Girl bands strike a chord with fans

In addition, due to the shows' smaller scale, fans have a greater influence on the performers.

Fan votes, CD sales and handshake tickets determine the ranking of idols from independent groups. By buying handshake tickets after each performance, fans can meet, interact with and take photos of girl groups. Such exchanges are crucial to strengthening the emotional connection between fans and their idols.

Fans make every effort to support their favorite idols in order to secure more resources for them.

In China, the emergence of these groups has social and psychological underpinnings. In 2020, research by China Youth Daily and the dating app Tantan found that just over 40 percent of those questioned said they had experienced social phobia, and nearly 53 percent believed they lacked interpersonal skills. Social phobia is a mental health condition that causes intense and persistent fear and anxiety in specific or all social situations.

The research findings partly explain the emergence of an independent girl group culture in China, in which group members realize their dreams as fans support them, and fans feel inspired and needed by their idols.