Camp gives musicians a space for harmony

At the China Musical Techno Base — a national music industry base in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, a group gathered with one common purpose — to unlock the melodies hidden within their hearts.

From May 13 to 19, 15 groups of indie musicians joined the Galaxy Album Creation Camp, an event launched by NetEase Cloud Music, a leading music streaming service provider in China. Within seven days, they were bound by their love for music and the desire to express themselves through lyrics and melody.

Led by experienced mentors and seasoned songwriters, such as singer-songwriter and producers Sandee Chan and George Chen, the camp offered a nurturing environment where young talents honed their skills, experimented with new sounds and collaborated with like-minded peers. Each day was filled with workshops, jam sessions and mentoring, providing ample opportunities for growth and inspiration.

"It was not just about perfecting production skills or crafting catchy hooks. At the heart of the camp was a deeper exploration of self-expression and storytelling," says singer-songwriter Li Dingding, one of the musicians at the camp.

"It was the first time that I joined in a songwriting camp, where I met many talented musicians. Before I came here, I knew nothing about the other musicians, never heard of their music, which allowed me to have a sense of freshness," says Li, 36, whose music style ranges from R&B to hip-hop.

The singer-songwriter, who came from a mountainous area in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Xichang, Southwest China's Sichuan province, launched her music career on a Chinese TV show in 2012 but soon withdrew from the limelight, devoting herself to songwriting.

Before becoming a full-time singer-songwriter, Li, an English major in university, had various jobs, working as an English teacher, waitress, tour guide and English translator.

In 2019, she wrote and released her first song, Summer Time Summer Love, and released her debut album, Cool Acid Soul, the same year.

"I can still remember the day when I came up with the idea of writing my first song, Summer Time Summer Love, which was a very magical moment," says Li. "I was with a friend, who was playing guitar. I initiated the idea of writing a song together and we started.

"I usually write some notes and record melodies when I get inspired. Then I work on them, trying to develop them into songs. When I worked with other musicians in the songwriting camp, I observed and learned from them," says Li. "The songwriting camp serves as a transformative experience, pushing me beyond my comfort zone and unlocking creative potential."

Like Li, Peace & Wave, a Shanghai-based band founded in 2015, also had their first experience of a songwriting camp. Featuring four members, the band frequently performs at outdoor music festivals across China and has gained a large fan base with their original materials in a funky style. Their latest album, This Is Why We Don't Sleep, came out in August 2023.

"As a band, we usually have a collective creative process, stimulating creativity through the coordination of different musical instruments and transforming inspiration into complete works. When we joined the songwriting camp, we met other musicians and communicated with one another. We shared our songs, told stories and exchanged ideas, which was a totally new and exciting experience," says Li Xiaoyu, guitar player and main songwriter of the band.

"We put aside our own experience on songwriting and listened to others. We worked together to bring out new songs," he adds.

According to Tang Jingjing, general manager of the original music creation studio of NetEase Cloud Music, the Galaxy Album Creation Camp was first launched in 2020 and has had five editions. Each edition brings out outstanding music works, which are released in albums. The albums enjoyed the massive promotional resources of NetEase Cloud Music, allowing these songs to be heard by more people.

Besides the Galaxy Album Creation Camp, NetEase Cloud Music has also built other platforms for communication and inspiration among young musicians.

"The original intention of the camp has always been to provide opportunities for talented and promising young musicians to grow, communicate and be heard," says Tang, adding that there are more than 680,000 subscribed singer-songwriters on the platform of NetEase Cloud Music. "With the rise of a new generation of original Chinese musicians, the ongoing music scene in the country has shown unprecedented vitality. They boldly cross the boundaries of musical styles, exploring new frontiers in Chinese music."