usenovelgroup Chapter 80 The Waves Beyond the Screen
Chapter 80 The Waves Beyond the Screen
Valiant Army - Combat Team: "Looking forward to Brother Xiao blasting the stage! The piano prince is here to save lives!"
The polymath-Buddhist observation station: "Here it comes! Waiting for Teacher Wang's live version of 'Once Upon a Time'!"
Bystander A: "I bet five cents that Qin Xiao is the champion of the first episode. If you disagree, come and argue."
Bystander B: "I'm betting on Wang Bo; singer-songwriters have a more captivating live performance."
Li Xuan's National Fan Club: "Our Xuanxuan is amazing! Looking forward to his original songs!"
Lin Xiaoya is my daughter: "Go Xiaoya! Mommy loves you!"
……
Western Regions, a suite in a five-star hotel.
Zhou Yuji had just finished taking a bath. She was wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair still wet and hanging over her shoulders. She sat cross-legged on the large bed, with a tablet, a mobile phone, and a laptop in front of her—all three devices logged into different platforms at the same time.
She was also holding a bag of beef jerky in her hand, munching on it while refreshing the page.
"Little Wang, Little Wang," she poked at Wang Bo's promotional photo on the tablet, "I'm going to see tonight just how charming you are on stage—if you don't perform well, you'll get a spanking when we get home."
Chen Mo's home in an old residential area in Lin'an City.
This producer unusually didn't stay in the recording studio. Instead, he went home early, bought beer and fried chicken, and sat in front of the TV—yes, the TV, because he said it was the only way to create a sense of ritual.
"Wang Bo, Wang Bo," Chen Mo took a swig of beer, "don't let me down. I've bragged to people that you're the most talented singer I've ever managed."
Although he only "took care" of Wang Bo for a little over a month.
But I didn't care, I just brought it!
In Wang Bo's own apartment.
The person involved remained calm, cooked dinner, sat in front of the computer, and opened the video platform's reservation page.
He was also curious about how the production team would edit it.
After all, it's hard to say how much of the atmosphere from that scene can be preserved through a screen.
8:15.
The first episode of "The Voice of China" was released on time.
The opening sequence features a stunning CG animation: seven rays of light rise from the darkness, converging to form a stage, followed by silhouettes of the mentors and the contestants' profiles flashing by, before finally settling on the show's logo.
The first ten minutes were dedicated to backstage interviews with the contestants.
Qin Xiao's part was the longest—a full two minutes.
In the video, he sits on a European-style sofa with the city night view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, speaking calmly: "I came to this stage not to win, but to showcase true musical art."
The screen was instantly flooded with comments.
"Versailles this time!"
Translation: I'm here to win.
"That aura, that looks, I'm dead!"
"Brother Xiao is awesome!"
Next up was Li Xuan, who clenched his fist at the camera: "I will prove that hard work is more important than talent!"
Bullet comments.
"Go Xuanxuan!"
"Why does that sound a bit sarcastic?"
"Who is being implied?"
Lin Xiaoya and Zhao Chen's interviews were quite standard, just the typical newcomer responses of "very excited and grateful, and will work hard."
When it was Wang Bo's turn, the camera shot was very simple—he was sitting in a chair in the dressing room, with a messy clothing rack behind him.
"Why did you come to participate in 'The Voice of China'?" the voice-over asked.
Wang Bo thought for a moment, then smiled: "Let's sing."
"It's that simple?"
"Yes, it's that simple."
Bullet comments.
"So simple and unpretentious..."
"Why did I suddenly feel so targeted?"
Compared to someone else's "artistic display," Wang Bo is a breath of fresh air!
"The polymath is here to report for duty!"
Su Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue on the sofa: "The production team is biased. Qin Xiao's shots are clearly of better quality, while Wang Bo's are just casually filmed?"
Su Yiyi said gently, "But Wang Bo's answer was very sincere."
"What good is sincerity?" Su Xiaoxiao took a bite of potato chip. "What the entertainment industry needs is a persona, buzz, and memorable moments—wait, Wang Bo's 'just wants to sing' persona seems... kind of unique, doesn't it?"
She suddenly narrowed her eyes.
It seems I've unintentionally let this guy get away with it again?
After the contestants' introductions, the performance officially began.
The first to appear was Lin Xiaoya.
The modified audio of "The Moon Is My Heart" doubled in sweetness, and coupled with her pure and lovely appearance, the comments section was filled with "My daughter is so sweet" and "My heart is melting".
Su Xiaoxiao's professional commentary: "The editing was a bit overdone; she actually sang a few notes off-key live."
Su Yiyi nodded: "But ordinary viewers can't tell the difference."
The second one is Li Xuan.
The rock version of "No Place to Hide" is almost flawless after the audio editing. The dance part is given plenty of screen time, and the shiny costume looks really amazing under the lights.
Bullet comments.
"Xuanxuan is so handsome!"
"That stage presence was amazing!"
"Exploded on the spot—no, it went viral!"
Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes: "The sound engineer deserves a bonus. He got several notes wrong on his guitar solo live."
But she also admitted that the television effects were indeed quite good.
When it was Qin Xiao's turn to appear.
The production team gave him a full thirty seconds of screen time for his entrance—a slow-motion walk from backstage to the stage, with lights following him, and his velvet suit exuding an air of nobility in the shot.
The piano solo was completely preserved, with close-ups of fingertips, profile, and eyes... The director practically had to type "Look, this is the king!" on the screen.
Next came singing and dancing, with smooth editing and aesthetically pleasing camera transitions, especially the final pose where the lights shone down from above and sweat slid down her chin—it was a work of art.
The comments section is going crazy.
"Aaaaaaah, I'm gone!"
"What an amazing stage!"
"Piano Prince! Dance King! All-Around Ace!"
"Championship secured!"
"It's confirmed that the show's producers have their favorite child!"
Su Xiaoxiao hugged a cushion: "The difference in camera treatment... it's too obvious!"
Su Yiyi said softly, "But his performance was indeed very complete, and his technique was impeccable."
"No matter how good the technique, it's empty without a soul," Su Xiaoxiao scoffed. "Just wait and see what Wang Bo does."
Inside the Western Regions Hotel, Zhou Yuji stared intently at Qin Xiao's performance, her eyebrows rising higher and higher.
"Tsk, this kid... he's got some talent." She commented objectively, "But he's too crafty, like a meticulously crafted work of art—beautiful, but not moving."
She poked Wang Bo's face on the screen: "Our little Wang is the best, so vibrant, lively, and warm."
The fourth is Zhao Chen, the fifth is Chen Tao, the sixth is Su Na...
Wang Bo was surprised to find that the editing had changed the order of appearance.
Zhao Chen, Chen Tao, and Su Na each had their own highlights in their performances, and after audio editing, they all reached broadcast quality. However, compared to the visual feast of Qin Xiao's segment, it always felt like something was missing.
The seventh one – Wang Bo makes his appearance.
The camera angle was simple: he walked onto the stage with his guitar on his back, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on him.
There was no slow motion, no close-up setup; it was the simplest way to make an entrance.
The host announces: "Next up is Wang Bo, a talented songwriter who tells stories through music!"
"They didn't even mention the song title?" Su Xiaoxiao sat up straight. "The production team did this on purpose!"
Su Yiyi gripped the cup in her hand tightly.
In the Western Regions, Zhou Yuji stopped chewing the beef jerky.
Chen Mo put down the beer can.
Wang Bo himself... also raised an eyebrow slightly.
On the television screen, Wang Bo stood in front of the microphone, adjusted his guitar strap, and then looked up: "Today I'm bringing you a new song."
The sound came through the speakers, calm and steady.
The next second, the guitar intro began.