Golden oldies win hearts and new fans

The first National Senior Singer Competition, hosted by the China Association of the Universities for the Aged, the Guo Lanying Art Development Foundation, and video platform Douyin, concluded at Hengshui's Zhouwo Music Town in Hebei province on Oct 11.

Following rigorous first and second rounds, 800 contestants advanced to the semifinals. Ultimately, 261 entrants, ranging in age from 55 to 95, made it to the finals, living evidence of the vitality and enthusiasm of the older generations. During the six-day finals, contestants from all over the country took to the stage to deliver passionate and skillful performances.

The winners in the four competition categories received awards, with some performing on stage during the closing ceremony. Despite many having little to no performance experience, the singers displayed professionalism, drawing applause and cheers from the audience.

Since livestreaming of the competition began on Sept 11, the organizing committee has hosted 25 sessions lasting over 50 hours, and gaining widespread attention. The broadcasts got more than 1 billion views, with over 10 million viewers also tuning in to the Douyin livestream, where they left some 50 million likes, winning the show 200,000 fans. The platform is also planning to host a New Year's Eve concert, when viewers nationwide will be able to enjoy performances by these talented elderly singers via livestream.