New way to stardom

Speaking about how The Coming One - which goes into season 2 with one show a week from June 30 - is different from other shows, Long Danni, one of the co-initiators of the show, says: "In China, talent shows are the fastest way to produce stars, but many shows have similar formats - imitating shows from the United States or South Korea. The result is that when the show ends the competitors are forgotten.

"Originality is crucial for China to develop its own talent shows and to produce real stars. That is what we aim for."

Last year, Long launched her company, Wajijiwa Entertainment, and worked with Tencent Video on the reality show.

Her company, which signs a contract with the winners of the show, supports the singer-songwriters' careers by releasing albums and helping to organize tours.