Reality-show singer to bring soulful voice to Beijing

Yuan Yawei (center) and her band, The Knutz, perform for the reality TV show China Star.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Standing against a red door, Yuan Yawei pulls her hair over one shoulder and flashes a wide smile. The warm afternoon sun makes her happy. Dressed in a white sweater and tight jeans, she giggles while posing in a narrow hutong (alley) of downtown Beijing.

Her laugh is a quick reminder of the singer-songwriter's bewitching voice and wide vocal range, which support her changing music styles, from pop and rock to her signature soulful tunes.

Despite having been in the music industry for more than 10 years, Yuan doesn't keep a high profile. She actually tries to avoid the limelight and simply enjoys her space.

On April 9, she will perform at a concert in Beijing, her first public appearance after participating in the popular reality TV show China Star, aired by Dragon TV since November.

Featuring influential Chinese singers as contestants and high-profile judges, including singer-songwriter Liu Huan and rock star Cui Jian, the show is produced by the Recording Academy and the China Recording Association, and aims to be an effective channel for Sino-US cultural exchanges.

After three months of competition, Yuan finished in third place.

"During the three months, I sang 13 songs in different styles. I tried some new styles," says Yuan, who is also known as Tia to her fans.

For the Beijing concert, Yuan will perform hits from her debut self-titled album, which was released in 2015 with soulful works, such as Love Can Fly and No Soul, No Good.

Fans can also enjoy the songs she performed on the TV show, including A Chu Gu Niang (The Girl, A Chu), written by songwriter Liang Fan.

Unlike Yuan's usual soul and jazz style, the slow pop number tells the story of a girl named A Chu from a small town.

The idea of singing the song came from Liu, an iconic figure on the Chinese mainland pop scene. Liu also recommended that Yuan participate in the show.

The two first met in 2012, when Yuan participated in the Voice of China, a popular reality show aired by Zhejiang Satellite TV.

Yuan attracted the attention of Liu after she adapted one of Liu's hits, The Crescent Moon, into a totally different style - soul mixed with blues.