FINDING THE SPOTLIGHT

Ethereal, whispering, and resonant, the sound of the kouxian, the traditional copper mouth harp of the Yi ethnic group, was the soundtrack of Shengte Wuji's childhood.

As a woman of the Yi ethnic group growing up in southwestern China's Yunnan province, the raw, authentic music of her heritage became the sonic bedrock of her life. It was also a recurring refrain that strengthened her cultural identity throughout her maturation and fueled her determination to share the soul-stirring beauty of Yi music with a broader audience.

Now, that determination has propelled her into the spotlight on the recently aired talent show Sound Trek.

For the show, she rearranged a popular rock song, then blended the Yi ethnic group's folk chanting with contemporary pop styling — a bold fusion that led veteran singer-songwriter Shang Wenjie, one of the judges, to exclaim, "It suddenly made me feel that folk music can truly be rock."

Born into a family committed to preserving its ethnic cultural heritage, Shengte Wuji grew up in a home designed in the traditional Yi architectural style and adorned with Yi figure sculptures and murals.

Her mother also sent her to learn the kouxian, ensuring she remained connected to her roots.

She recalls her family telling her, "You are of the Yi ethnic group. You must learn the Yi ethnic language. That is something we cannot lose."

A music lover since childhood, Shengte Wuji majored in music education at Minzu University of China in Beijing.

It was there that she sought to become a voice for Yi songs that could speak to her generation.

She started rearranging classic Yi folk tunes or writing original songs that merged upbeat ethnic melodies with rap rhythms. These tracks soon spread widely as background music on short-video platforms.

Shengte Wuji has recently emerged as one of six finalists on Sound Trek, a program co-produced by provincial TV stations, including Hunan Satellite TV, Beijing Radio & Television Station, Jiangsu Satellite TV, Liaoning TV, and Xinjiang Satellite TV, as well as online streaming platforms Mango TV and Tencent Video.

The program scouts young vocal talent from 37 professional troupes and 86 art colleges across China, featuring three main categories: bel canto, ethnic and pop music. It aims to select a new generation of singers who possess both technical skill and cultural depth.

Through the competition, Shengte Wuji has grown increasingly steadfast in her goal to expose more people to Yi ethnic music through her voice. She has also clarified her artistic direction: whether adapting or fusing folk and pop music, the guiding principle must be "appropriateness".

"The aim is to make the work sound better, not to force in ethnic elements merely for the sake of showcasing them," she adds.

Similarly, Malaysian singer-songwriter Jesslyn Tan, a fellow competitor encouraged by veteran singer Na Ying's affirmations, is devoting herself to lyrical music.

"The meaning of the stage never lies in winning or losing, but in whether one can use songs as a bridge to connect heart-to-heart with the audience," she says.

The show is broadcast live, an approach Hong Xiao, vice-president of Mango TV, finds essential.

"We are selecting talent for the music industry, and the most fundamental requirement is real capability. A true singer must have both professional vocal skills and emotional expressions, not someone manufactured through short videos, apps, or audio effects. Only live broadcasting can fulfill this demand for authenticity," Hong says.

For contestant Zhang Zhuo'er, 24, this unedited, live competitive stage means one's strengths are amplified instantly, while weaknesses cannot be hidden.

He clearly sees areas he still needs to polish, such as vocal technique, stage presence, confidence, and mentality.

"We want to select new musical talents who are both professionally capable and market-ready. We hope they hone their craft on this stage and inspire more young people," Hong adds.

For Wei Jinyu, a baritone who struggled to stand out academically at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, competing on the show was about exploring more career possibilities.

At 15, he fell in love with musical theater after watching The Phantom of the Opera, but after entering his ideal university, he spent four years feeling overshadowed by top peers in his program.

He longed for his own moment in the spotlight on the opera stage, yet hesitated to audition for some productions.

As a relatively average student, he grew accustomed to watching from the auditorium until he chose to compete on Sound Trek, where the spotlight finally found him.

He finally stands out as the top winner.

"I came to the show to find a way out beyond classical music," he says.