Band tunes in to fans with upbeat message

New Pants perform live. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In it, the singer-songwriter performs with his guitar against the background of his living room and balcony.

It has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, and the lyrics record Peng's current existence, just like that of many people, who have to stay at home to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, and his longing for life to return to normal.

"I can't wait to watch a New Pants show. I want to dance with the crowds at the show. Let's get together after the outbreak ends," wrote a fan on the band's Sina Weibo account.

"The lyrics sound so familiar. My family and my friends have been at home for a month. I really want to hang out with my friends now," commented another fan.

From Jan 25 to Feb 17, Peng updated his Sina Weibo platform by performing one song each day from home. He compared his days of working from home to "Groundhog Day", referencing a 1993 American comedy fantasy film directed by Harold Ramis.

Groundhog Day is an annual tradition held in the small Pennsylvanian town of Punxsutawney in the United States on Feb 2. Legend has it that if the groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its own shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If it doesn't, spring is imminent.

The film follows TV weatherman Phil Connors who, after reporting on the event, awakens the next morning to find it is Feb 2 again, and his day unfolds in almost exactly the same way. Connors is aware of the repetition, but everyone else seems to be living the day for the first time. He is trapped in a seemingly endless time loop, repeating the same day over and over again.