Chapter 94

Two days later, the second round of the Top Ten Competition for "Next Queen of Pop" finally kicked off.

At the Magic City Television Center, the high lights came on, and with the familiar opening music, the host Pudding walked onto the stage.

Today, Pudding was dressed in a white suit, exuding the air of a seasoned host, radiating the demeanor of a top-notch emcee.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen in the audience, and to all our viewers across the nation. I am Pudding, the host of 'Next Queen of Pop.'"

"After the first round of competition, we have already seen five contestants stand out and advance to the top ten."

"Starting today, the second round will be even more intense, as we only have half of the top ten spots left... The outcome is still uncertain."

"Before we introduce today's contestants, let's first introduce our judges for today! Although... you are already very familiar with them."

"Yi Bai, a new benchmark in the music industry of Longguo, young and talented, he ranked sixth in last year's Longguo Pop Music Annual Downloads. He is also an excellent actor, with his lead role in a movie achieving significant box office success, making him both an idol and a powerhouse!"

Under the guidance of the lights and cameras, Yi Bai's chiseled face showed a modest smile as he waved to the audience, immediately causing a huge cheer.

"Yi Bai, actually, I don't like you, because you are too handsome, which puts a lot of pressure on me as the host."

Pudding joked on stage, and Yi Bai laughed, making a gesture of surrender, which caused even more cheers from the audience.

"The second judge is Ma Haoran, not only the new leader of Longguo's rock scene but also the youngest professor at the top music college in Longguo. His album's highest sales once ranked in the top twenty in Longguo!"

Ma Haoran had a slicked-back hairstyle and was dressed in blue jeans, looking very rock and roll. When the camera turned to him, he immediately stood up and waved to the audience, his face showing a rare, warm smile.

"Our third judge... is Luo Bingqing, one of the undisputed queens of Longguo's music industry, who has been famous nationwide for twenty years. Her hit song 'Mysterious Charm' was even selected as the opening song at an international music festival."

"Hello, everyone!"

Luo Bingqing turned to wave at the audience, loudly greeting them, exuding the air of a big sister. Time had not left many marks on her face, and she looked even more mature and graceful, a rare sight.

"Sister Luo, your voice is still as good as ever," Pudding said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Still as good as ever, does that mean you think I'm old?" Luo Bingqing feigned dissatisfaction.

Pudding waved his hands frantically, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I misspoke. You are a queen, please don't take it to heart with a small host like me."

"Haha." Luo Bingqing pointed at Pudding, laughing helplessly.

"The last judge... has held over a thousand concerts nationwide. Many people's parents grew up listening to his songs. He is one of the living legends of the music industry, with countless honors to his name. He is the idol of three generations, the song god, Zhang Zonghuan!"

This time, the camera used special effects, making it look incredibly cool.

Although Zhang Zonghuan was a bit older, he was in good spirits, looking vibrant and stylish under the camera. He clasped his hands together and greeted the audience earnestly.

He was the most senior, accomplished, and influential of the four judges. It was a rare feat for the production team to invite such a legendary singer as a judge.

"All four judges are heavyweights. I'm almost too intimidated to host," Pudding joked, causing many in the audience to smile in understanding.

Although this lineup of judges had been in place for a long time, seeing them together still brought a wave of excitement.

Pudding paused, then his voice became more passionate, "Let's give a warm round of applause for our first contestant of the day, the stage fairy—Li Tianyin!"

The first to appear was actually Li Tianyin?

This was unexpected for many, but it didn't stop the audience from showing their support. As Pudding's voice faded, the auditorium erupted in sharp cheers.

"Tianyin, Tianyin, you will win the championship!"

"In our hearts, you are always the best!"

Li Tianyin's fans occupied the western stands, waving their glow sticks and shouting slogans in unison, creating a powerful and impressive atmosphere.

The entire audience was infected, starting to clap enthusiastically. No one doubted that Li Tianyin would be eliminated, as she had always been in the same league as Su San and Chu Yue.

As for Liu Qin, who was also highly anticipated...

Due to her absence in the previous round, some fans had already become dissatisfied with her. There were also rumors that Liu Qin had been expelled from the "Next Queen of Pop" production team, though the truth was unknown.

In any case, Liu Qin was now embroiled in controversy, her future uncertain.

On stage, Pudding looked at Li Tianyin and asked with a smile, "Your outfit today is very beautiful, perfectly highlighting your ethereal charm."

Li Tianyin was wearing a ruffled skirt that swayed with her movements, paired with golden high heels, giving her an air of untouchable elegance.

But she remained humble, "Actually, it's all thanks to the stylist."

Because her performance of "Peach Blossom" was so stunning, causing a significant impact, her recent outfits have been designed to emphasize her ethereal charm.

The audience, fans, and even the journalists who love to dig for news eat this up.

Pudding said seriously, "A good outfit needs to match the person's aura. Otherwise, it would just be a poor imitation. You are truly beautiful."

Li Tianyin covered her mouth and laughed lightly, exuding a ladylike demeanor, "Pudding, please don't flatter me so much, I'm afraid I might get too proud."

"Alright... Can you tell us what song you will be performing today?" Pudding asked.

At this stage of the competition, it's not just about singing. A small interaction with the audience before the performance can build up their anticipation.

"Next Queen of Pop" has always been forward-thinking in this regard.

Li Tianyin lightly pursed her lips and then smiled, "Today, I will be performing an original song."

"An original song?"

As Li Tianyin's words fell, the audience erupted in cheers.

"Li Tianyin's last original song, 'Peach Blossom,' was of very high quality. I didn't expect her to perform another original song today. I'm so excited!"

"Although 'Next Queen of Pop' always has great performances, the songs we really love are either remakes or original songs..."

"Indeed, because if there are no changes, we might as well listen to the original."

"That's why Liu Qin is so popular. Her songs are all original, and only those unheard, yet high-quality songs can stir the blood."

In the center of the stage, Pudding was also a bit surprised, "Another original song? I'm so excited. Your last song, 'Peach Blossom,' was very beautiful. What is this song called?"

"This song..." Li Tianyin paused for a moment and then said, "This song is called 'Youth Memories.' I recently watched 'Those Years We Chased After Girls'... After watching it, I was deeply moved, so I created this song, 'Youth Memories.'"

"'Those Years We Chased After Girls'?"

Pudding was slightly taken aback, then excitedly said, "Last time, Liu Qin created 'Those Years' based on this novel... This time, you are also creating a song based on this novel. Is it to challenge Liu Qin?"

Li Tianyin smiled softly, "I really like Sister Liu Qin's 'Those Years,' but this song is not to challenge her. It is simply to reminisce and pay tribute to the time of my youth that has passed..."