Phoenix Legend's rise above critics

Pop duo Phoenix Legend: Ling Huang (left) and Zeng Yi. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

"We know we are considered as the online singers," says Zeng Yi, the other member of the duo, who is in charge of rapping.

While Ling Hua came from a family of herdsmen, Zeng once worked as a television repairer.

"The title I Am a Legend is not used to fight those opinions. We made lots of efforts to become who we are today and we want to let people know that anyone can be a legend as long as they stick to their dreams," Zeng says.

The two met in 1998 when they worked at nightclubs in Guangzhou. With the same passion for music, they formed a group called Cool Fire, singing South Korean and US pop songs. It took them nearly 10 years to become successful.

According to Xue Liping, CEO of Compass Culture Company, who has run the duo's concerts for three years, Phoenix Legend breaks the performance market pattern in China, which usually has audience aging from 20 to 45.

"Their fans range from children to senior people so the people that come to their shows are usually families," Xue says.