Overseas sound waves crescendo
By Chen Nan | China Daily | Updated: 2024-01-26 06:22
"It's been seven years since the first time I listened to your song. And now I'm a university student; your songs have been accompanying me throughout my youth, creating lasting memories," comments a fan of Danish pop singer-songwriter Christopher Nissen.
Another fan of Nissen writes: "You are the most hardworking artist I have ever seen — you keep updating your social media frequently."
With nearly 200,000 followers on his Sina Weibo account, Nissen communicates with his fans in China and keeps them posted about his tours in Chinese cities.
"Nihao to all my friends in China! I am so excited to share great news with you: I'll be back in China on tour this year! I know many of you have been waiting patiently these years. And I can't wait to bring my music to you in person," the singer-songwriter posted on his Sina Weibo on Sept 16.
"It feels truly amazing. I feel the Chinese fans have been incredible over the years and have been with me for around 10 years now. China was actually the first country outside of Denmark that I had hits in, so it feels very special to me," Nissen tells China Daily.
Born in 1992 and having five albums to his name, the singer-songwriter has gained about 780,000 fans on QQ Music, one of the streaming platforms that are part of the Tencent Music Entertainment Group, a leading online music-and-audio platform in China.
The first song he released on Chinese streaming platforms was Against the Odds in 2011. So far, he has released more than 200 tracks in China, including remixes and acoustic versions.
"I kept having success with songs, and I was amazed to be met by fans already at the airport (when) arriving. It was truly memorable and unbelievable to grasp that my music connected so far away from home. It was like a dream," says Nissen, who has also made appearances on Chinese TV shows.
Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora Aksnes made her first trip to Beijing last year. Besides performances and meet-and-greets with fans, she spent a week in the capital enjoying cultural experiences like listening to pipa (four-stringed lute) music, tasting tea and wearing traditional Chinese clothes.
"It's important that our cultures merge. Music and art get to stretch their arms as far as possible," says the singer-songwriter, whose album, The Gods We Can Touch, received warm feedback on Chinese music-streaming platforms.