Marriage Concerto (Small Thing Called Love) Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Top 8

Truthfully speaking, Ding Meng didn’t have any experience with large-scale performances. Even though a thousand-member audience couldn’t really be considered large-scale, this was her first time singing in front of so many people.

After the three judges sat down, the curtains quickly rose on the compet.i.tion. Backstage, like many of the other contestants, Ding Meng furtively listened to the presenter speaking on stage. This round’s female presenter was A City TV’s famous host. Ding Meng had even watched the variety show she hosted before. After she enthusiastically gave an introduction, she began announcing the compet.i.tion rules.

“For each group, after all five contestants finish performing, the three judges will select one contestant to advance and enter the Merit team. Then, the audience will select one contestant to enter the Popularity team. For upcoming Top 8 to Top 4 compet.i.tion, the Merit team will compete against the Popularity team!”

The audience members let out all sorts of different shouts. Backstage, Ding Meng felt the program organizers really knew how to create attractions. For the upcoming Popularity team vs Merit team compet.i.tion, would the Popularity team face a total defeat?

“Contestants in Group 1, get ready! Number 1 is coming on stage right away!”

The staff members hustled and bustled to direct the contestants to their spots. When the presenter read out the name of the first contestant, the compet.i.tion officially began. From backstage, Ding Meng could hear the contestant’s performance and also, from time to time, the audience’s loud cheers. Her heart became more and more nervous.

When the second group’s turn came, the first one to go on stage was Tang s.h.i.+ran.

The song she sang was the t.i.tle song of Sima Xiaoxiao’s last alb.u.m Special. The moving lyrics and powerful rhythm, in addition to Tang s.h.i.+ran’s explosive vocals, pushed today’s compet.i.tion to a high point.

Ding Meng realized Tang s.h.i.+ran seemed to really like Sima Xiaoxiao. Nearly all the songs she had sung in the compet.i.tion were by Sima Xiaoxiao. Although, perhaps the one she really liked was Qiao Yichen. After all, Qiao Yichen had always been that popular empress’s producer of choice.

Although Tang s.h.i.+ran’s vocal skills couldn’t compare to Sima Xiaoxiao’s, she still sang Special remarkably. When she finished, the audience gave her an enthusiastic applause and the judges highly praised her performance.

Tang s.h.i.+ran’s performance imperceptivity added pressure onto all the other contestants. Backstage, Ding Meng took a couple deep breaths to bolster herself.

She was third in this group. When she heard the presenter announce her name and song, she took one last breath and walked on stage.

The bright lights on the stage stunned her for a second. The applause and shouting from the audience seats made her even more disoriented. She unconsciously glanced over at the audience and discovered there were actually audience members holding up signs with her name.

Ding Meng froze for a moment. These people…couldn’t have been hired by the program organizers to set the atmosphere, right?

A violin solo initiated White Bird’s intro with grace and ease. After hearing the music, Ding Meng’s nerves gradually settled. Even if those audience members had really been hired, she had still been genuinely moved. Therefore, she definitely needed to sing this song well.

“I want a pair of wings, to fly through the air like a bird.

Following the wind to welcome the rays, and head anywhere.

Look at that white bird flying high in the clouds

Carefree, without restraint, joyful

Finally, I too can open my wings

Even I can brave the billowing wind!”

In contrast to the previously fiery performances, during Ding Meng’s performance of this song, the audience was completely peaceful. The graceful symphony accompaniment and Ding Meng’s bright voice, which seemed to dispel the clouds and invite the sun, harmonized and gradually drew to a close. When Ding Meng sang “I want a pair of wings” again, a spotlessly white pair of wings gently lowered down from the top of the stage and settled on her shoulders.

The audience broke out into cheers and an enthusiastic round of applause. Ding Meng exhaled a breath and bowed to everyone. Also clapping off to one side, the presenter walked up. “That performance just now was really too amazing. Look, our Judge Xiao is so moved she can’t even speak anymore.”

Everyone in the audience laughed. Xiao Qi pulled the microphone in front of herself and opened her mouth to speak, “Fortunately, I took some notes just now.”

Another peal of laughter sounded. The presenter played along and spoke, “Then let’s invite Judge Xiao to take the lead on commenting on Ding Meng’s performance.”

Xiao Qi spoke, “I’ve that I really like her voice ever since the beginning. I think that after today, there will be even more people who like her voice.”

“Ah?” The presenter raised her eyebrows and looked at Ding Meng, “Looks like Judge Xiao’s evaluation of you is really high huh.”

Ding Meng expressed her thanks and Xiao Qi continued her evaluation, “I’ll evaluate your performance just now from three different sides. First of all is your voice and technique. White Bird is a ballad. The vocal requirements to perform a ballad are very high. Even though you all have rearranged the song, its essence is impossible to change. Speaking up to here, I need to compliment the instructor who arranged your music. He did a great job arranging your music by highlighting your voice’s strong features. You definitely need to properly thank him.”

Ding Meng nodded her head. Xiao Qi continued, “Next are the stage effects. This was really… perfect! When that pair of wings drifted down at the end, I nearly exclaimed out loud. Too beautiful! Furthermore, today your outfit, the entire song, and the whole atmosphere of the stage all were very in tune. I really like that dress you are wearing!”

The presenter laughed and teased Judge Xiao with a few words before asking the next judge to speak. “Next, we will invite Judge Sun to express his opinion.”

Sun Rui paused for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. “Truthfully speaking, every time Ding Meng performs, she always manages to give me a pleasant surprise. Even though it hasn’t been very long since Great Producer Qiao said you were singing karaoke, you have already grasped singing performance techniques at an astonis.h.i.+ng rate. White Bird is not an easy song to sing, but your singing skills at present are already sufficient to carry this song. Not to mention, your explosive vocals may not lose to even Tang s.h.i.+ran’s. This sort of progress is definitely not a coincidence. I am sure you must have used a lot of effort off stage to practice. I hope you continue to work hard.”

Ding Meng sincerely gave him her thanks. Sun Rui laughed and continued, “Lastly, have I ever told you that you are very beautiful? Just now when those wings came down, I thought I had seen an angel.”

“Goodness, our Judge Sun is too good at talking.” The presenter put on a “so corny” expression. The audience below the stage erupted and Ding Meng’s face immediately reddened.

“Look, you’ve made our contestant all embarra.s.sed.” She quickly changed topics, looking at Qiao Yichen. “Just now, these two judges said so many words of praise. The job of dumping some cold water will be given to Great Producer Qiao then.”

Ding Meng felt the presenter really understood Qiao Yichen well.

Qiao Yichen adjusted the microphone position and then unhesitatingly began to speak. “Even though your explosive power, lung capacity, and control over pitch and breathing all had very large improvements, they are still very far from being enough. Not only that, half of the success of your performance today needs to be attributed to the symphony accompaniment and the youth choir. Without them, your performance would have taken a big hit. The stage effect at the end was the ultimate finis.h.i.+ng touch of the entire performance. You can calculate for yourself just what percent you individually actually contributed.

Ding Meng, “…”

Even though she already knew Qiao Yichen wouldn’t give any compliments, after being spoken to like this, she was still very angry! Even though none of the other contestants had an orchestra and youth choir, their musicians and backup singers were still the best in the country. As for stage effects, every contestant had that. Earlier there were even contestants that danced and utilized high tech effects. Now those special effects were awesome. Why did he only have such strict standards for her!

Of course she didn’t dare speak those words aloud. After respectfully accepting the comments, she returned backstage. After getting backstage, Tang s.h.i.+ran laughed and asked her, “Are you still calling yourself an amateur?”

Ding Meng glanced at her and laughed, “Half a month ago, I really was quite an amateur.”

The two didn’t say any more. After the remaining two contestants finished their performances, the presenter invited all of them on stage. “The second group’s five contestants have now also completed their performances. Now, judges, please choose one contestant among them to directly advance.”

Dramatic music was played. The audience members held their breaths and stared intensely at the stage. The three judges consulted for a moment. Finally, Qiao Yichen declared the result, “The one we have chosen is Tang s.h.i.+ran.”

Tang s.h.i.+ran exhaled a deep breath and gave them a deep bow. Below the stage, the audience members who were holding up Tang s.h.i.+ran signs cheered even more loudly.

“Congratulations Tang s.h.i.+ran. You have become the third contestant to enter the top 8 in the nation! Please take a seat in the top 8 seating area!” The presenter moved sideways and pointed to the top 8 seats, using a hand gesture to direct her over. Tang s.h.i.+ran waved at everyone and walked towards the Merit team section within the top 8 seats.

Four contestants remained on the stage.

Ding Meng wasn’t at all surprised by this result. She only couldn’t help but think, the words of men cannot be trusted. The one who just said she was like an angel turned around in a flash and gave his vote to another woman.

The presenter asked the remaining four contestants to stand in the middle of the stage. She announced quickly, “Once again, I will introduce our audience members who will be our next judges. To be able to sit here, they have all pa.s.sed through screening by the program organizers. They come from all different backgrounds. Among them are musicians, reporters, students, and even ordinary office workers and groupies. They are a small model of the general population, so they are good representatives to choose the Popularity contestant.”

After the presenter finished speaking, she began directing the audience members to cast their votes. “Okay, just like like last time. Everyone, pick up the voting device by the side of your seats and press down on the number of the contestant you are in favor of.

Dramatic music played again. Audience vote statistics were immediately displayed on a screen on the stage. After the presenter opened the vote, the total number of votes for all four contestants quickly shot up. Gradually, Ding Meng’s number of votes surpa.s.sed that of the other contestants. After voting ended, she was sat at the top of the list by a one hundred vote difference.

This result was beyond Ding Meng’s expectations. She stared at the screen in a daze. She didn’t even react to the presenter’s congratulations for entering the top 8.

“Looks like Ding Meng did not expect this result at all. She’s even frozen on the stage.” The presenter’s words caused the audience to burst out laughing. Finally, Ding Meng returned to herself.

“That’s fine, we’ll let Ding Meng continue to be dazed for a moment. I’ll first go interview a couple audience members.”

The audience laughed again. The presenter looked toward the audience seats and asked a girl wearing plaid to speak. “May I ask, who did you cast your vote for just now?”

The girl spoke, “I voted for Ding Meng.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I personally feel that she is the strongest contestant among the remaining four. Since next time’s compet.i.tion is the Merit team competing against the Popularity team, it won’t be worth watching if the two team’s strengths are too different.

“Ah, so it was like this.” The presenter put on an expression of enlightenment. Then she called on boy wearing a white t-s.h.i.+rt. “May I ask who you voted for?”

The boy adjusted his gla.s.ses, speaking, “I also voted for Ding Meng.”

“Ai-ya, did you also think she sang the best?”

The boy spoke, “My reason isn’t so shallow. I voted for her purely because she looks good.”

The audience roared in laughter. The presenter laughed, speaking, “This reason is really quite deep.” She looked at Ding Meng and asked, “Ding Meng, have you come back now? Say some words about how you feel about pa.s.sing this round.”

Ding Meng grasped the microphone that was pa.s.sed over. Her expression was very solemn as she spoke, “I will continue to work hard. I definitely won’t waste the vote you all have give me today.”