Wang Feng (singer)
Encyclopedia
Wang Feng is a Chinese rock musician. He was the founder and lead singer of the band No. 43 Baojia Street. After two albums "No. 43 Baojia Street" (1997) and "No. 43 Baojia Street 2" (1998), he signed a solo contract with Warner Music Beijing Co., Ltd. The third album "Fireworks" (2000) was the beginning of his solo career. With a number of songs like "Flying Higher" (2004), and "Blooming Life" (2005) on his following albums, Wang Feng entered the media spotlight and became popular in Mainland China. His latest album "Belief Flies in the Wind" (2009) won him an award as the Most Popular Male Singer on the Chinese Mainland at the Channel V
's 14th Chinese Music Awards.
By the age of 17 Wang started to listen to Michael Jackson
, the Beatles, Taiwanese singer Lo Ta-yu
, and Chinese singer Cui Jian
. This was the first time he had listened to Rock music
. Wang studied in the Chinese Central Conservatory of Music
majoring in violin and viola. In his college years Wang joined the Chinese Youth Orchestra and performed overseas. In his senior year in college (1994), Wang and his friends formed the band No. 43 Baojia Street.
. Xiao Wei's sponsorship allowed the band to practice and perform. They gradually build up their reputation in Beijing, which led the band to a record deal from Beijing Jingwen Record Co., Ltd on May 31, 1997. The band was not profitable under Xiao Wei's sponsorship. Wang couldn't even pay his rent at that time. The record deal with Beijing Jingwen Record was an opportunity for the band to officially enter the music business and to solve the money issue. Xiao Wei understood the benefit of the deal for Wang Feng and the whole band. He terminated the sponsorship himself and left Beijing.
Later that year the band made their first studio album, No. 43 Baojia Street (1997). This album included songs like "Little Bird" and "Good Night Beijing", which became famous afterwards. One year later the band made their second album, No. 43 Baojia Street 2 - Storm Approaching (1998). While the albums were sold in the market, the economic issue of the band and Wang himself did not resolve. In another word, the band was not profiting. Wang started decided to quit the contract with Beijing Jingwen Record. In 2000, the Warner Music Beijing Co., Ltd found Wang Feng and offered a record deal to him but not the whole band. Wang signed the contract and put out the album Fireworks' (2000) in the same year. The songs from this album were made before the band broke up.
(2001). In July 2005, Wang ended the five year contract with Warner Music and started his own independent record label "Feng Sheng Music" (Feng Sheng is the Chinese translation for Feng's voice). In the same year, Wang released his fourth studio album "Blooming Life" (2005). The song Blooming life, same as the name of the album, became famous quickly after the album was released and became the most downloaded ringtones in some region in mainland China. In the same album, Wang included another two famous patriotic pieces, Our Dream and I Love You, China. Our Dream became the Beijing Olympic Top 10 Golden Songs; I Love You, China was considered a gift for the success of Shenzhou 6
, the second human spaceflight of the People's Republic of China
. In 2006 Wang was awarded the Pepsi Chart "Best Male Singer in Mainland China".
. Wang's response was, "I don't need to copy other people's work. It's just as simple as that. No need to do that at all."
In 2009, after two years since the last album, Wang came back with the Belief Flies in the Wind (2009). The album brought Wang many awards. The song In Spring became No.1 on the 23rd of the Chinese Music Chart. In September, the song Light took the No.1 place again on the 32nd of the Chinese Music Chart. On Nov. 12th, the song When I Miss You won the No.1 on the 42nd of the Chinese Music Chart. On the 9th Global Chinese Music Awards, the song In Spring won the Best Lyrics award. Wang Feng himself won the Best Producer, and the album Belief Flies in the Wind won the Best Album. In an interview with Changjiang Business Journal, Wang claimed that "This album is meant to let everyone to understand the true rock music. It's not about what the majority like or what's popular. I'm making mainstream rock music, and that's what I stand for."
No. 43 Baojia Street 2 - Storm Approaching (1998)
Love is a Happy Bullet (2002)
Crying with Smile (2004)
Blooming Life (2005)
Brave Heart (2007)
Belief Flies in the Wind (2009)
Channel V
Channel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
's 14th Chinese Music Awards.
Early life
Wang Feng was born and raised in a musical family. Under Wang's father's command, Wang started practicing violin when he was five years old. He entered the middle school attached to the Central Conservatory of Music at the age of eleven. Wang did not understand the purpose of playing violin, or why he had to stay home practising while other kids of his age could play outside. At the age of 14, for the first time in his life, Wang realized the beauty of music through a piece composed by Tchaikovsky. After the enlightening incident Wang decided to pursue the beauty of music for the rest of his life.By the age of 17 Wang started to listen to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, the Beatles, Taiwanese singer Lo Ta-yu
Lo Ta-yu
Lo Ta-yu or Luo Dayou is a Taiwanese singer and songwriter who, during the 1980s, affected Chinese pop and rock music with his melodic lyrics, his love songs, and his witty social and political commentary that he infused in his more political songs, often to the point that some of his songs were...
, and Chinese singer Cui Jian
Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist. Affectionately called "Old Cui" , he is considered to be a pioneer in Chinese rock music and one of the first Chinese artists to write rock songs...
. This was the first time he had listened to Rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Wang studied in the Chinese Central Conservatory of Music
Central Conservatory of Music
The Central Conservatory of Music is the national leading music school in Beijing, China.Founded in 1950, the Conservatory offers courses to both Chinese nationals and foreign students, and caters for all levels from primary up to postgraduate programmes...
majoring in violin and viola. In his college years Wang joined the Chinese Youth Orchestra and performed overseas. In his senior year in college (1994), Wang and his friends formed the band No. 43 Baojia Street.
With No. 43 Baojia Street
Wang Feng and the band No. 43 Baojia Street made their first album in 1997, three years after it was formed. During these three years the band practiced in a basement in the college and performed in local clubs and bars. To comply with his father's will and to have a stable income, Wang took the offer of the vice concertmaster of the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra. However Wang quit the job after a year even with a promotion of the concertmaster position, and put himself completely into Rock music. In the beginning, the band was sponsored by "Xiao Wei" (nickname), an alumnus of the Central Conservatory of MusicCentral Conservatory of Music
The Central Conservatory of Music is the national leading music school in Beijing, China.Founded in 1950, the Conservatory offers courses to both Chinese nationals and foreign students, and caters for all levels from primary up to postgraduate programmes...
. Xiao Wei's sponsorship allowed the band to practice and perform. They gradually build up their reputation in Beijing, which led the band to a record deal from Beijing Jingwen Record Co., Ltd on May 31, 1997. The band was not profitable under Xiao Wei's sponsorship. Wang couldn't even pay his rent at that time. The record deal with Beijing Jingwen Record was an opportunity for the band to officially enter the music business and to solve the money issue. Xiao Wei understood the benefit of the deal for Wang Feng and the whole band. He terminated the sponsorship himself and left Beijing.
Later that year the band made their first studio album, No. 43 Baojia Street (1997). This album included songs like "Little Bird" and "Good Night Beijing", which became famous afterwards. One year later the band made their second album, No. 43 Baojia Street 2 - Storm Approaching (1998). While the albums were sold in the market, the economic issue of the band and Wang himself did not resolve. In another word, the band was not profiting. Wang started decided to quit the contract with Beijing Jingwen Record. In 2000, the Warner Music Beijing Co., Ltd found Wang Feng and offered a record deal to him but not the whole band. Wang signed the contract and put out the album Fireworks' (2000) in the same year. The songs from this album were made before the band broke up.
With Warner Music and Feng Sheng Music
Within the years under Warner Music, Wang had the boost of his career. Three albums were made, including Fireworks (2000), Love is a Happy Bullet (2002), and Crying while Smiling (2004). The song Flying Higher, which became very popular in mainland China after release, was included in the album Crying while Smiling. Wang also took care of the entire soundtrack of the movie Beijing BicycleBeijing Bicycle
Beijing Bicycle is a 2001 Chinese drama film by Sixth Generation Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai, with joint investment from the Taiwanese Arc Light Films and the French Pyramide Productions. The film stars first-time actors Cui Lin and Li Bin, supported by the already established actresses Zhou...
(2001). In July 2005, Wang ended the five year contract with Warner Music and started his own independent record label "Feng Sheng Music" (Feng Sheng is the Chinese translation for Feng's voice). In the same year, Wang released his fourth studio album "Blooming Life" (2005). The song Blooming life, same as the name of the album, became famous quickly after the album was released and became the most downloaded ringtones in some region in mainland China. In the same album, Wang included another two famous patriotic pieces, Our Dream and I Love You, China. Our Dream became the Beijing Olympic Top 10 Golden Songs; I Love You, China was considered a gift for the success of Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6 was the second human spaceflight of the People's Republic of China, launched on October 12, 2005 on a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried a crew of Fèi Jùnlóng and Niè Hǎishèng for five days in low Earth orbit...
, the second human spaceflight of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. In 2006 Wang was awarded the Pepsi Chart "Best Male Singer in Mainland China".
With MusicNationGroup
In May 2007, Wang made a new record deal with the Hong Kong media company MusicNationGroup. One month later, Wang released his fifth studio album Brave Heart (2007). Wang claimed to be very satisfied with his work in this album, however one of the tracks, Gone Crazy, was forced to take out by the authority. During the time the album was released, some people on the Internet claimed that the hit song Brave Heart was a copy of the song Crazy from the Canadian pop-punk band Simple PlanSimple Plan
Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...
. Wang's response was, "I don't need to copy other people's work. It's just as simple as that. No need to do that at all."
In 2009, after two years since the last album, Wang came back with the Belief Flies in the Wind (2009). The album brought Wang many awards. The song In Spring became No.1 on the 23rd of the Chinese Music Chart. In September, the song Light took the No.1 place again on the 32nd of the Chinese Music Chart. On Nov. 12th, the song When I Miss You won the No.1 on the 42nd of the Chinese Music Chart. On the 9th Global Chinese Music Awards, the song In Spring won the Best Lyrics award. Wang Feng himself won the Best Producer, and the album Belief Flies in the Wind won the Best Album. In an interview with Changjiang Business Journal, Wang claimed that "This album is meant to let everyone to understand the true rock music. It's not about what the majority like or what's popular. I'm making mainstream rock music, and that's what I stand for."
No. 43 Baojia Street
No. 43 Baojia Street (1997)No. 43 Baojia Street 2 - Storm Approaching (1998)
Studio Albums
Fireworks (2000)Love is a Happy Bullet (2002)
Crying with Smile (2004)
Blooming Life (2005)
Brave Heart (2007)
Belief Flies in the Wind (2009)