Back on song

Six singers find new fame after participating in a reality TV show, Chen Nan reports.

Since it premiered in July, Go For Happiness, a reality show on Hunan province-based Mango TV, has seen unexpected success. The show has become popular, especially at a time when reality TV is trying to catch eyeballs by bringing in major celebrities, young pop idols, or heavily relying on big-budget productions.

With a small budget, the seven-episode TV show has gathered singers Chen Chusheng, Lu Hu, Su Xing, Wang Yuexin, Wang Zhengliang and Zhang Yuan, who went to Xiangshan county in Zhejiang province. They spent a week together, exploring the small island while experiencing the life of fisherfolk.

The six singers met and became friends when they participated in the national singing competition Super Boy on Hunan TV in 2007. They were among the top 13 winners at the competition, which was one of the most-watched TV Chinese shows that year, propelling them to stardom overnight.