Chapter 112: The Official Recording Begins
After more than two weeks of selection, the list of contestants participating in the official competition was finally confirmed.
This time, fifty contestants were chosen from two hundred.
These fifty would take part in the formal recording.
During the auditions, Su Chen had visited the venue multiple times—partly to check for any emergencies that might need handling, and partly to conduct spot checks to evaluate the overall quality of the auditionees.
If the overall quality had been insufficient, a backup plan would have been activated.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly!
In the following days, several high-caliber singers appeared consecutively, much to Su Chen’s delight.
With these few, it was more than enough!
Just to be safe, after the auditions concluded, he carefully reviewed the list of those scheduled for the official recording.
Niu Jun ranked first.
The other contestants who had left a strong impression were also on the list.
This reassured him quite a bit.
It seemed that ever since he had given instructions on the first day at the venue, the judges’ scoring had remained relatively objective and fair.
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On December 20th, with everything ready, the first episode of "China’s Best Voice" officially began recording.
Apart from the four mentors, 500 audience members were invited.
After entering, Su Chen found his prearranged seat near the back row and sat down.
The audience members were arriving gradually.
Most of them were reporters from major media outlets or influential social media personalities.
Since the competition format had been kept secret in advance, none of them knew how the competition would unfold.
So upon entering, they curiously scanned the stage and the mentors’ seats.
“Hey, brother, which media outlet are you from? Do you know how the competition will be conducted?”
“Don’t mention it... I want to know even more than you do!”
Hearing this, the man who asked the question shook his head in exasperation.
“They haven’t released a single hint beforehand. I wonder what they’re planning?”
“We’re not just audience members; we’re media. Even we’re being kept in the dark.”
“This is going to end badly if it doesn’t meet everyone’s expectations.”
The audience had not fully arrived yet, but low murmurs filled the seats, all revolving around one theme: what exactly was this show going to be?
There were four judges’ chairs at the front of the stage, suggesting it was still a traditional talent show.
But would a talent show really be kept so mysterious?
This was all just leftover from Mango TV!
How could they rehash it and still make it exciting?
The discussion continued for about ten minutes.
Then the mentors began to arrive one after another.
Hmm?
Did I see that right?
Lv Yuanqing?
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“I swear, it’s King Lv!”
Lv Yuanqing was the first to enter, and as he stepped into the studio, a wave of excitement swept through the crowd.
“It really is King Lv!”
“King Lv, over here! Over here!”
People in the audience waved enthusiastically, hoping to catch his attention.
Lv Yuanqing clasped his hands in greeting, then took the first chair.
Before the audience’s excitement could wane, Jiang Yan appeared on stage.
“Oh my, it’s Jiang Yan!”
“Jiang Yan, my goddess!”
A man in the audience shouted loudly, making everyone laugh.
Even Jiang Yan bent over laughing.
She pointed at the man and playfully made a threatening face.
The crowd erupted into lively howls and cheers!
Though the audience was joyful, their astonishment was palpable.
Wasn’t this supposed to be an ordinary talent show? How did they manage to bring in both a king and a queen of music?
This was truly extraordinary!
Could this program be offering everyone a surprise?
Suddenly, everyone grew eager with anticipation.
At that moment, the venue quieted slightly as Qin Pei stepped from the shadows into the light.
“Qin Pei!”
“Qin Pei actually came too!”
“Qin Pei! Qin Pei!”
The crowd shouted in unison.
Though Qin Pei was currently a second-tier star, he had recently competed with Jiang Yan and Xi Siyuan on the PK Billboard, enjoying a popularity nearly matching Jiang Yan’s.
Qin Pei smiled gently, bowed slightly to the crowd, then approached the mentors’ seats.
After shaking hands with Lv Yuanqing and Jiang Yan, he took his seat.
Though the mentors had met during rehearsals, protocol still required this formal entrance.
Finally, when Zhu Qingmei appeared, she did not cause much of a stir.
Most who knew her were older, while the majority of the audience were young, so she was relatively unfamiliar to them.
But since they were all from the media, courtesy prompted applause and cheers nonetheless.
Once all the mentors were seated, host Ji Xiangyang appeared on stage.
“Welcome to the live recording of ‘China’s Best Voice,’ proudly sponsored by DouDong Vision. DouDong Vision, capturing beautiful life, authentic herbal tea, authentic great voices...”
Ji Xiangyang delivered the advertisement fluently and swiftly, enunciating clearly—unlike someone from a past life who spoke so awkwardly it was hard to understand.
Su Chen had considered replicating the old mannerisms but ultimately decided against it; the dross must be discarded!
Even so, Ji Xiangyang’s uninterrupted announcement drew appreciative murmurs from the audience.
“Now, let us welcome our four mentors to perform for you!”
After opening the show, Ji Xiangyang suddenly raised his voice.
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His tone was rich with emotion and strong in volume!
Perhaps inspired by the host, the audience became unusually lively.
“Woohoo!”
With the crowd cheering, the four mentors rose and moved toward the stage.
They chose a classic hit from Lv Yuanqing’s career, “Spinning Bike.”
After some adaptation, it was performed by all four.
Different styles, different flavors.
Yet, bursting with energy!
“Wow!”
Exclamations echoed throughout the audience.
A king, a queen, and powerhouse vocalists sharing the stage—such an opportunity was rare indeed.
Lip-syncing? Impossible!
These were genuine talents.
Their titles were earned through real competition, none were hollow!
Especially Zhu Qingmei, the mentor few had heard of before.
But when she hit the high notes, the whole venue was shaken.
It was worth the wait!
This was everyone’s sentiment.
No matter how the competition unfolded, just having a show like this was enough!
Even after the mentors finished and returned to their seats, the crowd remained immersed.
Long moments passed before enthusiastic applause broke out.
Ji Xiangyang returned to center stage.
He pressed his hands downward, signaling for quiet.
After several attempts, the audience settled.
“Next, let us welcome our first contestant.”
“Are you ready?”
Although the crowd had calmed, Ji Xiangyang suddenly raised his voice again.
The audience’s emotions surged like a rollercoaster.
In an instant, excitement soared to its peak.
“We’re ready!”
The audience responded with vigor.
Click!
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Then the spotlight locked onto the mentors’ seats.
The four mentors’ chairs slowly turned away, their backs now facing the stage.
Huh? What’s going on?
The audience was completely stunned.