China’s contemporary music scene takes off
CHINA: After decades struggling with official censorship, China's
contemporary music scene is finally taking off, fuelled by live shows,
the Internet and a government eager to cash in on a growing market.
Chinese indie bands came late to the music scene, largely missing out on
the lucrative days of vinyl records, cassettes and compact discs, and
also suffered enormously from state broadcasters' preference for pop.
But from rock to rap and hip hop to grunge, the independent music
scene has blossomed in recent years as the Internet and an explosion in
live venues have given an outlet to acts long shunned by state-run
television and radio.
“Since I have been here, everything has changed,” said Helen Feng,
the lead singer of the electronica band Nova Heart who returned to her
native Beijing in 2003 and has just finished a European tour. “The
changes in the music scene have been massive. Everything has gotten
better, personal liberties have gone up, the numbers of bands have gone
up, the numbers of venues have gone up, financial support has gone up,
fans have gone up.”
Born in Beijing to Chinese parents, Feng, 34, spent most of her
childhood in the United States where she was raised on the likes of
Natalie Cole and George Gershwin, eventually graduating from University
of Southern California where she minored in music.
Since returning to China, the blonde diva has been at the centre of
the Beijing music scene, fronting three different successful bands,
while working jobs with state radio and television and American music
video giant MTV. Feng, whose bands have toured throughout China, playing
numerous outdoor music festivals, says there is no longer much
government antipathy to modern music -- something veteran music producer
Kenny Bloom agrees with.
“The government has become supportive of the music industry... no one
is banned in China and no one is arrested for singing a song, at least
not to my knowledge,” said Bloom, who runs an Internet platform
promoting Chinese indie bands.
AFP
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