A Musical Ode to Shanghai: "Meet Shanghai" Debuts for the China International Import Expo

In anticipation of the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), a captivating album celebrating Shanghai's unique culture and urban charm, "Meet Shanghai," has been released. This musical journey showcases the diversity and unique allure of this international metropolis, offering listeners worldwide an immersive experience of Shanghai life and adding a cultural highlight to the CIIE. It's like a sonic postcard from one of the world's most dynamic cities!

"Meet Shanghai" is the brainchild of Shanghai-based creators Gan Shijia and Luo Wei, a year-long labor of love. Inspired by Shanghai's streets and rivers, their songs paint a portrait of the city's subtle beauty, crafting an affectionate and refined urban love letter. Performed by Vocal Force, a Chinese pop bel canto group, the album showcases a sound that's both groundbreaking and romantically free.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Vocal Force. Their cross-genre approach blends classical and pop music, offering listeners a sound that breaks with tradition – a free, romantic, and love-infused vocal power. The group’s three members, Song Gang, Yu Di, and Wang Zhida, boast eight years of training at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and over a decade of operatic performance experience, giving them exceptional vocal skills. In this album, they embrace pop bel canto, pairing their voices with a symphony orchestra to create operatic arias filled with passion and intensity. They really bring a fresh perspective to classic techniques!

The album provides Vocal Force with a platform to connect with an international audience, using lyrical arias and contemporary emotional expression to showcase the inclusiveness and diversity of this global metropolis. It also unlocks new possibilities for bel canto music. The creative team has pushed boundaries, demonstrating the innovative potential of original Chinese music to the world. The album truly captures the city's spirit.

The album’s creative spark was ignited by Shanghai's streets. The singers, composer, and lyricist strolled, chatted, and observed the scenery and people, laying the foundation for the album. Shanghai's landmarks and streets became the seeds for songs, inspiring the creators to tell compelling stories through music. It's like each song is a mini-movie about life in Shanghai.

Gan Shijia was born and raised in Shanghai, and his love for the city is woven into the fabric of his being. Luo Wei and Vocal Force have studied and worked in Shanghai for many years and have a deep affection for the city. This collaboration brings together the pride and nostalgia of old Shanghai residents with the sense of belonging and infatuation of new Shanghainese.

Composer Luo Wei shared: "A year may not seem long in terms of the creative process, but we met many times, envisioned ideas together on the North Bund, strolled along Huaihai Road in the afternoon, chatted over coffee and white wine on Hengshan Road, and repeatedly recorded demos and discussed them in the recording studio. It was a rare creative experience. Fenyang Road, the road that carries the starting point of our musical dreams, is depicted by a song about the city's morning sounds; the 'one river, one creek' concept that has been mentioned so often over the years has finally been written into a song, becoming the most emotionally intense expression in this work."

"Meet Shanghai," released by Shanghai Starwin, is now available on major music platforms at home and abroad. You're invited to listen to the city's pulse and vibrancy and experience a musical greeting from Shanghai. It's a fantastic way to experience Shanghai without even being there!