The Road to Superstardom: Starting as a Singer

Mike Rosen turned off the TV at 10:30 p.m.

As a contributing music critic for The New Yorker, he had just watched Huang Weijie's entire performance on SNL.

To be honest, he was somewhat surprised by Huang Weijie.

Unlike some people online who question and slander Huang Weijie, Mike believes that Huang must be talented.

Before Huang Weijie's performance began, perhaps because of the impression of the original singer, he conservatively felt that Huang Weijie's solo might not be as good as the original.

However, after listening to the entire live broadcast, he felt that this genius was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people!

He had completely forgotten about the original three songs; all that was in Mike's mind now was the melody that Huang Weijie had adapted.

Without much hesitation, he turned on his computer and wrote the title on his personal blog: "When Popularity No Longer Needs Packaging: Jace Huang's Solo Performance Proves He Is a Unique Genius!"

"Tonight, a 16-year-old boy did something amazing: he stripped all the supporting elements from his three hit singles (two number one singles and one number one TOP10 singles) that had collaborations, and presented them as pure solo performances."

The result also shocked me! I was not shocked by his courage, but by the solidity of the core of these songs and by Jace Huang's talent.

Stripped of Bruno Mars' signature rhythm, "Just the Way You Are" reveals a more poignant and heartfelt message in its lyrics.

After removing Taylor Swift's bright harmonies, the smooth beauty of the melody itself is revealed in "What Makes You Beautiful".

In the unplugged arrangement of "As Long As You Love Me," the resolute determination to "love even when you have nothing" is amplified to the point of being heartbreaking.

Most notably, Jace Huang's performance itself deserves special mention. In the original version, the collaborators' voices more or less shared the weight of the emotional expression.

Tonight, all the weight rested on his shoulders. And he not only caught it, but caught it perfectly, his voice brimming with power, accompanied by captivating dance moves!

I don't think this is an idol singer's performance to please fans; it's a musician returning to the essence of their work! Jace Huang is telling everyone that he is a genius, and genius is being powerful without reason!

If anyone previously questioned whether Jace Huang's success relied on her team's packaging or the halo of collaborating with celebrities, those questions can be put to rest after tonight.

Standing on the SNL stage, he proved the oldest truth in pop music with just his voice and dance: a good song is always a good song!

As a well-known music critic, Mike certainly has his own bottom line, but not many.

With the advent of the Internet age, he keenly realized that posting music reviews online was actually more likely to attract attention.

Controversy generates traffic.

Although no one has said this yet, Mike has a vague feeling that this is the case.

Currently, the most popular and talked-about artist in the music industry is undoubtedly Jace Huang, who suddenly emerged this year.

For Dao Le's sake, he will definitely have to post articles and attract attention early on.

It's just a pity that the standards were a bit too high. Other music critics simply didn't care whether Huang Weijie was truly talented or not.

Every day, they think about how to belittle the other person and then attract comments from the other person's fans.

So what if I get scolded?

Dao Le has already made his money, so it doesn't matter if Huang Weijie really becomes famous later. Online comments only represent personal opinions.

I just personally don't like Huang Weijie's songs, so what if you ban my account?

Keeping a low profile for a while is enough.

The online uproar could not shake Huang Weijie's solo ability, because shortly after his performance, people who had worked with him also voiced their support online.

"Actually, when I first met Jace, I just thought he was a cool guy, but his talent during our subsequent collaborations amazed me. After seeing his performance tonight, all I can say is that Jace is an idol that can make all girls go crazy! I want to say, I absolutely love him!!"

Taylor Swift, who had worked with Huang Weijie, was the first to post about it online, openly expressing her admiration.

Following closely behind was Kendrick Lamar, the first Black bro to work with Huang Weijie, who was even more outspoken:

"Respect! I'm the first person to work with Jace, and he's absolutely a genius! Although I've already worked with him twice, I want to say that if Jace needs me, I'll always be the first to respond!"

"I've always known the soul of these songs comes from Jace. He proved it tonight. So proud of my best friend! /applause (picture) @Jace Huang" Christine was a step behind, but she made sure to post a close-up photo of herself and Jace Huang from when they filmed a music video together.

What's the point of typing so many words when it's just local produce from the countryside?

I'm his closest person!

Following them, collaborators such as Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, and Sia Fuller all mentioned Huang Weijie on their accounts, stating that he is a very talented singer-songwriter.

If these people are not particularly popular celebrities at the moment and have not attracted much attention, then the subsequent media reviews have amplified the discussion.

The New York Times Culture section: "Huang Weijie's performance on SNL marked his transformation from a 'pop idol' to a 'musician.' His solo version showcased a musical sophistication and aesthetic judgment beyond his years."

The Guardian's music review: "This night belonged to Huang Weijie. In just three songs, he redefined what a 'teen idol' is—not pandering, but leading!"

The Los Angeles Times: "In an era where overproduction has become the norm, Huang Weijie's arrangements are a breath of fresh air. He proves that young people's music can also have depth and restraint."

BBC Music Column: "From a British perspective, Huang Weijie's success has broken down multiple barriers: race, age, and culture. And tonight's performance proves that his weapon has always been the music itself."

"Neon Rolling Stone": "アルマーニの面からSNLのステージへ——黄ウェイジェのevolutionは中まらない (From the face of Armani to the stage of SNL——Huang Weijie's evolution will not stop)"

With the involvement of numerous well-known media outlets, Huang Weijie's live performance on SNL has generated considerable buzz.

But it was SNL's official team that truly amplified this popularity, uploading a compilation of Huang Weijie's three songs to their YouTube channel an hour after the live stream ended.

The video garnered 1.2 million views in one hour and 3.5 million in three hours. By the time Huang Weijie checked back in the morning, the video had already surpassed 6 million views in just nine hours.

This data unsurprisingly broke the first-day record for a single video featuring a music guest on SNL.

(The highest single-day record for SNL in 2008 was 700 million views for "Jizz in My Pants")

Three of the top five trending topics on Twitter are related to Huang Weijie.

The first two are: #Jace SNL and #As Long As You Love Me Acoustic

But the third one is quite surprising: #Boss

Yes, "boss".

This was originally a nickname that Huang Weijie jokingly asked his fans to use, but now it has suddenly become a global trending topic.

This achievement is inseparable from the collective efforts of "little brothers and sisters" from all over the world.

It is precisely this special title that makes many uninformed European and American netizens subconsciously think that Huang Weijie must already be at the top level in Asia, otherwise why would he come to our great America to develop?

Madeline didn't care what others thought; she simply took the opportunity to quickly contact several media outlets and "appropriately package" Huang Weijie's fame in Asia.

They don't lie, they just exaggerate most of the facts.

Huang Weijie already had a reputation in Asia, but most of his followers were teenagers.

Madeline's press release also downplayed the issue, exaggerating and praising Huang Weijie's influence in Asia.

Whether it's true or false, let's spread the word first.

Anyway, the world is so big, even with the internet, there will still be many people who firmly believe it.

Although the United States is a developed country, its news information is not transparent.

The general public is still largely passive recipients of information, lacking discernment and placing extremely high trust in the media. They basically believe whatever the media says.

Moreover, in the minds of most Americans, the United States is the world's number one country. If you can come here to develop your career, it must be because you have already reached the top in your original small place.

This idea is inherent in the hearts of all Americans, and even during the current financial crisis, it cannot change their deep-seated sense of superiority.

Thus, through repeated media hype and the resonance of the public's own logic, Huang Weijie's status was quietly elevated once again.

Even if his actual popularity in Asia didn't reach the mythical level described in the press release, once the story spread, it became a fact.

A lie repeated a thousand times may not become the truth, but a halo that is superimposed three times in the process of being spread is enough to illuminate the stage.