While other Super Girls swiftly staged concerts and raked in
money for films, TV, advertisements and promotions, Shanghai Super
Girl Shang Wenjie has yet to break into show business, writes Yao
Minji.
The 2006 Super Girl Shang Wenjie, considered somewhat withdrawn
and introverted, has created something of a stir since she hasn't
appeared much in public. Sunday night was her first concert, a duo
performance, and it was packed.
Shang's absence from the limelight has generated talk about her
lack of visibility and reports of differences with her promoters.
The story goes that Shanghai's Super Girl was unhappy about her
lack of promotion but promoters found that she was rather remote
and difficult to package and advertise. Sometimes she simply didn't
show up for events, reports said.
Shang, however, is viewed by many as more intellectual than
other singers. She is an extraordinary success story: Shang entered
the Super Girl contest three times in Hangzhou, Chengdu and
Guangzhou before she finally reached the national finals and
triumphed. But that's not enough.
Since she was crowned on September 30, Shang hasn't released an
album, she even hasn't had solo concerts, major appearances, shown
up for significant promotions or launched big advertising
campaigns. Her debut work is a book about her experiences studying
in France during college - and that hasn't been released yet.
The 2005 Super Girls Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang both released
their albums, got advertisements and made their appearances in
films or TV series shortly after the contest.
Unlike Li or Zhou, Shang only occasionally attended large events
or concerts with numerous other stars. Her infrequent public
appearances explain why the concert hall was crowded on Sunday
night. It was thronged by "sesames," the nickname of Shang's fans,
so called in a play on the pronunciation of her name.
Shang performed several songs - a striking change from her
previous appearances in which she sang only one or two songs. She
performed with Ding Wei, a veteran local singer, in Bailey's Best
Shared Music Party.
"It's not like I don't want to attend events, but it depends on
the types of the events and timing. For this one, the organizers
think I embody the idea of an intellectual woman, what they try to
promote. And I like their drinks. We clicked," Shang told
Shanghai Daily.
It was interesting to see Shang in a pink outfit, since her
Super Girl television image was rather gender-neutral. She had
short hair and wore long pants, just like Li and Zhou.
Now she walks carefully, wears perfect makeup and is accompanied
by two assistants. She appears carefully programmed and slightly
nervous.
Shang is generally considered introverted and low-key, not a
perfect match for the entertainment business where an outgoing
personality helps.
"Many say that I don't fit in the entertainment business, maybe
they are right. But I don't plan to change my personality, that's
impossible since I'm already 24," she says. "I just want more
people to hear my music. If they like it and are moved by my songs,
I'll stay on."
Only a year ago, nobody could have seen Shang as a star, least
of all Shang herself.
With a degree in French from prestigious Fudan University, Shang
was a typical office lady, working hard during the weekdays and
hanging out with friends on weekends, often in karaoke parlors.
Nobody would guess that she would sing all the way to the
championship. As the "dark horse" of the contest, Shang failed in
the preliminary in Hangzhou, neighboring Zhejiang Province. If she
had stopped there, she would have been just one of many young
people who failed their dreams.
"I can see myself in her," says Sabrina Cai, a 26-year-old
marketing manager, one of the "sesames," who are usually
well-educated young women working as office ladies, teachers, and
in other jobs for which they are over-qualified.
"She embodies the spirit of smart, hard-working and determined
office ladies in Shanghai," she says.
"Determined" is the key word, as Shang pursued the contest by
entering the preliminary in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, after she
failed in Hangzhou. This time, she made it but didn't reach the
regional top 10.
She started all over again in Guangzhou, capital city of
Guangdong Province. Her path was difficult due to scarcity of
supporters - winning requires a high number of SMS messages. But
she made it, although much more slowly and with more difficulty
than other Super Girls.
During this demanding process, Shang paid the price because she
was not able to see her parents or friends for months.
"Whenever my parents call, they're like 'I want to cook for you
because we haven't had a meal together for so long'," recalls
Shang.
She says that she is so recognizable nowadays that she has to
put on hats or sunglasses to disguise herself on the streets.
"I don't regret entering Super Girl, although I have paid the
price of getting famous. I have met many friends through the
competition, not only other Super Girls but also my fans, the
'sesames.' I want to continue to share my music with them," she
says.
Now Shang is working on her first album. She wants it to be a
simple music work that can move others emotionally.
"For now, I want to focus on music," concludes Shang.
?
(Shanghai Daily February 16, 2007)
