Former rock star Luo Qi attempts a comeback

She says she wouldn't be singing regular classics that the Chinese already know but will likely perform more contemporary numbers from lesser-known or newer bands. Luo adds that, although she's been away from the spotlight since she moved to Berlin, she's been to live shows in Germany and has fallen in love with electronic music.

"I hesitated before participating in the reality TV show, not only because I was pregnant, but also because the music scene here had changed and I wasn't sure about audience reaction.

"But soon I found out that the competition, for me, was all about rock and finding my voice again. It was about what I should sound like at this time in my life and career."

Luo says she didn't feel lonely onstage at the show because her son was around.

Luo wasn't a very happy child owing to her parents' divorce, but she focused on finding a career inspired by American rock star Jon Bon Jovi's music.

Recalling her early fame and setbacks, Luo says, she's fine with people's curiosity about her past.

"I was 16 when I gained fame and freaked out and stayed at home. I came to Beijing because of my passion for rock music, rather than with a desire to become a star," she says. "Now, I'm calm when people recognize me in the street ... my passion for music has got me back."

People are often a bit rebellious as teenagers but her situation was "amplified by rock music", Luo adds.

According to Jiang Shu, CEO of Tree Music, a Beijing-based indie music label that now manages Luo's shows and albums, Luo may be like a volcano onstage, but she can be really quiet when she isn't performing.

"For her fans, both old and new, Luo is both a mystery and a legend," says Jiang. His company will run eight of Luo's concerts in China in 2015, including one at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

Veteran songwriter Luo Bing has written a book titled My Music Territory, which includes chapters on the band, Compass, and on Luo Qi, whom he met in 1991.

"I will never forget the days when members of Compass lived together in a shabby house near Sanyuanqiao in Beijing. We shared food and money, and listened to Pink Floyd, Prince and the Cranberries," says Luo Bing, 47.

Luo Bing had written some songs for Luo Qi in the past, including the hit Comeback.

"I am glad Luo Qi is back," he adds.