Shyness can't stop a star from shining

Hitting the global scene

Mandopop has expanded significantly on the global music scene in recent years. The genre saw 45 percent growth in streaming in 2023, according to the annual Wrapped campaign by Spotify, the world's most popular audio streaming service.

"It's incredible to see Mandopop consumption growing globally as Spotify continues to connect music cultures with audiences worldwide, showcasing a slate of extraordinary talents, both seasoned and emerging, driving music discovery," says Kossy Ng, Spotify head of Music in Asia in a news release.

Zhou, one of Mandopop's foremost artists, has seen his debut overseas tour generate unprecedented demand with tickets for his opening show selling out within 15 minutes.

His North American shows are experiencing such intense popularity that additional performances were added only to sell out again immediately, including a New York concert that expanded to accommodate 14,000 fans and still reached full capacity.

On the social media platform Sina Weibo, the hashtag for Zhou's world tour has surpassed 1.42 billion views with 32.5 million discussions. When the singer posted his tour announcement, it was shared over 1 million times.

When Zhou heard his shows were selling out, he laughed and said: "I feel kind of bad. It's like someone's listing all my accomplishments."

Anna Serdetchnaia traveled from Toronto, Canada to New York for Zhou's concert because she couldn't get the tickets in Toronto.

"They were sold out even before the sale started. You could not get tickets, which is why I came here," Serdetchnaia tells China Daily. "It's amazing to see a Chinese singer get this recognition."

"His voice is so beautiful, and he has so much emotion when he sings. I never thought I'd be able to see him unless I went to China, so it's exciting to see him live," Serdetchnaia says.

"I studied Chinese and lived in China, but my love for his music encourages me to dive back into it. He's an incredible ambassador. I hope this opens doors for more Chinese singers to tour here. We have Korean and Japanese artists, but not as many from China. He's paving the way," she adds.

Zhou says he was "truly surprised and grateful" to hear Serdetchnaia's story. "Most of my songs are in Chinese, so I never expected foreign fans to connect with them," he tells China Daily during an exclusive interview.

"My music is more classical and emotional, not the upbeat style that usually gets global attention. This means so much to me," he says.

Zhou says he has seen some of his international crew members at his concerts sway to Chinese songs like Good Luck Comes and moved to tears by Blossoms Forget Sorrows.

"In those moments, I stop thinking about bringing my music to global platforms, realizing that touching listeners' hearts is already a singer's greatest blessing," Zhou says.