Chapter 251: A Brand New Concept for the Third Album (4k)

February 14, 2002, the third day of the Lunar New Year.

While Ning Hao was launching his final charge for the dream in his heart, Zhou Yi, back in his hometown wrapped in a floral padded sleeping coat, had his hands tucked into his sleeves, accompanying his parents out to attend banquets.

Don't ask why he wore that; ask, and the answer is it's the standard attire for rural Jiang Xi during the New Year.

Every time the New Year arrives, wedding banquets, housewarming banquets, and birthday banquets these three types of banquets are practically non-stop from the first day of the first lunar month.

Before he became famous, Zhou Yi, who used to return to his village in his hometown with his parents for the New Year, could basically attend banquets from the third day all the way to the tenth.

Now that he has become the leading figure of the new generation in the Chinese music scene, it's even more incredible—the banquet schedule has already been directly arranged up to the fourteenth day of the first lunar month.

If it weren't for the fact that the first day of the New Year must be spent eating at one's own home, and the second day is when his mother returns to her maiden family to pay New Year's greetings, Zhou Yi even suspected that his family wouldn't need to turn on the stove to cook starting from the first day of the New Year.

Of course, for Zhou Yi, even wearing that floral padded sleeping coat, his outstanding heroism could not be concealed—among the crowd, he was simply the most handsome guy.

Several times while attending wedding banquets, when offering his blessings, he almost started singing "Happy Breakup"; all because he knew the future result of those newlyweds' marriages would be a mess of chaos.

After attending banquets for several days in a row, an invitation to a gathering from his high school classmates finally rescued him from these repetitive dishes.

"Happy Breakup, wish you happiness, you can find someone better~"

"Three-of-a-kind with a pair, only five cards left."

In the KTV private room, high school best friends who had gathered every year in their hometown county town since graduating high school were reunited. Zhou Yi, wearing a beige turtleneck sweater, casually threw down a three-of-a-kind with a pair, stretched lazily with satisfaction, and proudly announced the score: "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Fifty K beats it."

While other students were still wailing under the background music, the man at the card table hesitated for a long time, finally betting that Zhou Yi didn't have a bomb in his hand, and threw down his hidden final card: "What song did you just sing? I haven't heard of it, it sounds quite good, a new song from the new album?"

"No, it's a song from Fish Leong's new album, the song is called 'Happy Breakup'. It probably hasn't been distributed in the mainland yet; her new album was released in Taiwan just a week ago."

On February 7 before the New Year, Fish Leong under Rock Records released her new album "Sunrise, I Like". Although the first-week sales of the album couldn't match the phenomenal level of last year's Sun Yanzi and Elva Hsiao, at least it managed to keep pace with the previous two—

With both Sun Yanzi and Elva Hsiao releasing massive hit songs, one week after the release of "Sunrise, I Like", two songs from the album—

"I Like" and "Happy Breakup" climbed to the top of major radio stations' new song charts in Taiwan.

With Liu Ruoying's focus clearly shifting towards the film and television drama field, Fish Leong, who contributed two classic love songs again, showed a strong trend of taking the throne of Rock Records' new number one female singer.

Putting aside the 1999 debut album that flopped due to a lack of promotion caused by natural disasters, from 2000 until now, solely in terms of song popularity, she indeed has the qualification to compete with Elva Hsiao, who has firmly secured the number one female singer position at Virgin, and Sun Yanzi, who is charging towards the number one female singer position at Warner.

2000's "Loving You Is Not Just Two or Three Days", "Courage";

2001's "Unconditionally For You";

2002's "I Like", "Happy Breakup".

Three years, five blockbuster songs; Rock Records, which was on a downward trend, helped Fish Leong submit a perfect score this year once again, proving its remaining power was still there.

The new song "Happy Breakup" saw its request rate on major radio stations and KTV request rate skyrocket; in market analysis white papers from major record companies, it fully qualified to be compared with the millennium-era hit song "Courage".

Some busybodies even added a touch of tragic atmosphere to Rock Records: standing alone against Zhou Yi, Warner + Virgin + Fortune.

The four most popular young female singers in Taiwan currently, with the highest song popularity—Xiao, Sun, Liang, Zhang—only Fish Leong has not yet asked Zhou Yi for a song.

Rock, tough!

"Ah Yi, Fortune Records also wants to request a song, but not for Angela Chang, rather for Fan Fan, do you want to take it?"

February 19, the eighth day of the first lunar month.

After attending various classmate gatherings, Zhou Yi, who finally had time to curl up at home playing CS, received a call from Qian Jiang who had already started work, but the very first sentence he spoke left him completely stunned: "Fan Fan?"

"The Fan Fan who was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Golden Melody Awards with you in 2000, from Fortune Records, Angela Chang's good friend." Qian Jiang reminded him, thinking Zhou Yi had forgotten this person.

"Uh..."

Zhou Yi, who had almost been killed by random gunfire due to a slight mistake, clicked his tongue: "Just tell them I have no time, after all, I'm quite busy right now."

"... What are you doing right now?" Hearing the sound of gunfire, Qian Jiang had ample reason to suspect he wasn't busy at all.

"Oh, I'm looking for gunshot material for the new song's MV."

"???"

Does this thing even require searching for material?

"I have preliminarily screened candidates for the MV director; see if you need to come to the company to view their works? After all, it concerns your new album."

"... Alright then."

After reluctantly bidding farewell to his family, on the 20th, Zhou Yi took a car to Changbei Airport in Nanchang and flew directly to the Imperial Capital.

Then, on the 21st, upon arriving at the Warner building, he saw Ning Hao's name and works on the list of candidate MV directors?

"This person graduated from the Photography Department of the Beijing Film Academy, won the Best Director award at the Imperial Capital University Student Film Festival. Last year he shot quite a few MVs, including Tu Honggang's 'Let Go'..."

Seeing that Zhou Yi seemed quite interested in this person, Qian Jiang dutifully recited the information about Ning Hao and even played the sample works he had submitted.

"Looks pretty good, it's him."

Zhou Yi, somewhat wanting to see if the novice Ning Hao and Jiang Wen would argue on set, stroked his chin, a smile lingering on his lips, and made the final decision to hire him.

Who wouldn't love to watch the fun?

"By the way, Ah Yi, have you finished writing all the songs in your third album? Including the hidden tracks."

"Finished, here."

Zhou Yi handed a proposal book he had just bound to Qian Jiang; the latter took it, opened it, and the album concept that came into view made his face, already a father, gradually become solemn.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi stood up, poured himself a glass of water, smiled, and took a sip while looking down.

In the third album, he used forms of expression such as time travel, parallel universes, and characters within the story to create an album showcasing how people grow differently under various family educations and social environments.

First song: "Can You Feel My World".

This song was actually written by Wang Lihong in 2003 to complain about his former company's severe control and interference; however, because the lyrics sounded too much like a complaint against a family with pathological control, Wang Lihong had to come out and clarify that his family was actually very happy.

Of course, in Zhou Yi's version, this song became a genuine accusation against parents.

In the background, the mixed Chinese-Italian Zhou Yi became a member of an Italian Mafia family in this song; his parents were gangsters with pathological control, and the completely twisted family education gradually pushed Zhou Yi to a psychological state nearing pathology, leaving only music to support him;

Second song: "Ghost".

One of Tao Zhe's profound works.

The lyrics of this song were originally accusing the human heart of being a ghost; in Zhou Yi's MV plot synopsis, this song became the vicious human hearts Zhou Yi encountered after entering the gang underworld, having grown up in a twisted family, while also covering the song's exposure of the dark side of society and human hearts.

In the end, these societal "ghosts," along with his parents at home, pushed Zhou Yi's already unhealthy psyche to collapse, utterly twisting him until he too became a "ghost" by the song's end.

Third song: "The Killer."

Lin Junjie's dark-style trial piece—and his masterpiece.

Of course, due to the original MV's excessive bloodshed, Zhou Yi revised the plot—

Continuing from the meaning of the previous song, Zhou Yi, now a "ghost," became a hitman in the mafia world.

Having been utterly twisted psychologically, he met a bright, pleasant girl while playing piano; her company became his only solace after every mission.

But just then, the girl left him, seeking a quiet life; psychologically twisted, Zhou Yi killed her to keep her forever by his side.

After the buildup of the first two songs, a twisted killer had taken shape.

Fourth song: "In the Name of the Father."

The Mandarin-language pinnacle of Italian mafia cinema.

Following "The Killer," Zhou Yi, whose status had soared, could no longer find psychological solace in music—he genuinely entered a church—

As his mind gradually calmed, he even considered retiring from the underworld and got married. But then, one after another, his parents, wife, daughter, and other family members were killed, forcing him back—and he rose step by step to the position of godfather.

Yet now, having earned the title of godfather, his heart held only endless regret and loneliness; he even recalled his childhood.

In the final scene of the MV, the now-godfather Zhou Yi walks alone into his estate, and the close-up lingers on the television—its screen flickers with static, showing no image.

Thus, the first chapter, composed of these four dark-themed songs, is complete: a life warped by family upbringing and social environment.

Immediately following is the opening of the second chapter:

Fifth song: "Dad and Mom."

Li Ronghao's masterpiece on familial love—its plain yet piercing lyrics make this song unavoidable in any discussion of Mandarin family songs.

The MV opens with the same television screen flickering with static; Zhou Yi, watching a movie at home, stands up and taps the TV. After a scene similar to "In the Name of the Father" flashes on screen, he receives a call from his mother: his father has had an accident.

The lyrics of the entire song, paired with the MV, essentially reenact the process of raising a child within a typical Chinese family.

As the final song on Side A, it forms a sharp contrast with the first song, which represented a twisted family.

Sixth song: "Cheers."

One of Mayday's signature songs.

Following the previous song, Zhou Yi, who grew up in a normal family and social environment, attends a class reunion—years after graduating from university.

The MV includes flashbacks of his university days, confirming that Sun Yanzi was his classmate and linking to material from "The Summer Wind Blew Through"; at the MV's end, Sun Yanzi, still his girlfriend, comes to pick up the drunk Zhou Yi and take him home.

Seventh song: "Little Dimples."

Continuing from the previous MV, this MV is pure sweetness: Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi visit temples to pray, watch period dramas together, and more.

Eighth song: "Today You Will Marry Me."

Following the sweet previous song, this one goes further: Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi have moved into their new home and are now planning their wedding, trying on wedding dresses, even selecting a church.

Ninth song: "Fairytale."

Amidst this sweet atmosphere, during a kiss, Sun Yanzi begins bleeding from the nose; initially, neither takes it seriously, and they calmly go to the hospital for a checkup.

Until the blade arrives…

Finally, Zhou Yi, dressed in a white suit, sits alone in a sacred church, playing piano, imagining himself and Sun Yanzi holding a normal wedding, with friends and family seated below, celebrating them.

Tenth song: "Mr. Lonely."

One of Cao Ge's peak masterpieces.

In the MV summary, he claims, "I don't care," but in truth, since Sun Yanzi's death, Zhou Yi has never escaped the shattered grief.

It interprets profound heartbreak, defining the loneliness of living alone from now on.

Finally, as the hidden bonus track of the album—the eleventh song: "The Splendor of Fireworks Fades."

This song's MV directly echoes the storybook and period drama Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi watched together in "Little Dimples"; Zhou Yi, inspired by Sun Yanzi's favorite "Records of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang," made a film titled "The Splendor of Fireworks Fades" to remember her.

It continues the sorrowful foundation of "Mr. Lonely" and carries forward the grand style established since "Flower Field Mistake."

Two families, two Zhou Yis, two social environments, two lives—both lost their girlfriends (wives) and parents.

The reasons for their losses differ vastly, yet both align with their respective family backgrounds.

One rises through slaughter to become a godfather, burdened with endless cycles of sin;

The other walks out of shadows through self-regulation, benefiting from healthy upbringing and environment; even in heart-dead sorrow, he commits no transgression, and through "The Splendor of Fireworks Fades," becomes a renowned singer, gradually escaping his psychological darkness and embracing new life.

"So your third album's concept is… family education and social environment?"

After reading the entire proposal, Qian Jiang, worried Zhou Yi was taking too great a risk.

Based on his experience, albums with such concepts rarely sell well.

"Don't worry—I know what I'm doing."

Leaning against his desk, Zhou Yi smiled, blowing on his cup: "Sales won't be bad."

Come on—aside from "Mr. Lonely," the only high-difficulty (virtuosic) track on Side B, every other song is a smash hit; "Fairytale" is the king of kings.

If sales were poor, I might as well jump into the Yellow River and be done with it.

Moreover, as the nation's top music award, next year's Golden Melody Awards will see Jay Chou's "80s Space" receive zero nominations or wins, because its conceptual production copied "Fan Texi";

Tao Zhe's "Black Tangerine" will also be disliked by the Golden Melody Awards for its allusions.

And this—this is precisely his best chance to sweep the Golden Melody Awards and ascend to godhood with this concept album.

Whether it's the conceptually deep songs or the commercially broad ones, this album contains them all.

Under this concept, even songs like "Fairytale," long criticized by so-called "elites," now carry a hint of conceptual meaning.

They are no longer merely standalone sad or sweet songs—they are imbued with a layer of contrasting life significance.

"Then what's the album called? 'Second Life'? 'Parallel Universe'? 'The Actor'?" Qian Jiang, having seen no album title, asked curiously: "Or something else?"

(End of Chapter)