Shan Yichun Tianyao Wang/Billboard China
On Dec. 22-23, Shan Yichun hosted her inaugural solo concert “Please Me” at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center. The tickets for the Dec. 23 performance were sold out within seconds, leading the organizers to announce an additional show on the 22nd. The fact that her debut concert was a sold-out success attests to Shan Yichun’s considerable popularity.
Over the past three years, Yichun has amassed numerous impressive works and garnered a large following. From achieving the title of national singing competition champion to finally holding her own solo concert, this moment in time is opportune for Yichun. “Now is the perfect time for a concert. Compared to when I first debuted, my current state, including my abilities in various aspects, is more mature.”
Compared to other emerging singers who debuted around the same time, Shan Yichun is undoubtedly fortunate. She first gained acclaim on a national platform and subsequently released the critically acclaimed album Courage. In addition to appearing on various music variety shows, she has also performed theme songs for many popular TV dramas. Now, she has her own solo concert… Opportunities are always given to those who are prepared. Yichun worked hard and ultimately amazed everyone.
To reach this point today, the 22-year-old Shan Yichun has been preparing silently for a long time. From courageously stepping onto the stage of a singing competition to creating her own representative works, Yichun has gradually gained enough confidence to hold a concert that is entirely her own. In Shan Yichun’s eyes, the theme of the “Please Me” concert reflects her current true feelings — instead of pleasing the world, Shan Yichun now wants to please herself more.
“I hope that my state can be as self-consistent as possible and please myself first. This is the most important thing I want to accomplish at this stage. Because I know that my fans, family and colleagues at the record company, everyone has their own different expectations of me.”
The First Love & Attempts Are Unbreakable
In 2023, Shan Yichun encountered numerous unforgettable “firsts.” In addition to headlining her inaugural solo concert in December, she also made her debut as a special guest at Eric Chou’s concert in Shanghai in October. It marked the first instance in Shan Yichun’s life that she was featured as a guest for another vocalist. “I am genuinely honored. Eric Chou is a seasoned luminary in the realm of music, and performing with him on stage was an exceptionally memorable experience. Being a guest at his concert has provided me with a fresh perspective for my own performances.”
Singing Eric Chou’s “Unbreakable Love” in a singing competition was where many audiences first encountered Shan Yichun. From singing the song on a TV show to performing it alongside the original singer several years later, Yichun finds the “miracle of fate” quite remarkable. “‘Unbreakable Love’ is an emotional connection between me and my fans, and many of them got to know me through this song. I am grateful and cherish both my fans’ support and Eric Chou’s assistance.”
Her debut album Courage earned Shan Yichun the best new artist award at the first TME “Wave Music Awards”; this was also a unanimous affirmation from over a hundred music industry judges. “This award is a great encouragement for me because there is only one chance for a new artist award in a lifetime. I hope to make better quality music in the future and continue to uphold good music standards.”
Courage is an album in which Yichun strives to “please herself.” Singing theme songs for movies and TV shows pleases the audience of those productions, while participating in music variety shows pleases the audience of those online platforms, but only a complete concept album is what truly pleases the singer herself.
Courage has allowed Shan Yichun to understand more about the musical direction she excels in. When it comes to the style of her next album, Shan Yichun hopes to explore more diverse musical possibilities in terms of content expression.
Growing Freely, Moving Forward Together With the Audience
When participating in the competition, many viewers praised Shan Yichun’s singing voice, as if it were born with a soul. Everyone said, “Shan Yichun sings so well,” and the ethereal voice that strikes the soul is why so many fans wholeheartedly fell in love with Yichun. But in Yichun’s view, she doesn’t rely purely on her innate talent for singing. Even for the most acclaimed ballads, Yichun has undergone long periods of practice and learning to sing as well as she does now.
On Yichun’s personal Weibo, there is a tag called “#Shan Yichun’s Life Sketch#.” She will update her life segments from time to time and record some interesting life fragments. “I want to share some very beautiful moments in my life with my fans in the form of a life sketchbook. I am not someone who is particularly good at expressing love, but I just hope that I can establish some emotional connections with my fans through this method.”
Finding one’s own pace of life is important, just as Shan Yichun said to her fans in the comments section of her new single “Wonder”: “Everyone has their own rhythm; we are not in a hurry, take it slow.”
Shan Yichun once wrote a very touching message to her fans on Weibo: “Thank you for your love, which allows me to grow freely. I hope that we can always accompany each other in the future and bravely move forward together.” It is the unwavering love from the fans that supports Yichun to where she is today, allowing her to continue being herself completely. Don’t forget, the premise of “pleasing oneself” is first learning to “mutually please.”
The two-way love allows Yichun to never lose touch with her audience.
Shan Yichun Tianyao Wang/Billboard China
–Written by Wang Jifan
