Refreshing sound

A Bulgarian-Russian singer is making waves on a Hunan Satellite TV show

When he was 10 years old, Bulgarian-Russian singer Kristian Kostov remembers watching pop stars having fan meetings, which attracted crowds waiting for them and screaming their names.

"Is it real? How is that possible?" he wondered.

But now, things are happening to him after he joined Hunan Satellite TV's reality show, Singer, which kicked off on Jan 11 and lasts for 14 weeks.

When his name was announced by the show's team, millions of people searched Kostov on the internet.

His performance of the romantic song, Beautiful Mess, in the first episode won the 18-year-old singer-songwriter a fan base in China.

Now, he has about 200,000 followers on his Sina Weibo account.

"It's like a dream coming true. I've been a fan of the show, Singer, for three or four years. Last season was my favorite because Jessie J was in it. I am a big fan," says Kostov in Changsha, Hunan province, in his hotel room the day after recording the show.

"The fact that they say I am good enough for the show makes me go crazy. I almost cried the first time I saw the email from the TV show team," he adds.

Now, in its seventh year, Singer, the celebrity singing competition TV show, has been a great success for Hunan Satellite TV.

Each episode has celebrity singers perform live while the audience vote.

According to Hong Xiao, the director of the show, Singer, during the past seasons the show has built up a large fan base and distinguished itself with high quality live performances and exciting lineups.

This year, Kostov joined the show as the youngest performer, competing with six Chinese singers, including Liu Huan, Chyi Yu, and Yang Kun.