China Entertainment's Standout

Chapter 1021 When Will the Songs and Dances of Hangzhou Cease?

"Mr. Zhou, you must be tired from your journey!"

When Zhou Yutang arrived at the Hangzhou Cultural and Sports Center, Zhou Shufang, who had received advance notice, was waiting there in a row with the chief planner Zhang Yibei, the program's chief director Sun Li, and the chief operators Long Danni and Du Yan.

This Sun Li is not the same Sun Li as before, nor is she the former top female star of Tangren Media, the wife of Huang Xiaochu.

This is a general who came from the Mango Group and was later recruited by Mingjie. He is considered a soldier of half the Jiangdong Grand Commander.

Du Yan was originally from Hunan TV, but later switched to Mingjie, where she managed "Singer". She then started her own company, Seven Dimensions Power, which is entirely composed of the original production team from Mingjie and Hunan TV's "Singer".

The entire filming and post-production of "Produce 101" was outsourced to 7D Power.

With the four guardians leading the way, Zhou Yutang, along with Zhang Yibei, Long Danni, and others, headed towards the backstage area of ​​the venue, casually asking a question.

Some of the girl group's operations involved the interests of several other companies and were outsourced to Long Danni's Wajijiwa Entertainment.

Long Danni is also a key figure in the Hunan TV group. As early as 2003, she created the talent show "Absolute Man", pioneering the male talent show genre in the Chinese entertainment industry.

After that, "Star Academy" figured out how to use SMS voting, which actually had some connection with Tian Ming.

Back when Tian Ming was still at Tomato TV, he poached Long Danni to manage "Go! Good Boys," which made him a sensation.

Now, Long Danni has also left Mango TV to start her own business, Wajijiwa Entertainment, and has connected with Tencent.

Her role is very clear: she will work with Zhou Shufang to be responsible for the long-term operation, business, and subsequent variety shows of Rocket Girls after their debut.

Interestingly, aside from the fact that Zhou Shufang was recognized as a trusted and beloved general under Governor Zhou,

The rest of the group all came from Hunan TV and had received training at Mingjie Entertainment. Some in the industry jokingly call Hunan TV and Mingjie Entertainment the Whampoa Military Academy of the Chinese entertainment industry, where they are like stars scattered across the sky.

As she walked, Long Danni said, "The response is very good now, and the hype is building. I've already talked to President Li, and once things are more or less settled with 'The Medicine God,' we'll concentrate our resources on promoting Rocket Girls, including their debut album and subsequent group variety show."

To build a successful girl group, a complete set of processes and strategies are essential, and there are many intricacies involved in maintaining sustained viewership.

In the backstage corridor of the cultural and sports center, the diamond cufflinks on Zhou Dudu's custom-made shirt reflected a cold light under the lamp.

The program's executives sat in two rows, half a body length behind him, and all of them were very respectful.

Zhou Yutang's appearance was like a boulder falling into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

"Hello, Mr. Zhou!"

"Mr. Zhou, you've arrived!"

"Holy crap, it really is the Grand Commander himself!"

The staff members on site whispered among themselves, their voices filled with barely concealed excitement, while several young interns stood on tiptoe to look up, their eyes brimming with admiration.

The governor, who had just been a big shot in Shanghai, suddenly appeared in front of him the next day. He could brag about it to his friends for a year.

"Mr. Zhou, this way please."

With just over an hour until the start of the finals, the trainees are making preparations, but the tense atmosphere of the finals is already pervasive backstage.

Zhou Yutang paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the contestants' posters on the wall, lingering on their artistic photos.

Before the finals began, the production team specially shot a series of photos featuring Chinese-style cheongsams.

Some trainees were dressed rather awkwardly and couldn't pull it off at all, but some girls looked quite presentable.

"President Zhou, this is Hu Lianxin, the person we plan to focus on developing."

Zhou Shufang had been watching Zhou Yutang's expression closely. Seeing that he lingered on Hu Lianxin's portrait for three seconds longer, she spoke up from the side.

Many people believe that these talent shows rely on votes to determine the center position, but in reality, the show's success depends on the production team's manipulation.

Take, for example, Japanese actress Miyawaki Sakura. Even though she's quite popular and works very hard, she's not one of their own, so her final ranking will definitely not be very high.

"With the results of this year's college entrance examination out, it seems that Xiao Hu has already secured a place at the Beijing Film Academy. From now on, she will be Zhou Zong's junior sister."

"Xiao Hu has good overall qualifications and great potential for development."

Surrounded by fox spirits who had come to life, Zhou Shufang started by saying auspicious words.

Following that, the guests and judges invited by the program also took the initiative to come and greet them.

Tonight's finals were exceptionally grand, with Lu Han and Yang Chaoyue, two of the top four kings, serving as initiators, in addition to the Grand Commander of Jiangdong.

Zhang Yi, Wang Jiaer, and Hu Yanbin are the core vocal and songwriting mentors.

Wang Yibo, Cheng Xiao, and Luo Xiaozhu from Hualejia are also dance judges.

In addition, Chris Lee, the owner of the C position fruit, also attended in person, and Hong Kong singers with ramen-noodle hair and Princess Kelly Chen were special guests.

There's also the number one rich second-generation in the Chinese server. Although his own artist was eliminated, Wanda's Xiao Wang grumbled and cursed, but his actions were quite honest. He personally went to the finals and sat in the VIP seats with two internet celebrity girls.

Tonight's host is Huang Bo, who just attended the premiere of "Dying to Survive" and arrived in Hangzhou shortly after Zhou Yutang.

He was paired with Taiwanese beauty Patty Hou, and the two had co-hosted the Golden Horse Awards before, showing great chemistry.

"Holy crap! It's Zhou Yutang!"

"Didn't this guy just have a movie premiere? Why is he here to watch a girl group audition?"

"If you're selecting concubines, how can they enter the harem if you don't choose them on the spot?"

"What you said makes a lot of sense, and I can't find a reason to refute it."

"I envy neither mandarin ducks nor immortals, but I envy Zhou Gou every day."

When the camera focused on Zhou Yutang in the VVIP seat, the live stream chat was flooded with comments.

A kingpin in the entertainment industry, who had just seized power in Shanghai, arrived in Hangzhou, causing a huge uproar.

Tonight's live stream is being broadcast on both Tencent and Bilibili platforms, and after such a long period of buzz, the hype is absolutely explosive.

Huang Bo and Patty Hou warmed up the atmosphere, and the show proceeded according to the established process. The remaining 22 female trainees who had survived to the final round made a collective appearance.

The performance of the theme song "Produce 101" was only so-so; the highlight was the final showdown between the "Against the Light" and "Blooming" groups.

The heartfelt and lyrical "Against the Light" group mainly consisted of Sun Yining, Yu Shuxin, and Hu Lianxin, while the high-energy "Blooming" group featured Meng Meiqi from Huayuejia.

Wu Xuanyi led the team.

"The foundation is still a bit lacking."

Although he had never experienced Belt Bro's song and dance troupe, Governor Zhou had certainly enjoyed the good stuff.

Yoona, the beloved queen of Goryeo, is the face of Asian girl groups, standing out from the second to the fourth generation. The South Korean branch of Gangnam's Crown Girl Group also boasts top-notch singing and dancing skills.

In comparison, apart from Meng Meiqi and Wu Xuanyi from Hualejia who had a trainee background, and the Japanese contestant Xiaoyinghua, the stage performances of the other contestants were somewhat unsatisfactory in Zhou Yutang's strict eyes.

There were even some truly disastrous performances; Duan Aojuan, who performed "Against the Light," almost forgot her lines and burst into tears on the spot.

After all, they were formed in a short period of time, so they can't compare to a regular group that has been trained for several years before debuting.

However, popular contestants always receive some special screen time. For example, Sun Yining sang "Anhe Bridge," and Yu Shuxin sang "Like a Fish," showcasing their individual talents. There was also an appearance by Chris Lee, which received a very enthusiastic response.

Zhou Yutang leaned back in his seat, legs crossed, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest. Chen Duling, on the other hand, was excitedly waving Sun Yining's support items.

The film crew was still shooting in real time, and Chen Duling's work diary was being updated on Douyin. Today's appearance at the finals was also a rare source of material.

After the performance process was completed, real-time voting began. Huang Bo is known for his high emotional intelligence, and the Taiwanese beauty Patty Hou is equally skilled.

The two bantered and joked, keeping the atmosphere lively, and their words never strayed from the point.

"Our production team is very thoughtful today, as we have invited a super heavyweight celebrity to the show."

"Zhou Yutang! Zhou Yutang! Ahhhhh!"

"Wow, the audience is exceptionally enthusiastic tonight. This is Mr. Zhou's fan here."

Huang Bo gave a thumbs up and grinned: "Seriously, this guest just finished his movie premiere and came straight to Hangzhou. He really deserves a lot of help."

The sophisticated female host from Taiwan Province, who was also Zhou's rumored ex-girlfriend, feigned surprise: "Wow, I'm also a fan of Mr. Zhou! I heard his new movie, 'Dying to Survive,' is super good!"

This was all part of a pre-arranged process, and it also served as a promotional opportunity for the Grand Commander's film.

Upon seeing Governor Zhou waving to the camera, the atmosphere at the scene became completely electric, as if the dome was about to be blown off.

"Could we invite Mr. Zhou to come up and say a few words to everyone?"

"This is a beautiful city, and tonight is also a beautiful night."

Zhou Yutang didn't mince words, stood up and went on stage to interact with the audience, casually saying, "As an audience member, I'm very happy to be able to appreciate such a wonderful performance from such beautiful girls."

Listening to the Lord's words is like listening to the words.

But the applause at the scene was still enthusiastic, because the richest man in China was providing himself with emotional value!
The Grand Commander is equivalent to the audience, and everyone else is also an audience, so rounding up they are roughly the same.

"President Zhou has a lot of insight into girl groups."

After making a very subtle joke with Zhou Yutang, Huang Bo then casually said:
"Let's cut to the chase. The final rankings are in! Let's reveal them: the top eleven will debut as members of Rocket Girls."

After Barbara finished explaining the rules, the background music started playing, and photos of the finalists were displayed on the big screen.

The experienced director skillfully cut to the expressions of the twenty-two girls, showing their nervousness, trepidation, or anticipation.

Even the chat in the live stream fell silent at that moment.

The list at the front was read out one by one by the mentors and guests, with Zhou Yutang in charge of the upper echelons.

Neither the guests nor the mentors overshadowed the contestants, giving the stage to the younger girls.

Hu Lianxin, Sun Yining, Meng Meiqi, Wu Xuanyi, and Yu Shuxin are the undisputed top five, followed by Duan Aojuan, Yamy, Miyawaki Sakura, Lai Meiyun, Sunnee, and Zi Ning.

"Isn't Meng Meiqi's stage presence absolutely top-tier?!"

"It's a conspiracy! It's definitely a conspiracy!"

"Damn, our Sweetheart Princess is only fourth place?"

"Family members, the top two are both Fish Girls. I don't need to explain how prestigious they are, right?"

“Sun Yining wasn’t an ordinary person to begin with; she already has millions of followers on Douyin!”

"Chao, this is unfair! Let's have a rematch!"

"Alright, alright, it's good enough that they can debut at all. Let's have the two Yuehua beauties debut together and walk the flower path!"

"."

The final rankings have been revealed, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others.

Some bid farewell to the stage and shed tears on the spot, some were so excited that they cried as if they were on cloud nine, and others were like Meng Meiqi and Wu Xuanyi.

They looked at the voting results with resentment, their gazes immediately falling on Governor Zhou, a fleeting look of disappointment crossing their faces.

The internet exploded instantly, with heated discussions erupting.

Sun Yining, who benefited from her good looks, has millions of followers on Douyin and was a popular figure as soon as she entered the show.

However, due to her mediocre performance in singing, dancing, and other skills, she was overtaken by the new Fish Girl, Hu Lianxin.

Since Governor Zhou was fond of singing and dancing, the program team went to great lengths to select Hu Lianxin.

This girl has been learning Chinese dance since she was a child. She is very flexible, has a grade 10 amateur piano skill, and has a pure and excellent temperament. In terms of appearance, she could easily be ranked in the top three in the entire Produce Camp.

The most crucial thing, of course, is her agency contract, which is entirely handled by an agency under the Jiangdong Group.

Ms. Du Hua, who was present at the scene, was very satisfied with the result.

How can a company the size of Huale compare to Jiangdong? Being able to get a piece of the pie is already a stroke of luck.

However, Meng Meiqi and Wu Xuanyi, who were caught in the middle of the situation, were unwilling to accept it.

After the event, the Rocket Girls members dropped a few small pearls in front of the media, subtly showcasing their team spirit.

After the interview, I went backstage and quickly washed away all my fatigue.

Singing and dancing on stage, he sweated a lot, which was somewhat unseemly.

Hu Lianxin tidied herself up a bit, changed into her favorite fairy-like white dress, and redid her makeup.

While it's certainly cause for celebration that the girl group debuted as the center, Zhou Shufang solemnly instructed that tonight's celebration banquet is the most important thing.

"Xiao Hu, didn't you say you weren't going to wear makeup anymore?"

"I should still put on some light makeup; I can't embarrass the company."

"It's for the Grand Commander, isn't it? It's a rare opportunity for someone to meet their idol, their senior brother."

The relationships between girls are so magical; one moment they're full of sisterly love and camaraderie, and the next they're at odds.

Meng Meiqi, one of the two beauties from Yuehua Entertainment, was clearly not satisfied with tonight's ranking and showed a hint of hostility.

Hu Lianxin was somewhat at a loss.

She has spoken about her ideal type in the media, but she is essentially a pure and innocent high school girl.

He was in a subordinate position, suppressed by Meng Meiqi, who had some social habits.

Sun Yining, who had just changed her clothes, happened to bump into Meng Meiqi. She glanced at her, sneered, and muttered, "What are you pretending for? You're wearing full makeup too, aren't you?"

"Xiao Hu, let's go."

Sun Yining, with the air of a big sister, pulled the somewhat bewildered Hu Lianxin into the elevator.

Hu Lianxin held Sun Yining's hand and said admiringly, "Sister Ning, you're amazing."

"Ignore her, she's got a screw loose."

I don't care about this or that. If you piss Sister Sun off, she'll even dare to confront Wanda's Xiao Wang. Why would she be afraid of you, Meng Meiqi?

(End of this chapter)