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The Asian Chinese Music Awards were founded jointly by CCTV, CNR (China National Radio), and major TV and radio stations across the country. The award ceremony is held every year on February 18th and has been running for 15 editions to date.
It is one of the oldest and most prestigious music awards in China, with notable influence across Asia. Within the domestic music industry, it's considered the premier annual music event, and its awards carry significantly more weight than the Chinese Music Charts.
The judging panel of the Asian Chinese Music Awards is composed entirely of industry professionals: members of the Musicians' Association, respected veterans in showbiz, professors from music conservatories, renowned music critics, and so on. Judging also takes into account airplay data from major radio stations and online streaming metrics.
Importantly, the Asian Chinese Music Awards does not include audience voting, because in earlier years when voting was open to the public, rampant cheating and vote rigging led to scandalous outcomes.
The entire ceremony almost became a playground for ticket-stuffing and fandom wars. To put a stop to that, the organizers eventually scrapped public voting altogether, opting instead for a robust professional panel.
Back in January, Lu Chen had already received an official invitation from the organizing committee of the Asian Chinese Music Awards. He was nominated for a total of four awards: Best Newcomer, Best Composer, Best Lyrics, and Best Album.
Though the Asian Chinese Music Awards covers a broader scope, it only hands out 21 awards, avoiding categories like Most Popular Male/Female Vagabond Singer, which tend to feel more like participation trophies. This boosts the prestige and exclusivity of each award.
In the 15-year history of the Awards, no singer has ever won the top honor consecutively.
And according to insider sources, this year's edition is very likely to be the last. The Asian Chinese Music Awards is expected to merge with the Chinese Original Music Charts, and be upgraded into the Global Chinese Music Awards, to be held annually on December 31st.
This information is highly credible. The Chinese Original Music Charts already announced its suspension this year, clearly paving the way for the merger. When launched, the Global Chinese Music Awards will become the most authoritative and prestigious music awards in the country, sweeping aside all the pretenders and shady operations!
Because of this, the recently concluded Chinese Music Charts quickly faded from public memory. Within the industry, attention turned sharply to the upcoming Asian Chinese Music Awards, now seen as the true centerpiece of the domestic music scene at year's end.
But for most ordinary people, things like music charts and award shows mean little. What really matters is the New Year, using every means of transportation possible to return home and spend the holidays with family.
As millions left the Capital City, this sprawling metropolis of 30 million people began to feel almost like a ghost town.
Driving his newly purchased Mercedes-Benz SUV, Lu Chen cruised smoothly all the way to the New Era Arts District.
His previous vehicle, a Zhonghua X7, had been given to Lu Xi. Initially, Lu Chen had intended to buy her a new car, but she insisted on taking the X7. Then, in a surprising move, she turned around and bought him this million-yuan G900, saying that with his current status, driving around in an X7 would look cheap and make others look down on him.
In truth, Lu Chen wasn't someone who cared about appearances or vanity. Though the Zhonghua X7 was a domestic brand, it was perfectly comfortable to drive. But he couldn't resist his sister's insistence, and so he finally allowed himself this bit of luxury.
It's normal for young people to care about image and status. Had this been the old Lu Chen, he would've already bought himself a sports car to cruise around with a girlfriend for fun.
But after experiencing a third-life in his dreams, Lu Chen had gained a level of maturity and wisdom beyond his years. While he still pursued professional success, his desire for flashy displays and superficial status had faded significantly.
That's why he was able to stay so calm and composed about his loss at the Chinese Music Charts.
What is meant to be his, no one can take.
What isn't his, why force it?
Besides, he already possessed the wealth of an entire world. After parking the car, Lu Chen walked over to the Star Destiny Art Training Center.
This institution was quite well-known in Capital City's entertainment circles. Originally founded through a joint venture by several entertainment agencies, it specialized in training new talents, which the industry calls "trainees."
The trainee system in China originated from South Korea. Many large entertainment agencies now operate their own independent training programs, supplying a steady stream of talent to the entire industry.
However, such a system is not easy to build; it requires massive investment in manpower and resources. Small to mid-sized companies or studios simply can't afford it, which led to the emergence of specialized training institutions.
Star Destiny Art Training Center is one of these institutions, and indeed, one of the most powerful and reputable in the industry. It does not sign any trainees or new artists directly, but instead offers contract-based training and custom image development services.
Located in the New Era Arts District, Star Destiny boasts first-rate facilities and faculty, among the best in the country. Many of its music and dance instructors have been hired from overseas, and through years of development, the center has formed a highly sophisticated and comprehensive training system.
Now fully independent from its founding companies, Star Destiny operates as its own entity. As a result, many entertainment, record, and film/TV companies in the Capital City send their newly signed talents here for training.
While some in the industry criticize institutions like Star Destiny for producing trainees that are "assembly-line products", uniform, lacking in individuality and character,
Even the critics cannot deny that such centralized and professional training systems result in artists with exceptionally solid fundamentals. Plus, there are different tiers of training programs, where you get what you pay for.
Most importantly, for the majority of entertainment agencies, outsourcing training significantly cuts costs and saves time. As for stylistic uniqueness, once the foundation is built, the artist can be re-packaged later to develop a distinctive brand.
"Sister Li!"
As Lu Chen appeared in front of Star Destiny's entrance, the first person he saw was Li Zhen, standing by the door.
He quickly took off his sunglasses and waved in greeting.
"Little Lu!" Sister Li's face lit up with surprise and joy, breaking into a wide smile as she strode over enthusiastically: "Thank you for coming!"
She walked so briskly that even her young assistant had trouble keeping up.
Lu Chen smiled, "It's no trouble. I come by this place quite often anyway."
His first visit to Star Destiny had been at Li Zhen's invitation, to check on the training progress of the newly formed "Little Tiger Group." As Sister Li put it, he was there to "offer a bit of guidance."
After filming Autumn in My Heart, Sister Li had already made up her mind to push her beloved son onto the path of stardom. She treated Lu Chen's idea of a boy group project like it was a treasure.
After returning to Capital City, she quickly assembled the lineup for Little Tiger Group, centering the team around Zhang Junzhi, a.k.a. "Little Shu Tiger", as the leader, and sent them all to Star Destiny for vocal and dance training.
According to the plan, Little Tiger Group would train here for half a year before debuting, simultaneously releasing their first album.
(End of Chapter)