Inheritance of the Chinese Entertainment Industry

Chapter 15 Lantern Festival Performance

For the next few days, Xie Anran and Qianqian devoted themselves to rehearsals and training before going on stage.

The training wasn't particularly difficult; it mainly involved getting familiar with stage positioning, finding the right stance, getting used to the feel of the stage microphone, and then repeatedly practicing with the live sound accompaniment, hitting the beat of each lyric precisely. It wasn't particularly difficult, but it wasn't easy either.

The hardest part is never singing itself, but that children are prone to stage fright and panic when they go on stage. Once their mindset is unstable, they are prone to rushing the beat, forgetting the lyrics, and not keeping up with the rhythm of the accompaniment. The easy part is that Xie Anran did not take the small stage seriously at all. She had the composure of an adult. She walked around the stage for a couple of times and found the right feeling after one rehearsal. Her movements, singing style, and rhythm were all perfectly matched, and she did not need the teacher to give her much guidance.

In contrast, Sisi was a bit lacking. The young girl's singing skills were still immature, and since it was her first time on a big stage for television recording, she was quite nervous. During rehearsals, she frequently stumbled and stumbled, her movements were chaotic, and her singing was unstable. It took her two whole days of repeated practice before she finally managed to make her movements and singing neat and tidy enough to meet the standards for performing on stage.

In the blink of an eye, the Lantern Festival arrived as scheduled.

The entire Youth Palace was brightly decorated with lanterns and festive ornaments, creating a strong atmosphere of the New Year. The specially constructed performance stage was impressive and well-organized, surrounded by parents and passersby. The crowd was bustling and lively, with laughter and cheers echoing throughout.

Xie Anran wore an elegant little suit and had her face made up for the performance as required, with simple eyebrows and lipstick, and a small round red dot in the center of her forehead.

He inwardly grumbled, utterly baffled as to why boys had to wear such makeup for performances, especially that red dot between their eyebrows—it was clearly a floral adornment used by women in ancient times, completely unsuitable for little boys. But looking around, all the little boys performing on stage wore the same makeup; everyone was the same, so he could only conform and silently accept it.

Beside her, Sisi was dressed even more exquisitely and dazzlingly. A snow-white princess dress accentuated her fair and delicate face, and her long hair was carefully styled into a fluffy princess updo. A beautiful and delicate floral ornament was painted between her eyebrows. The whole outfit was sweet and eye-catching. The little girl excitedly looked around, constantly examining the child actors beside her, making sure that no one was dressed better than her. Her smile instantly became even brighter and more proud.

"Anran, do I look good today?" Qianqian turned her head, her little face full of smugness, eagerly waiting for praise.

Xie Anran chuckled inwardly, feeling helpless. These days, a seven-year-old kid is already so vain.

"Say something!" Sisi gently nudged his arm, urging him on in a coquettish tone when he remained silent.

"It's beautiful, incredibly beautiful, the most beautiful in the whole world," Xie Anran said earnestly, coaxing her along.

"Hehe, of course! Anran, you have the best taste." Qianqian patted his arm with satisfaction, her little face flushed, and she was so happy she was practically jumping for joy.

Xie Anran was really starting to lose his composure; this little girl's vanity was far more outrageous than he had imagined.

The two were joking and laughing quietly when the performance on stage officially began. Professional television camera equipment was set up to the side of the stage, and a conspicuous television broadcasting van was parked not far away, with a huge loudspeaker on its roof—a rare and impressive setup for that era. Such professional equipment wouldn't be common even a decade or two later, let alone now. Passersby stopped to look and discuss it animatedly.

"A TV station actually came to record this." Xie Anran secretly glanced at the broadcast van outside and thought to herself that the school hadn't actually been exaggerating this time.

At the front of the crowd, Xie Weimin, Zhang Yun, and Liu Xiaoli had already squeezed into their spots, cameras in hand, patiently waiting for their son to go on stage while chatting quietly.

"I made a special inquiry about it a while ago. Teacher Lin Zhe and that Zhang Songyu are indeed very capable." Xie Weimin said with a smile and full of confidence, "Green Apple Studio has a paid-in capital of 800,000 yuan, which is quite strong. Zhang Songyu is also a graduate of Beijing Film Academy. He has a good background and extensive connections. Many big stars in the industry have connections with him."

"And then there's Lin Zhe. He used to play rock music and was part of the Black Panther band. I heard he has a very good personal relationship with Faye Wong."

"That's right, Lin Zhe did have a deep background in the rock music scene before, and his professional skills are undeniable," Liu Xiaoli added, nodding in agreement.

"So, does that mean our Anran will really be able to release an album in the future?" Zhang Yun's heart skipped a beat, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"With An Ran's genuine talent, no matter what musical path she chooses, releasing her own works will be no problem at all," Liu Xiaoli said calmly.

Time passed slowly, and the atmosphere grew increasingly heated. The area around the stage was packed with people, and the noise was deafening. Xie Weimin, tall and imposing, stood firmly in the front row, protecting Zhang Yun and Liu Xiaoli throughout the performance. One act after another took the stage and ended, keeping the audience entertained.

Not long after, the host's clear voice rang out as scheduled: "Next, please welcome Xie Anran and An Feng to perform their original song 'The Color Song.' Let's give a round of applause to our two young performers!"

Zhang Yun and Xie Weimin immediately smiled and clapped vigorously, their eyes full of satisfaction and pride; Liu Xiaoli also clapped gently, her temperament reserved and dignified, but she could not hide the expectation in her eyes.

Xie Anran then took Xixi's hand, and the two walked side by side onto the stage. Their exquisite and eye-catching makeup and styling immediately drew praise and discussion from the audience.

"These two kids are so cute! They're so handsome."

"Whose child is this? Dressed up so nicely, with such a great presence."

Hearing the praises around him, Xie Weimin couldn't stop smiling. He was very happy, knowing that his son was so good-looking that he was always the center of attention wherever he went.

Standing in the center of the stage, looking at the sea of ​​heads below, even with the experience of an adult, Xie Anran couldn't help but feel a sense of tension and panic.

Sisi was extremely nervous. Her little fingers, which were gripping Xie Anran tightly, turned slightly white. Her body was stiff and tense, and her eyes were full of panic and unease. She could only subconsciously stick close to Xie Anran, seeking a sense of security by relying on him.

"Calm down and don't be afraid. Look, isn't that your mother in the audience?" Xie Anran noticed that something was wrong with the little girl and quickly comforted her in a low voice, trying to distract her.

"Oh...it really is Mom!" Sisi spotted Liu Xiaoli in the audience and quietly raised her hand to wave.

Liu Xiaoli smiled and waved in response, gently waving her camera to indicate that she would take many beautiful photos of her.

In that instant, most of Sisi's tension dissipated. She turned to look at Xie Anran, and the smile on her face became natural and relaxed.

Just then, the upbeat accompaniment started right on time, and the noisy venue instantly quieted down, with everyone's eyes focused on the stage. Xie Anran picked up the microphone, gently tugged at Qianqian's hand, and quickly instructed in a low voice, "Just follow my rhythm when you sing, don't panic."

"Okay! I'll remember." Sisi nodded seriously in response.

The next moment, a clear and bright song rang out. Xie Anran's youthful yet steady voice resonated throughout the venue, followed perfectly by Qianqian's crisp and sweet childlike voice. The two sang in perfect harmony, their voices beautiful and captivating. The television reporter in the audience, who was filming, was immediately delighted and secretly pleasantly surprised.

The two children's singing skills far surpass those of their peers, and more importantly, the song has a light and novel melody that I've never heard before. It is a genuine original children's song.

"Quick, get a close-up shot right away! This song has great quality; it can be used as a selling point!" the reporter urged the photographer.

The photographer immediately adjusted the camera angle, precisely framing the two children in the center of the frame, and meticulously recorded the entire process.

After the song ended, the lingering melody was pleasant. Xie Anran and Qianqian bowed to express their gratitude, and then ran off the stage side by side happily.

"That's great! That's great! Xixi and Anran did a fantastic job too!" Zhang Yun waved goodbye as she watched the two children leave the stage, and said happily.

"They were really good; the two little ones performed even better than expected." Liu Xiaoli nodded in agreement with a look of satisfaction.

Sisi remained composed and fearless throughout, delivering an exceptional performance; Xie Anran was equally poised and graceful, showing none of the awkwardness or restraint often associated with children on stage. Even a slight tension at the end did not detract from the overall performance.

Behind the crowd, Lin Zhe rubbed his chin with one hand, his eyes shining as he stared at the stage, secretly plotting his next move.

Xie Anran is incredibly talented at such a young age, with outstanding original songs and a poised and confident stage presence. If he could write a few more high-quality original children's songs in the same style, this little guy's value would skyrocket, and his potential would be immeasurable.