Its not often that Chinese folk singers get to be internet viral stars; Gong Linna is certainly the one that comes to mind with the performance of her song Tante, where she delivered the nonsensical lyrics with breathtaking vocal technique and no-holds-barred delivery which equally amused and impressed Youtube users. While many around the world have spoofed her performance, none have come close to matching the style and ability of the original.
Since then, Linna has managed to transform her viral fame into a long-term performance and recording career that, while not as flashy as her breakthrough hit, has garnered her a loyal fan following and respect from the industry.
So here's your chance to catch up with Gong Linna's career as she presents a one-night-only concert in Singapore. Read the write-up below for more information:
“Her voice, a mixture of traditional and contemporary styles, was commanding and full of feeling”
– New York Times
Gong Linna presents an unforgettable concert that showcases her unique vocal artistry, combining incredible technical mastery with a variety of dramatically different Chinese singing techniques.
After her performance of Tante 《忐忑》went viral and garnered over 100 million views on social media, Gong became a household name across China known for her fantastically vibrant vocals. Together with her German composer husband Robert Zollitsch, also known as Lao Luo in China, Gong Linna has released many songs of different styles, all influenced by Chinese traditional music, folk tales and ancient poems. They have been acknowledged as the groundbreaking founders of the genre “New Chinese Music”, a new authentic musical identity deeply rooted in Chinese culture yet profoundly contemporary.
In this concert, Gong performs songs inspired by ancient Chinese poetry including Li Bai’s Bring in the Wine, Wang Wei’s Journey to the Peach Blossom Spring, Qu Yuan’s The Mountain Spirit, as well as her original compositions Walking the Path of Life, Free Bird and Hope.
Date: 14 February 2016
Time: 5pm
Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall
Ticket price:
$38,* $58**, $78^
Concession for students, NSFs and senior citizens: $27*, $41**
^Esplanade&Me specials available
Website URL: https://www.esplanade.com/festivals-and-series/huayi-chinese-festival-of-arts/2016/gong-linna-in-concert