Band tunes in to fans with upbeat message

All pop bands want to be in tune with the times, with the zeitgeist, to tap into the concerns and issues of the day. Chinese pop rock band New Pants' songs do just that as their music helps people reach out in days of quarantine.

On Feb 25, when the band's leading vocalist and songwriter Peng Lei released a new single, Just Dance, Wherever You Can, on social media platform Sina Weibo, which was written and performed by Peng, fans couldn't help dancing along with him.

"The piece of land is not far, but I could only miss it through my window. How can I live through the long, boring days. I hope you can take me to the park... Just dance, wherever you can. Life is not dull as long as you have music," he sings in the music video, which was recorded and produced by Peng at home.

In it, the singer-songwriter performs with his guitar against the background of his living room and balcony.

It has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, and the lyrics record Peng's current existence, just like that of many people, who have to stay at home to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, and his longing for life to return to normal.

"I can't wait to watch a New Pants show. I want to dance with the crowds at the show. Let's get together after the outbreak ends," wrote a fan on the band's Sina Weibo account.

"The lyrics sound so familiar. My family and my friends have been at home for a month. I really want to hang out with my friends now," commented another fan.

From Jan 25 to Feb 17, Peng updated his Sina Weibo platform by performing one song each day from home. He compared his days of working from home to "Groundhog Day", referencing a 1993 American comedy fantasy film directed by Harold Ramis.

Groundhog Day is an annual tradition held in the small Pennsylvanian town of Punxsutawney in the United States on Feb 2. Legend has it that if the groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its own shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If it doesn't, spring is imminent.

The film follows TV weatherman Phil Connors who, after reporting on the event, awakens the next morning to find it is Feb 2 again, and his day unfolds in almost exactly the same way. Connors is aware of the repetition, but everyone else seems to be living the day for the first time. He is trapped in a seemingly endless time loop, repeating the same day over and over again.

"It's a way of entertaining others and myself," says the 43-year-old. His videos are welcomed by his fans and received more than 500,000 views with each video release.

Besides music, Peng also posted photos of his cat, his daughter and the plants in his home.

Like Peng, the band's keyboard player and songwriter, Pang Kuan, also shares his life through Sina Weibo, such as dancing in his bathroom, singing with his guitar while clad in pajamas and cooking.

Peng and Pang, who were classmates in middle school, started New Pants in 1997, and signed with Modern Sky, a lesser-known label then, but now the biggest indie music recording company in China.

To support their musical ambitions, Peng works as an animator, and Pang as a designer.

As indie performers, they faced a struggle to survive, but have maintained a stable fan base.

In 2005, they released their fourth album, Dragon Tiger Panacea, mixing vintage 1980s new wave with disco. This led to the band's big breakthrough.

Last summer, New Pants obtained the highest score on a popular reality show, The Big Band, produced by the online streaming service iQiyi, and saw their fan base grow.

Due to the outbreak, they have to cancel or postpone some of the shows on their upcoming nationwide tour, including their first show in Shanghai, which was scheduled for March 7.

The record company, Modern Sky, launched an online streaming program on Feb 4, titled Hi, I Am at Home Too, featuring more than 70 indie music groups, including New Pants.

From Feb 22 to 28, the online streaming program saw nearly 100 music acts joining in, including Chinese-American rapper Victor Ma, pop rock band Dada and singer-songwriter Zhong Yixuan.