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Deng Dian (born March 13, 1999)

Is a rising male pop singer in China, known for his unique voice and smooth R&B style. He was born in Jiaozuo, Henan Province, and studied at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.In 2016, Deng participated in the local auditions for "Sing! China" in Wen County, Zhejiang. In 2018, he joined the Tencent Video talent show "The Coming One 2" and achieved fourth place in the national finals, marking his official debut. On August 3, 2018, he released his first EP, titled "D." Later that year, on November 18, he won the Campus Popular Singer Award at the "Sound for Youth: China College Music Super League."

In 2020, Deng appeared on the music show "Meet the Radio." In 2021, he released the single "Spellbound." In 2022, he came out with the EP "Groove." In 2023, he released the single "What a Mistake," and on April 27, he appeared on the variety show "Youth π Project," which aired on Mango TV.

Personal life

Deng Dian was born in Jiaozuo, Henan Province. Influenced by G-Dragon, he has a unique style, with two-thirds of his wardrobe consisting of brightly colored, exaggerated vintage women's clothing bought online. During high school, his favorite pastime was secretly listening to MP3s in his dorm room, and he often sang English songs during his free time. Because the admission scores for art students are slightly lower, he started studying music in the second half of his senior year. In 2017, Deng Dian was admitted to the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.

Performing experience

In 2016, Deng Dian participated in the Wen County auditions for the Zhejiang TV singing competition show "Sing! China"

In 2018, he joined the Tencent Video talent show "The Coming One 2," where he became one of the nine major contestants and performed the show's theme song "Waiting for You Tomorrow." On August 3, he released his first EP "D," which included songs like "Tempest" and "Did It My Way." On September 7, after multiple rounds of elimination, he secured fourth place in the national finals of "The Coming One 2," officially launching his career. In November, he appeared with Tian Yi on the QQ Music talk show "Meet the Radio." On November 18, he won the Campus Popular Singer Award at the "Sound for Youth: China College Music Super League."

In June 2019, Deng officially became a Sony Music artist.

In September 2020, he released his first full album, "Affected."

In 2021, he fully signed with Sony Music and released popular singles such as "Childish" and "Sea Under the Stars." In November, he released the new single "Spellbound," which topped various music charts and became a viral hit on short video platforms, earning the title of the year's phenomenal single.

"Negative" and "Extreme Sadness Turns to Joy" are the most artistic tracks on the album, yet they have completely different artistic directions.

In January 2023, Deng participated in the "2023 Henan TV New Year’s Eve Special," singing "Spellbound." On January 25, he appeared on Zhejiang TV's "2023 Beautiful China New Song Festival." On April 27, his music competition show "Youth π Project" aired, and on July 14, he reached the finals, securing third place and earning the title of "Hexagon Warrior." On July 9, he performed a medley of "Spellbound" and "Midnight Cha-Cha" at the 2023 TMEA Tencent Music Entertainment Awards. On July 16, he appeared on "Malan Mountain Mango Festival—Unlimited Graduation Ceremony," which aired on Hunan TV and Mango TV. On September 10, he participated in the "2023 Skyline Music Festival" held at the Ecological Green Valley Industrial Heritage Park in Changji.

Awards

The unique qualities of Deng Dian always become the focal point of his musical expression, making the diverse styles in his album feel cohesive rather than scattered. Listening to the whole album, this diversity actually activates Deng Dian's potential. It surrounds him like a halo, making the familiar Deng Dian feel refreshingly different, while still being the Deng Dian you know.

The biggest auditory difference in this album is that it completely breaks away from the traditional Chinese pop production model. There are no conventional ballads or familiar elements; the entire album is vibrant and dynamic. Even the love songs are sung with freedom and liveliness. This lack of rigid production boundaries makes the music feel natural and unpretentious, allowing the artist to fully express himself.

However, Deng Dian’s album has a balance and a sense of musical heritage. This is best seen in the songs "Unique" and "Mystery." Both are R&B tracks, but "Unique" leans towards the late 1990s Contemporary R&B, while "Mystery," composed and produced by Song Nianyu, combines PB-R&B with EDM sounds and atmospheric music. The former requires vocal tension and dominance, while the latter needs a blend of arrangement and atmosphere, utilizing harmonies, emotions, and breathing to create a rich context.

Deng Dian performs these two cross-generational styles seamlessly, despite the two songs spanning at least twenty years in style. This shows that Deng Dian has an old soul, yet also possesses future musical potential.

Although "Zuo Zuo Zuo Sui" is a very modern album, filled with electronic elements, many tracks like "Cry" and "Aurora" still retain band arrangements.

"Cry," with its Alternative R&B vibe and Trap-like rhythm, is performed by a band, providing a good balance between the real and the abstract.

"Aurora" features solid drum beats, adding strength and aligning with the theme of clean, direct light and power.

"Don't Stop" is a retro dance track, but under the production of Li Zhenquan, it includes guitar by early Beyond member Liu Zhiyuan, balancing retro with energetic, rhythmic wildness.

"Not Wanting to Wake Up" is a breakthrough for Deng Dian, using a lot of falsetto for the hook, giving the song a warm, relaxed feel. Compared to his previous openness in singing, this song uses emotional restraint and tone to convey the dreamy feeling of "not wanting to wake up." This approach synchronizes technique with content and represents a new dimension for a singer known for his powerful voice.

"Negative Film" and "Extreme sadness" are the two most artistic works of the album, but the artistic direction of the two works is completely different.

"Negative," composed by Chen Shimu, features an elegant and ethereal melody. NIA Yang Xinyu’s arrangement combines electronic sounds with acoustic instruments, creating an interplay of positive and negative images. Additionally, in "Cry," NIA Yang Xinyu uses fragmented sound effects and band arrangements, leaving a strong impression.

"Extreme Sadness Turns to Joy" uses cello, acoustic guitar, and harmonies to highlight Deng Dian's voice. His voice, with its sobbing, raspy quality, and grainy texture, pairs with the cello’s sorrowful tone to portray the poignant beauty of "sadness."

"Freud" is perhaps the most modern artistic piece on the album. Its rhythmic flexibility, unique vocal effects, futuristic synthesizer sounds, occasional harp-like tones, and Deng Dian's spontaneous performance create a magical musical dreamscape.

This integration of lyrics, composition, and vocals marks a departure from traditional Chinese pop ballads, making it impossible to replicate in karaoke. The song’s essence relies on the singer's unique contribution; without the singer, the song loses its life.

The album features contributions from established artists like Li Zhenquan and talented mid-generation musicians like Xiao Yu, but it is primarily driven by younger musicians, some even born after 1995. The international sound of the album comes naturally from these musicians, who have grown up in a globalized world and whose work inherently reflects that.

In particular, there is also a situation in many works of this album, that is, more than three musicians often appear in a work at the same time signed creation, this collectivized creation, especially from the beginning, is highly integrated music overall design creation, is also a major feature of the current international pop music. In this way, the overall sense of music can be stronger, rather than just the traditional mode of words + songs.

"Zuo Zuo Zuo Sui" is an album where the singer and the team mutually elevate each other. The production team's deep integration with Deng Dian’s vocals makes the album rich and three-dimensional. Even for Deng Dian's fans, it’s clear that this album owes a lot to the behind-the-scenes team.

In terms of musicality, Deng Dian’s "Zuo Zuo Zuo Sui" is a truly contemporary pop album. Its innovative structure and production will likely influence the next few years of music. Deng Dian is fortunate to have the talent to experience, witness, and create history.

Musical work

Album

Single

Film and Television Works

Variety Shows

Advertising endorsement

Event performance

Concert

Personal life

Reference data

1. ""Tomorrow's Son" Deng Dian's style is stunning adaptation of grasshopper classic like a throwback to the '80s". Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
2. "Singing textbook Deng Dian abnormal broken sound Qingfeng raucous praise "more perfect" below the glasses". Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-03. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
3. ""Youth Faction Project" ended, 6 winners, 5 successful gold plated, 2 unsatisfactory". Archived from the original on 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2023-08-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

• Deng Dian's Instagram account
• Wendi Deng's channel on YouTube
• 邓典的微博-Deng Dian's new micro blog
• 邓典的音乐-Deng Dian's music
• 邓典的脸书-Deng Dian's Facebook