China Entertainment 1997

To this day, Cao Xuan will not pay too much attention to a movie unless it is a movie in which he participates or is an important project of Fanxing.

Cao Xuan made special arrangements for "The Journey to Thailand" because it is expected to reach 1 billion+. Otherwise, Fanxing executives would be responsible for it, and he would only read a report.

After Xu Zheng agreed to the conditions, he was declined even if he wanted to meet Boss Cao.

Of course, it's not that Boss Cao doesn't like him, but that Cao Xuan really doesn't have time.

On December 21st, Cao Xuan's new album started to hit the charts. Cao Xuan, who had been idle for more than half a year, rarely came out for activities. He really didn't have time to see Xu Zheng.

The British "Sound of the Sky" is a music program under the British Sky TV and one of the largest pay TV stations in Europe. It competes with France 4 and Deutsche Satellite TV for the European TV crown.

"Sound of the Sky" is an influential music program in the UK and even Europe. Countless superstars have appeared on this program.

Cao Xuan is no exception. This is his third time here.

The first time was to promote the album "Legend", the second time was the exclusive interview after winning the Brit Award, and this time.

One thing that stood out to Cao Xuan about this show was that the host changed every day. He came three times, and they were all different hosts. The first time he was an old white man, the second time it was a young black woman, and now he has become a host with Indian characteristics. beauty.

"Hello, Cao, I am the host, you can call me Alyosha."

"Excuse me, this name..."

"Many people will be curious. My father is Belarusian and my mother is Indian. My grandfather got my name, which is very Eastern European."

"I see."

Cao Xuan understood that immigration in Europe was complicated, with various countries traveling back and forth. A little exaggerated bloodline could form the bloodline of the Eight-Power Allied Forces.

This Alyosha should be of mixed race, but her mother's genes are relatively strong, so she looks like a South Asian. He also has an Eastern European name, which makes it difficult for people to misunderstand him.

This Alyosha is very talkative, and he knows a lot of information about Cao Xuan very well. It can be said that he has a wealth of information.

If he hadn't felt that she might question her professionalism, Cao Xuan would have wanted to ask her if she was his fan.

After chatting for a while, the two officially started recording the show.

"Voice of the Sky" is a very diverse program. Although the process is interview + performance, the specific style varies depending on the host.

Some hosts are more serious when chatting, and like to talk about some majors or creative ideas, or music history, such as the old white man Cao Xuan came back for the first time.

Some hosts like to play chicken soup, always telling a few truths about life, and they are good at digging up gossip and finding explosive points from the guests. For example, Cao Xuan returned for the second time and gave it to a young woman.

Alyosha had a completely different style from the two of them. They talked about everything and whatever came to mind, just like an ordinary chat between friends, but with a bit of host sensitivity.

"Do you come to the UK often?"

"It's not too long. It comes once a year on average. Sometimes it may be a little more."

"You have been to the UK so many times, what is the most impressive thing about the UK?"

"It rains, it rains continuously. I don't know if it's a coincidence, but it rained almost half the time I came to the UK, and a lot of the rest of the time it was cloudy."

"Haha, Britain has a maritime climate, and it does rain a lot. I remember one year it rained for a month in a row, and I never left my hand with an umbrella every day."

As Alyosha, who has lived in the UK all year round, it is impossible not to know about the frequent rainy season in the UK, so she couldn't help but complain, and then asked again.

"Do you like the rain?"

"Quite like."

Cao Xuan told the truth and even described his feelings: "I really enjoy the sound of raindrops hitting the ground. If I am not busy, I will make a cup of tea or coffee, move a chair, and sit in front of the window or the yard. Enjoying the rain while sipping tea, and reading a book when you have free time, I enjoy that kind of solitude and tranquility very much.”

"What a beautiful picture. I want to try everything you mentioned."

"It's really good, you'll have a very comfortable afternoon."

Cao Xuan strongly suggested that he really likes rain. In addition to the above, he also likes to sleep listening to the sound of rain. He will have a special sense of security and sleep particularly sweetly.

"Of course, although I like rain, I don't like it to rain all the time. It will get moldy over time. It's also a pleasure to bask in the sun."

Boss Cao has always been calm. It rains for a day or two every once in a while, which is fun, but it is troublesome every day, and it may become a disaster.

"Why did you choose to start promoting your new album in Europe this time? Is there a special reason?"

"I can't talk about any special reasons. I also have many fans in Europe. It's a normal promotion process."

There is no doubt that the promotion of the English album will focus on North America. After the official release, Cao Xuan will go to North America to take charge.

Next is Asia, but the basic market is too solid, so there is no need to worry too much. On the contrary, it is Europe, the market is not small, so he has put less energy into it, so this time he can make up for it.

"We see that the name of your new album is "Ring down the curtain", which means ending/ending something. What does it mean?"

"I am an actor. Every movie and role I play has its own ending. Just like our lives, they have ups and downs and will eventually end. What we have to do is to do what we should do before the end. Whatever you do, try to leave as few regrets as possible.

This is my personal attitude towards life, and there are several songs in the album that discuss and express this point of view.

So I named the album "Ring down the curtain", everything has an end. "

Cao Xuan explained his intention for naming the album. After explaining the above reasons, he hesitated and continued.

“There is another intention, which is that this is probably my last pure English album.

At the same time, this album is also the end of my career as a singer. If nothing happens, I will retire from the music scene within the next three years. I hope that my career will have a perfect ending. "

"..."

Alyosha violated the host's taboo, and everyone was stunned, leaving Cao Xuan alone here.

But no one found fault with her, because everyone, whether it was the photographer or the audience, was dumbfounded. After a moment, Alyosha finally reacted and stood up excitedly, questioning everyone on his behalf.

"Why?"

Cao Xuan leaned back on the sofa and after expressing the decision he had been hiding in his heart, he felt relieved and his expression became relaxed.

"I'm old."

"You're not even forty years old."

"That's old enough."

Cao Xuan's tone was indifferent, but his words were cruel: "In my twenties, I have endless energy. I can write songs, sing, film, and do business, and I don't feel tired at all.

But it’s different now. I don’t have that much energy to cope with so much work, and more importantly, I don’t have enough creative passion and desire.

Maybe I can still write a few good songs, but compared to my peak, the quality and quantity will drop significantly.

Instead of doing this, it is better to say goodbye, make way for the new ones, and let everyone have a better memory of me. "

"this……"

Alyosha still found it difficult to accept Cao Xuan's approach, but he didn't know what to say to save it, so he could only smile bitterly.

"I believe that after this episode, many people will be too sad to sleep, including me."

"Maybe this is life. There are regrets and farewells. Without Cao, there may be Chris Lee and Charles Wang in the future."

"No, in our hearts, no one can replace you."

Cao Xuan was silent for a moment and nodded: "Thank you."

"Let's talk about the exit plan. Will there be a farewell concert?"

Alyosha seemed to let himself go, ignoring other issues and focusing on exploring Cao Xuan's retirement plan. The program team had no intention of stopping him. On the contrary, they were eager to talk about this topic for more time.

The world's superstars are retiring with their hands on their hands. Their program may go down in history and gain huge popularity at the same time.

Based on this alone, they didn't even hesitate to ask the director team to hug Cao Xuan and kiss him...

"After "Ring down the Curtain", there should be another album, which will also be the last one. After that, I will hold a farewell concert around the world. When the concert is over, I will officially retire."

"This is both happy and painful news for all our fans."

Alyosha's tone is complicated. Cao Xuan has held very few concerts, only one in 2007 worldwide. Many fans are looking forward to him holding another concert.

Now that they have finally received Cao Xuan's confirmation, it is supposed to be good news, but after this concert, it also means that their favorite singer bids farewell to the music industry, so who can be happy?

At the end of the interview, Cao Xuan performed the currently charting song "Dusk Till Dawn" on "Sound of the Sky".

"Baby I'm right here

Baby I'm right here

But you'll never be alone

You will never be lonely

I'll be with you from dusk till dawn

I will accompany you from dusk to dawn

I'll be with you from dusk till dawn

I will stay with you from dusk to dawn

…”

It is obviously a love song of confession, but all the song titles have different tastes. Many Cao Xuan fans could not help but burst into tears.

This is the case for the host Alyosha. She took a photo of Cao Xuan singing on stage, and finally took a group photo with Cao Xuan. She also found a photo of her when she first went to college and bought Cao Xuan's album with her classmates. The article was posted on Twitter and Instagram.

[Thanks for having you, my youth, no matter what decision you make, I will always support you]

Alyosha is also a beauty and a celebrity. He still has a lot of fans. Many people commented below.

However, the program had not yet aired at this time, and everyone thought that the host was excited when he saw Cao Xuan. Those who left messages were all congratulating Alyosha on his success in chasing stars, or looking forward to watching Cao Xuan's interview when the program was broadcast.

Cao Xuan himself didn't care. After participating in a few more interviews, he went to Germany and France.

Announcement of his decision to retire was already part of his plan, but he originally thought he would do it after the album was over, and even planned to hold a special press conference.

As a result, the interview was rushed and it was announced directly, but it doesn’t matter, we will talk about it sooner or later, so as to increase the popularity of the new album.

And this is also good, the decision was made calmly. If holding a press conference was a bit ostentatious, Zhao later quit the sketch and announced it in a program. The purpose was achieved and it saved worry and trouble.

However, Cao Xuan still underestimated the influence of his announcement of retirement.

Lao Zhao was already in decline at that time, and although he had high national popularity, his popularity among fans was not enough.

Cao Xuan is different. He is still at his peak. He is one of the best in terms of popularity, number of fans, and popularity. And this is just domestically. He is also one of the most popular singers internationally.

It is definitely a big event for such a superstar to announce his retirement.

Although "Voice of the Sky" was afraid of the news leaking, in order to ensure the effect, it still contacted Cao Xuan and hoped that he would not disclose it to the outside world for the time being. After receiving an agreed reply, it gritted its teeth and frantically campaigned for several days until January 1, 2013. On this day, the program was officially broadcast.

On the first day of 2013, everyone was immersed in the New Year atmosphere, and then they saw the headlines around the world.

"Chinese Cao announces that he will retire from the music scene within three years, saying he does not want to face falling from the top"

"The Legend Ends, the Asian King's Decision"

"The Pride of a Superstar: I want to leave a good impression on all my fans"

"Asia's Pop Emperor Retires, Shocking the World Music Circle"

"The "Twilight" of Cao Xuan's Music Circle, Watch and Cherish"

"Countdown to Leaving, There's Another Album + Concert"

"Revealing the secret, why Cao Xuan was preparing to leave at his peak"

"..."

The British media were the first to catch up. Sky TV, BBC, The Sun, and The Times were the first to publish articles, followed closely by major media outlets across Europe.

Because of the time difference, it was already a few hours after it reached the country, and then the media throughout Asia became a sensation.

Media outlets in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore all gave front-page headlines. Domestic Weibo directly ranked first in hot searches and Baidu search index, and was reprinted by a large number of marketing accounts and self-media.

At the beginning, many people thought this was fake, but later people added subtitles to the video of "Sound of the Sky" and turned it around. After it was fully confirmed, the Internet exploded.

The New Year's Day holiday has just passed, and Cao Xuan's fans, passers-by, ordinary netizens and even his anti-fans have all joined in the discussion.

Still have the same doubt, why did Cao Xuan quit the music scene?

[Didn’t Cao Xuan’s program explain it? My creative ability has declined and I want to leave with my peak image]

[This is good. Look at how much Jay Chou has been scolded in the past two years. I would rather not listen to music than to let my boss end up like that.]

[That’s you. If Cao Xuan declines, his level will still be better than 90% of singers. His retirement is a loss to the music industry]

[That’s right, let’s not talk about it domestically. Overseas, Cao Xuan has been the only one for so many years. Who will take over after he leaves?]

[In fact, there are some signs in the past two years. After leaving the Spring Festival Gala, the frequency of album releases has become less and less, which shows that Cao Xuan’s plan is not just a day or two.]

[Three years later, I will only be 40 years old. I am still in my prime. What a pity]

[Actually, Cao Xuan’s decision is not surprising. He himself said that he sang just for money. Compared to singers and businessmen, his favorite is actors.]

[It is true that over the years, I have gained fame and status, and I have such a huge net worth. There is no need to come out to sing. If I were him, I would have quit a long time ago]

[I understand what you are saying, but I started listening to his music in 2002. I have been a fan for ten years and I can’t let it go]

[I started listening to it in 1998, and I can’t stand it anymore]

[If your creativity is declining, you can release it slowly. You can release one song in two years. At least it’s just a thought. Why quit?]

[Yes, yes, we are not too little, but please don’t quit]

[Do you really believe it? This is all hype. That guy quit back then and later came back. Cao Xuan did this to promote the album]

[I don’t believe in others, but I believe in Cao Xuan. Not to mention that he has never gone back on his word in recent years. The key point is that other celebrities may be short of money. Unless Cao Xuan goes bankrupt, there is really no need to play this trick]

[I also believe him. If he doesn’t withdraw, Cao Xuan will not hold a concert]

[Damn, it’s true, this guy is incredibly lazy. If it’s not a big deal, there’s no way he can hold a concert]

[No more chatting, I’m going to work overtime and prepare to save money to buy concert scalper tickets]

[It’s estimated that you won’t be able to grab tickets by then, and scalper tickets will be very expensive]

【……】

Everyone has their say. For most passers-by, although it is a pity, they can still accept it. However, Cao Xuan's fans are more uncomfortable. Cao Xuan's Weibo is full of appeals to stay.

But after all, it was just a decision announcement, Cao Xuan did not quit directly, and there were still two albums and concerts to be held, so everyone was not too excited.

Many people even imagine that Cao Xuan changed his mind, suddenly recovered, and chose not to quit again.

Cao Xuan never responded to this matter. In a subsequent interview, he also said that he would promote the new album first and talk about other things later.

After Cao Xuan deliberately lowered the temperature, everyone was disturbed for a while and gradually returned to normal. More people focused on Cao Xuan's new album.

No matter what Cao Xuan chooses later, he can listen to every song now.

In early January, Cao Xuan released his second chart-topping song "High Hopes".

There are actually several versions of this song. The most classic one was sung by the Pink Floyd band, and Cao Xuan’s version was a version by an American band in 2018. The Chinese translation is called "High Hopes".

This song is a pretty good inspirational song. It was very popular in the United States and once became the representative of the music scene in 2018.

The reason for its popularity is also very interesting, because this song is very positive, so it is used in many editing soundtracks.

For example, it is equivalent to the domestic version of "The Light of the Righteous Path"...

But in fact, although it is a bit "bad street", the quality of this song is very good. The lyrics have inspirational and beautiful meanings. It has been firmly on the billboard all year round and has been nominated for multiple awards.

Because the melody is relatively passionate, it has been used as the soundtrack for many sports events. For example, during the Winter Olympics in later generations, this song was actually quite popular.

To some extent, this song is Cao Xuan's exclusive song for American fans, and domestic fans may not like it.

Although Cao Xuan has always emphasized that music has no borders, some songs are like this. Chinese people may not like songs that are popular in the United States. Songs that are popular in China may not be popular in the United States.