptional that she never ever tires of them. This time, after building up many minutes in the past, it appears that everybody intends to sing in addition to her a lot more.
Regarding “Later,” a tune that cannot be neglected, along with those tracks that come from Milk Tea and everybody with each other, and the love film “Us and Them” that relocated the whole country to splits, Rene Liu couldn’t assist however really feel deeply touched. “Our ‘later,’ my ‘later,’ and my ‘later’ with the present are all collective memories formed by each individual. Many scenes from the past often come to my mind, and these are given to me by the audience and fans.”
The tune “We Are Not Together” from 2010 is additionally an excellent tune that touched numerous audiences throughout the “Final Call” performance. The slow-burning hit from at that time has actually come to be an emphasize of the existing “Breakup Quintet.” Rene Liu amusingly calls it the “power of heartbreak.” “A friend brought her daughter to listen to my concert. Although her daughter’s idol is not me, she still listens to my songs when she’s heartbroken. Perhaps you need some experience to understand my songs, but I don’t want everyone to always be heartbroken.”
During the Quanzhou quit of the “Final Call” trip on May 20th, Rene Liu sang the signature tune “Let’s Fall in Love” from the television collection “Pink Ladies.” It was the very first time in over twenty years that she did an online variation of this tune and it was among the traditional minutes of the performance trip. In truth, Rene Liu’s duty as a “marriage maniac” in “Pink Ladies,” consisting of the solitary hit “A Lifetime of Loneliness,” has actually brought tremendous convenience to lots of people with these jobs.
“What are we constantly searching for?” Rene Liu undertakings to discover the response to this inquiry along with the target market with the “Final Call” trip. Since her launching, Rene Liu has actually constantly remained in sync with her followers, and in her performance, she shares the idea of “growing up for the third time,” which suggests really courageous and endure development. On our “Final Call” in life, allow’s start a trip with Rene Liu to discover a far better variation of ourselves.
–This tale was composed by Jifan Wang for Billboard China
Rene Liu Mingsheng Chen/Billboard China
