Ye Bei's star to shine at Beijing pop event

In the 1990s, China's pop music scene was marked by a blend of global and local influences as well as significant shifts in the way music was produced, bought and appreciated. Among the diversity of genres around, the 1990s was greatly defined by campus folk music, which is driven by acoustic guitar and piano, and lyrics about campus romances, university life and youth.

Ye Bei was among the pioneers of the golden days of campus folk music in the 1990s. Along with other musicians, including singer Lao Lang, songwriters Xiao Ke and Gao Xiaosong, Ye's gentle, clear voice accompanied many through their youth, becoming a symbol of that era.

On Friday, after years of silence, she is finally making her long-awaited return with a concert, Listen, Tell and Write Alone, in Beijing with longtime friend, singer Lao Lang, as special guest.

The announcement was made during celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the Beijing International Pop Music Festival last Tuesday, leaving fans excited to be part of her music once more.

Ye says the concert is not just a musical journey, but also a heartfelt expression. She also says that she wants to share her growth with fans — stories of her musical journey and her personal evolution over the years. Each song will embody her reflections on time, and deeper understanding of life.

"I see each concert as a conversation," says Ye, who held her last concert in 2017 to mark the release of her fifth full-length album, In Love While Floating. "Through my music, I want to share the growth and changes I've experienced over the years."

She says that both her classic songs and newer material remain deeply connected to the emotions of that era, and offer listeners a chance to relive memories and experience the power of time through her voice.

Ye's mother was a pianist and her father an engineer. The Beijing native learned to play the piano as a child and in 1994, as a freshman at the China Conservatory of Music, she played the piano in hotel lobbies and also sang at bars. It was at a bar that she was approached by Gao Xiaosong, writer of the pop hit, My Deskmate, then sweeping the country.

Gao invited Ye to record demos, which later became some of the biggest hits in the country. They included No Regrets for Our Youth, Flying White Dress, and Rain After B Minor. Ye's life-changing association with Gao introduced her to some of the biggest names on the country's music scene, including Lao Lang, Xiao Ke, and Pu Shu.

"Music is my greatest passion and I love singing onstage because seeing the audience's eyes and expressions brings me great pleasure — nothing can replace that," she says. "Though I've been singing for decades, I still feel nervous before going onstage. My heart races. It's only when I hear the music and start singing that I feel better."

For her upcoming concert, Ye wants to present her more recent work in addition to classic tracks.

During the first Beijing International Pop Music Festival in 2015, Lao Lang gave a solo concert, with Ye as a guest performer. Nearly 10 years later, the tables have turned, and it is Lao Lang who will be Ye's guest. Both singers plan to freshen up their classics via new arrangements. Lao Lang won't be Ye's only guest, as singer-songwriter Chen Li will also be part of the concert.

"Performing alongside friends, this concert feels like coming full circle — a celebration of both the music that has defined me, and the friendships that have supported me along the way. I want to invite my audience not only into the world of music, but also into my deeper thoughts on independence, growth and the timeless bonds of friendship," Ye says.

The concert is just one of many live events planned for the 10th anniversary of the Beijing International Pop Music Festival. Others include concerts by singer-songwriter Hu Haiquan this coming Saturday, and by Russian singer Vitas on Sunday.

Since its launch in 2015, the Beijing International Pop Music Festival has hosted around 100 artists and groups, among them the Hanggai Band and the Valley Children, turning it into a cultural staple on the capital's pop scene.

"We have many great memories of the Beijing International Pop Music Festival. We have introduced not only artists from China, but also musicians and bands from abroad, so that the event appeals to different audiences," says Jiang Tao, founder of the festival, and also the general manager of Chia Tai Ice Music Production Ltd, one of the earliest production companies founded in Beijing in 1992. "Over the next 10 years, we want to open a new chapter by serving as a bridge for international musicians."