The Persistence of Rock 'n' Roll Youth: The "Post-90s" Walking Between the Stage and the Podium

Guangzhou, June 4 (Xinhua) -- After a guitar, a trumpet, and a rhythmic instrument prelude, a passionate Hakka dialect singing instantly detonated the stage. This is the performance scene of the Chinese rock band Jiulian Zhenren.

The unique style of music makes this band from Lianping County, Guangdong Province, popular with many young people. However, when they were faced with the opportunity to go to the big city to develop, the two "post-90s" members of the team made a very special choice: to return to the county and continue the road of teaching.

Jiulian Zhenren was founded in 2018. Before the band was formed, lead singer and guitarist Ouyang Haopeng (Aaron) was a primary school art teacher in Lianping County, Guangdong Province, deputy lead singer and trumpeter Mai Haipeng (Amai) was a middle school music teacher in the town, and bassist Ye Wanli (Wanli) was engaged in audio rental business in the county town.

They all have their own careers, and music brings them together. The band named it "Jiulian Zhenren", "Jiulian" is a place name, referring to the Jiulian Mountains where they have lived for more than 20 years, and "Zhenren" represents the attitude of the band - to be their true self.

The Jiulian Live-Action Band integrates local dialects into their creations, making the music have distinct regional characteristics and condensing their strong hometown complex.

Last summer, in a band-themed variety show, more people got to know this passionate and infectious band. They used Hakka as their creative language in songs such as "Mortal Song" and "Mo Bully Young Poor". Wanli said that there are fewer rock music created in Hakka, and they feel that they can try it, which will also help inherit and spread the culture of their hometown.

Along with the band's popularity, it was followed by a steady stream of performances and interviews. During this period, many people advised them to go to big cities to develop and become full-time musicians.

But the two "post-90s" young people made a very calm choice: return to the county town and continue to teach. "I was born in Lianping, and my family is in Lianping. Every time I think back to the eager eyes of my children in class, I can't bear to give up the job of teaching. Amai said.

"Auntie, Auntie, when will Abba come back?" Day after day, and another year passed. The doll wants Daddy to hold hands and swing on the swing. "The lyrics of this original song "Falling water" were inspired by Amai's personal experience." When I was very young, my parents went out to work and weren't home. I would wonder why I couldn't live with Mom and Dad. Ah Mai said that he wrote some of his understanding and thinking about the family and society as the only child of the "post-90s" into the song.

Lianping County, Heyuan City, in northern Guangdong Province, is surrounded by mountains, and the Jiulian Mountains are like long arms, enveloping the county town of 410,000 people. Like many small counties, many young people in Lianping County flock to the big cities to work, leaving their children at home.

Ah Mai said that he chose to stay because he had personal experience, he did not want to leave these children, "I understand what children lack, what they desire, I hope to stay more time with their children, accompany them to grow up healthily." ”

Between guitar and chalk, stage and podium, the band made a compromise decision – every Monday to Friday they stayed at school for normal classes, rehearsed and wrote after school, and only performed on weekends and holidays. During the epidemic, they also insisted on giving children online lessons.

The teacher was on fire, and the students in the class became small fans of the band. Amai said, "The children love these songs, and I feel that I have a heavier responsibility. I hope that through the songs, I will take the children to develop in a better direction. ”

In Aaron's view, the essence of rock is sincere, beautiful, and unique. He said it's important for children to learn to perceive beauty. Good aesthetics are not cookie-cutter, but have a lot of uniqueness. He hopes that the children's aesthetic abilities will continue to improve.

The blood on the stage is intense, and the stage is calm and simple. Whether it's being a musician in a big city or returning to a small county as a teacher, for Amai and Aaron, these are like the "real people" in their band's name, being their true selves.

Source: Xinhua Net