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thehappycorp talks to LiHui Shen, China’s Simon Cowell
| by your friend
LiHui Shen, GM of China’s largest independent record label, Modern Sky, and judge on the Chinese American Idol, Super Boy, is spending a few weeks in our office, getting to know the lay of NYC and America’s music industry.
Super Boy is an annual singing competition that premiered last year on China’s Hunan TV Network. It’s predecessor, Super Girl, was one of the most successful televised events ever in China.
Actually, Shen says he’s a much nicer judge than Simon, more in the style of Randy Jackson: he’s all about the actual skill of the contestants, building people up instead of breaking them down to make a name for himself.
“Most people just want to be a star,” says Shen. “These shows offer anyone the chance to be famous everyday.”
Following the enormous popularity of the series, however, China’s government has threatened to ban the shows.
“They see it as stripping down high Chinese culture. It’s too base.”
The tension between the Super shows and China’s government is just the tip of Chinese music industry woes. About 90% of music in china is pirated, making profits from record sales and downloads about nil.
“China’s music business is the toughest in the world,” says Shen.
In order to survive, companies like Modern Sky have diversified into magazine publishing, artist management and putting on massive festivals such as Modern Sky Festival, which premiered last year in Beijing; the Yeah Yeah Yeahs headlined.
Shen hopes to gleam some creative insight into the future of the music business from his time in NYC, maybe even find an act or two that would do well in China.
“New York is the most inspirational city in the world,” says Shen.
We’re glad he thinks so. We like to imagine thehappycorp is helping to build that aggregate creative enlightenment.
If you roll through our spot on Broome St. keep an eye out for Shen. He might seem quiet at first, but he is extraordinarily friendly. He even let us use his camera for this picture when our battery died.
