Peking University, May 21, 2015: After receiving 13 roses from the judges, toppling the 10 of Wu Jiaze and 5 of Lin Chen, Zhang Siyuan, a freshman from the School of Foreign Languages, won the champion of the 2014-2015 PKU Idol competition. The competition lasted for more than 5 hours from May 17 to the morning of May 18. But the atmosphere was excited, the audience waiting for the final result. When Zhang was announced the champion, thousands of audience members cheered for him at Peking University’s Khoo Teck Puat Gymnasium.
“When I get famous, everybody's gonna see”
In the first round, Zhang Siyuan chose the song “When I Get Famous” and successfully ignited the audience’s passions with his performance. But Zhang stumbled on his way to the final competition. “I took part in PKU Idol because I believed I was the best. But in the preliminary contest I ranked 7th, and made to the semifinal as the last one. When I reflect upon this I think I was too eager and anxious to be the best. I judged others based on whether they were better than me instead of whether they were really good or not.” After knowing this, Zhang adjusted his attitude. He decided to be more relaxed and enjoyed the game. With a more relaxed attitude, he won the first place in the semifinal and became the champion in the final competition.
“Sweet” is his second song in the final and also one of his original songs. One anecdote of the song’s live performance is when Zhang took out a loudspeaker and announced the lyrics to his dancing partner. He hit upon the idea of the song on one of his trips to Nanluoguxiang where he was enchanted by a singer in the bar. On his way back, the theme of “Sweet” came up.
While “Sweet” displays vigorous pursuit of love, “To River,” another original song by Zhang, shows the melancholy of lost love. “The song is dedicated to a girl whom I liked for two years in high school,” he said onstage. “Sea Winds,” as his final original song in the competition, lit the audience again with its youthful and refreshing vitality. “He can always surprise his audience with changing styles,” said Lai Huan, an audience member from the School of Life Sciences.
[iPKU1898 (PKU official Wechat platform)]
His way to music
In Zhang’s family, no one plays music as a career. Zhang himself was guided to music after listening to tapes provided by his cousins. “After hearing so many songs, I felt the impulse to write a song of my own.” Zhang began to play the guitar in elementary school and later turned to focus on acoustic guitar. His interest in creating his own original songs was ignited in his last year of junior high when he composed and wrote his first song for graduation. After entering high school, he founded three bands successively with his friends and classmates from high school. His three original songs in the final, “Sweet”, “To River”, and “Sea Winds”, were all completed in high school.
“My inspiration comes from my daily life. What happens in the daily lives of people can be very interesting,” said Zhang, “One interesting thing is that I find the most inspiration when I am in the shower.” When he gets a melody, he plays it with his guitar again and again for a new song, continuing late into night. “Before I entered PKU, I stayed at home and played my new song over and over, having no worries about disturbing others. But now I have no chance to play my songs in the dorm because I need to take others’ concerns into consideration.”
Preparing for PKU Idol is not as easy as it seems. His introduction video received wide applause from audience. “The filming of the video lasted for about a month. My best friend Zhang Sibin stayed up all night to help me with the video,” said Zhang. Also, his friends from the PKU Guitar Club helped him arrange for a practice room. He even went back to his high school to borrow a practice room. His dancing partner in “Sweet” also rehearsed late into the night. “Many friends helped me with my competition and I really appreciate that,” said Zhang.
Beyond the music
When first entering PKU, Zhang found it hard to adapt himself to the highly competitive environment. Music was his heaven in which he found spiritual comfort and tranquility. He posted in his Wechat once that he just wanted to go home, sit in his bedroom and play a song quietly, not disturbed by anyone. But now he believes that he has found a balance for what best suits him.
Apart from composing, he also lovespopping. “My friends suggested for me to do popping on stage. But I think popping has little relevance with singing itself. I do not want to make too far a digression from singing.”
Zhang met other talented singers and songwriters during the competition, whom he highly appreciates and truly wants to be friends with, including An Tairan and Huang Shan, two other candidates and original song writers fromPKU Idol. “They differ from me because their songs are more profound. They know how to merge their thoughts into the songs like real artists. An’s songs greatly exemplify PKU spirits. So do Huang Shan’s. Huang’s songs are more simple and pure.” His own limits, according to himself, werebeing too “sensitive and emotional,” lacking depth and fidelity of reality. “I will try to learn from them,” said Zhang, “PKU has its own characteristic circle of original song writers and composers. They are a group of sophisticated people.”
Faced with flooding praise and honors, Zhang remains calm and clear. “I thought about being an independent musician in the future. But I know there is still a lot to do. Presently, I only want to improve myself to be more professional.” But Zhang refuses to restrain himself in the circle of music. “I will not label myself with the title of a musician. When I was in high school, I once felt shackled by creativity for lacking new ideas. I need to feel free when I compose. Music is not my master. I am the master of music and I want complete control of my creation.”
Reported by: YAN Shengnan
Edited by: XU Karen
