Tales of creativity and compassion

Musical crosstalk

Simoyao (pseudonym) has maintained her position as one of Bilibili's top 100 content creators for two consecutive years.

As a member of the post-90s generation, she took pleasure in watching auto-tune remix-themed content videos and also embarked on her creative pursuits during her student years.

Starting in 2019, Simoyao began sharing her cover song creations on video platforms under the nickname "Simoyao smile".

"At that time, I did it just for fun," she said.

In 2020, when the Chinese suspense drama The Bad Kids gained widespread online popularity, Simoyao took on the perspective of the protagonist Zhu Chaoyang and composed an original piece of music. It incorporates witty lyrics and the distinct Tianjin accent, conveying her interpretation of the character.

This video attracted a considerable following and guided Simoyao toward her own creative path. "I aim to convey and share my thoughts through music," she said.

Tianjin is recognized as the hometown of many renowned crosstalk performers. As a native Tianjin resident, humor comes naturally to Simoyao. She incorporates Chinese crosstalk techniques into her musical compositions and introduces elements of northern traditional arts — such as kuaiban, a form of Chinese storytelling accompanied by the rhythm of bamboo clappers — into her music. She labeled this distinctive style as "musical crosstalk".

"Although telling jokes comes easily to me, harmonizing music with humor is actually quite challenging," she said.

Growing up in an environment enriched with music — with her mother being a jazz drum teacher and her father skilled in playing the guitar — Simoyao learned to play musical instruments at an early age and began composing songs in primary school.

After graduating in engineering in college, which did not interest her, she explored several types of jobs. But her different life and work experiences turned out to be a continuous wellspring of inspiration, nurturing her creativity after her full-time transition to a vlogger in 2020.

One of her video series, themed around school subjects, continues to be highly appreciated by her followers. This series humorously depicts a student's experiences and frustrations, which resonates with many viewers.

"Having been both a student and a teacher, I deeply empathize with them," Simoyao said.

To create this series, Simoyao would review the outlines of high school textbooks and even did the national college entrance examination papers every year.

Since 2022, this series has been consistently updated for two years, with each video receiving more than 3 million views, and some even surpassing 10 million views.

According to Simoyao, her greatest strength lies in her ability to precisely connect her videos to the everyday occurrences in the lives of ordinary people. She uses music and witty lyrics to analyze and dispel life's obstacles while conveying a positive energy.

"I'm good at expressing my feelings in words and documenting small details in daily life. I believe every little thing in life holds meaning," she said.

Simoyao recognizes that creating content in isolation can easily lead to mental stagnation, prompting her to actively pursue innovation. "In the coming year, I plan to collaborate with vloggers from diverse fields, fostering new videos and sparking fresh ideas," she said.