# Sing! China

Sing! China (Chinese: 中国好声音; pinyin: Zhōngguó Hǎo Shēngyīn; formerly Chinese: 中国新歌声; pinyin: Zhōngguó Xīn Gēshēng) is a Chinese singing competition television series broadcast on Zhejiang Television. It is produced by Star (CM) Holdings Ltd. It premiered during the summer on 15 July 2016. It is a re-branded version of The Voice of China, a show based on the original The Voice of Holland. It has aired seven seasons and aims to find new singing talent (solo or duets, professional and amateur) contested by aspiring singers, aged 18 or older (16 or older in seasons one and two), drawn from public auditions.
The winner is determined by live audience voting by SMS text. They receive a record deal with various labels for winning the competition. Winners of the past seven seasons have been: Jiang Dunhao (蒋敦豪), Tashi Phuntsok (扎西平措), Tenzin Nyima (旦增尼玛), Xing Hanming (邢晗铭), Shan Yichun (单依纯), Wu Keyue (伍珂玥), and Sumi Liang (梁玉莹).
The series employs a panel of four coaches who critique the artists' performances and guide their teams of selected artists through the remainder of the season. They also compete to ensure that their act wins the competition, thus making them the winning coach. The original panel featured Jay Chou, Na Ying, Wang Feng, and Harlem Yu. Other coaches from previous seasons include Eason Chan, Liu Huan, Nicholas Tse, Li Jian, Wang Leehom, Li Ronghao, Chris Li, Hacken Lee and Fish Leong.
The latest season eight began airing on 28 July 2023 with Wakin Chau, Joker Xue, Wilber Pan, and Henry Lau joining as new coaches, but it was put on hold on 25 August 2023 pending an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of late singer Coco Lee, who was one of the coaches on Sing! China in 2022, and other issues raised by the netizens and viewers of the program.

## Format

The series consists of three main phases: a blind audition, a battle phase, and live performance shows. The four judges/coaches choose teams of contestants through a blind audition process. Each judge has the length of the auditioner's performance to decide if he or she wants that singer on his or her team. They can do it by pressing their button and their chairs will face the artist, just like in The Voice. If only one coach want the same singer, that singer will be defaulted to his/her team. If two or more coaches want the same singer (as happens frequently), the singer has the final choice of coach.
In Season 8, for the first time in the history of the show, artists have two options to choose from before they go on stage: Blind Audition and Open Selection. If they choose the former, the show will proceed by the normal rules. If they chose the latter, the coaches will turn around and judge the artists as they perform. In addition, if a coach presses the red button during the Open Selection, it will turn the coach's chair back and the singer isn't allowed to pick that coach. At the end of the performance, if the coach didn't press the button, it means that the students are invited to join that team.
Since 2018, artists that are not selected by any of the coaches leave the stage directly after their song and do not talk with the coaches. The chairs do not turn and hence the coaches do not see any artists that are not picked. Exceptions include if a coach wants to see the unchosen artist after their performance by request. However, this has been reversed in Season 8.
Each team of singers is mentored and developed by its respective coach. In the second stage, originally called the battle phase, coaches have two of their team members battle against each other directly by singing the same song together, with the coach choosing which team member to advance from each of the individual "battles". However, from Season 5 onwards, the second stage consists of a cross battle phase, which is similar to the regular battle phase, except for the fact that two artists who are not from the same team battle against each other. Winning artists score a point for their team. The losing artists do not earn any points but are not immediately eliminated. At the end of the cross battle rounds, whichever team that achieved a lower score will have to eliminate one artist from their team as a penalty. Other artists advance to the cross knockout rounds. Cross Knockout rounds are similar to the cross battle rounds except that losing artists are immediately eliminated. Winning artists move on to the first live rounds. Within that first live round, the surviving four acts from each team again compete head-to-head, with public votes determining the best of four acts from each team that will advance to the final eight, while the coach chooses which of the remaining three acts comprises the other performer remaining on the team.
In the final phase, the remaining contestants compete against each other in live broadcasts. The audience and the coaches have equal say in deciding who moves on to the final 4 phase. With one contestant remaining for each coach, the four contestants will compete against each other in the final round with the outcome decided solely by public vote.
Initially, there were no steals/saves in the entire competition. However, since season 5, any artist eliminated during the sing-offs by their coach can be stolen/saved by other coaches.

## Controversies
### Alleged mistreatment

In September 2022, a video went viral showing Coco Lee, one of the mentors on season 7, arguing with the show's director about which contestants should have advanced. Some netizens alleged that the show was known to be shady, while others said the production team's desire was to speed up filming due to ongoing delays.
On August 17, 2023, after Lee's suicide in July, a nine-minute audio clip from Lee described her mistreatment by the production team during the show's final episode in October 2022. According to the clip, she was subjected to a sudden placement change during a performance with Wang Zepeng, a contestant on her team. Wang, who was supposed to accompany Lee on stage to assist her due to her fragile condition from battling illnesses, had his back turned to her, causing Lee to stand alone in seven-inch heels and fall during their duet. She described this experience as "humiliating," especially since her health issues had been largely concealed from the public.
Wang later supported Lee's claims by sharing a screen capture of their private text messages from that time, when Lee accused the director of intentionally undermining her. Other videos showed a staff member attempting to remove Lee from the stage as she repeatedly said, "Don't touch me", and her finally leaving the venue under assistance, struggling to walk.
The clip also mentioned that the production team threatened not to give contestant Feige a chance to return to the competition unless Lee were to write a Weibo post. She complied to ensure Feige had an opportunity to showcase his talent. This controversy led to a significant debate among netizens, with calls to boycott the show's sponsors.
By August 25, 2023, after the audio clip went viral, the stock price of Star China Media, the parent company of "Sing! China," plummeted by more than 50 percent, resulting in a loss of approximately $3 billion in value.

### Insiders' claims

Li Jiajie, one of the contestants in season 8 (2023), said that "the price of 500,000 yuan per seat, in his opinion, is certainly not a baseless rumor,” implying that the top ten places in the finals are all available for purchase. His posts were mysteriously removed, and Li later said that his allegations were made without basis. People were surprised by the posts’ removal and his “apology”, leaving comments to ask if he was threatened.
Zhang Weiqi, a contestant from season 1 of the Voice of China (2012), denied the rumor of turning a chair for 500,000 yuan, but revealed that the participants needed to sign a contract for 9 years to continue performing on the show in the finals. He also claimed that the participants who introduced themselves as truck drivers, farmers, nail salon owners, etc. were all fake, but for the sake of effects in the show.

### Wilber Pan’s chair

On the 4th episode of season 8, during a performance of the girl group Yomodo Band, Wilber Pan's chair swivelled away from the stage without him pushing the button, thus disapproving the contestant's performance. However, as his hands were observed to be resting on his lap, and with his mouth appeared to have said the word “what”, many netizens believed that he did not push the button to opt for disqualifying the contestant from proceeding to the next round.

## Suspension

On 25 August 2023, Zhejiang Satellite TV announced that the program had been frozen from broadcasting briefly pending an investigation over the alleged mistreatment of Coco Lee and other issues raised by netizens and viewers. It was reported that the suspension of the show was also partly due to current season 8's coaches, Wakin Chau and Joker Xue, having insisted on pulling out of the show after the incident with half of the season yet to be produced and filmed. Chau's team denied the rumor that Wakin Chau had pulled out from the show.

## Coaches and hosts
### Coaches

Timeline of coaches :
| Coach | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons |
| Coach | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Jay Chou | | | | | | | | |
| Harlem Yu | | | | | | | | |
| Na Ying | | | | | | | | |
| Wang Feng | | | | | | | | |
| Eason Chan | | | | | | | | |
| Liu Huan | | | | | | | | |
| Li Jian | | | | | | | | |
| Nicholas Tse | | | | | | | | |
| Li Ronghao | | | | | | | | |
| Wang Leehom | | | | | | | | |
| Chris Li | | | | | | | | |
| Hacken Lee | | | | | | | | |
| Liao Changyong | | | | | | | | |
| Fish Leong | | | | | | | | |
| Coco Lee | | | | | | | | |
| Momo Wu | | | | | | | | |
| Jike Junyi | | | | | | | | |
| Zhang Bichen | | | | | | | | |
| Huang Xiaoyun | | | | | | | | |
| Curley G | | | | | | | | |
| Wakin Chau | | | | | | | | |
| Joker Xue | | | | | | | | |
| Wilber Pan | | | | | | | | |
| Henry Lau | | | | | | | | |

#### Notes

* ^ In Season 6, Momo Wu, Jike Junyi, Zhang Bichen and Huang Xiaoyun took responsibility as advisors to their respective coaches.
* ^ In Season 7, Huang Xiaoyun and Curley G took responsibility as "Comeback Stage" coaches.

#### Legend

    Featured as a full-time coach.
    Featured as a part-time coach.
    Featured as a full-time assistant coach.

### Hosts

Timeline of hosts :
| Host | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons | Seasons |
| Host | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Li Yong | | | | | | | | |
| Hu Qiaohua | | | | | | | | |
| Yi Yi | | | | | | | | |
| Shen Tao | | | | | | | | |
| Rosy Luo | | | | | | | | |
| Andy Lau | | | | | | | | |

#### Legend

    Featured as a full time host.
    Featured as a backstage host.
    Featured as a part time host.

## Dream coaches (as Coaches' advisors)

| Season | Team Jay | Team Wang Feng | Team Na Ying | Team Harlem |
| 1 | Fei Yu-ching | Tanya Chua | Lang Lang | Mavis Fan |

## Singing-accompanying guests

| Season | Team Eason | Team Na Ying | Team Liu Huan | Team Jay |
| 2 | Kay Huang Li Ronghao Waa Wei Miriam Yeung | Bruce Liang Diamond Zhang Zhang Lei Zhou Shen | Sitar Tan Jason Zhang | Cao Yang Na Ying Harlem Yu |

## Coaches' teams

    Winner
    Runner-up
    Third Place
    Fourth Place
    Fifth place
    Sixth place
These are the contestants of each team who survived in the cross-battles (seasons 1–3), cross-knockouts (seasons 4–6), and knockouts (season 7), as well as their placements until the finale. Stolen artists are italicized.
| Season | Team Jay Chou | Team Wang Feng | Team Na Ying | Team Harlem Yu |
| 1 | Nathan Hartono 向洋 | Jiang Dunhao 蒋敦豪 | Wang Chenrui 汪晨蕊 | Yang Meina 杨美娜 |
| 1 | Lokey 低调 | Xu Geyang 徐歌阳 | Jeryl Lee 李佩玲 | Jike Hao 吉克皓 |
| 1 | Yutian 羽田 | Liu Wentian 刘文天 | Su Lisheng 苏立生 | Zhao Xiaoxi 赵小熙 |
| 2 | Team Eason | Team Na Ying | Team Liu Huan | Team Jay Chou |
| 2 | Ye Xiaoyue 叶晓粤 | Doris Guo 郭沁 | Tashi Phuntsok 扎西平措 | Joanna Dong 董姿彦 |
| 2 | Xiao Kaiye 肖凯晔 | Curley G 希林娜依·高 | Zizi 子子 | Darren 达布希勒图 |
| 2 | Jeslyn Khoo 古洁縈 | Leah Li 李雅 | Hu Simo 胡斯默 | Janice Tan 陈颖恩 |
| 2 | Zhang Ze 张泽 | Ye Xuanqing 叶炫清 | Ji Hang 冀行 | Olinda Cho 卓猷燕 |
| 2 | Du Xingying 杜星萤 | | | |
| 2 | Yan Jun 闫峻 | | | |
| 2 | Yu Zibei 于梓贝 | | | |
| 3 | Team Nicholas Tse | Team Jay Chou | Team Harlem Yu | Team Li Jian |
| 3 | Liu Junge 刘郡格 | Su Han 宿涵 | Li Zhenwu 黎真吾 | Tenzin Nyima 旦增尼玛 |
| 3 | Double Angel 打包安琪 | Cering 周兴才让 | Nigel Tay 郑伟杰 | Kang Shulong 康树龙 |
| 3 | Deng Zixiao 邓紫霄 | Zhang Shen'er 张神儿 | Huang Renqin 黄稔钦 | Tiger 谭秋娟 |
| 3 | Vash Hsu 徐暐翔 | | Suzanne Low 刘思延 | |
| 4 | Team Li Ronghao | Team Harlem Yu | Team Na Ying | Team Wang Leehom |
| 4 | Xing Hanming 邢晗铭 | Chen Qinan 陈其楠 | Sidanmanchu 斯丹曼簇 | Nasi Li 李芷婷 |
| 4 | Li Fanyi 李凡一 | Wang Shuai 汪帅 | Jasmyn Aisin Gioro 爱新觉罗媚 | Qu Yang 屈杨 |
| 4 | | | | Liu Meilin 刘美麟 |
| 4 | | | | Cui Jiaying 崔佳莹 |
| 4 | | | | Xiao Qiang 肖蔷 |
| 5 | Team Nicholas Tse | Team Li Jian | Team Li Yuchun | Team Li Ronghao |
| 5 | Cao Yang 曹杨 | Shan Yichun 单依纯 | Pan Hong 潘虹 | Zebra Forest 斑马森林 |
| 5 | Fu Xinyao 傅欣瑶 | Song Yuning 宋宇宁 | | Cheng Mohan 程墨寒 |
| 5 | Jia Yiteng 贾翼腾 | Su Wei 苏玮 | | |
| 6 | Team Hacken Lee | Team Wang Feng | Team Liao Changyong (Replace Na Ying) | Team Li Ronghao |
| 6 | Wu Keyue 伍珂玥 | Yao Xiaotang 姚晓棠 | Chen Wenfei 陈文非 | Wang Jingwen 王靖雯 |
| 6 | Kazu 贺三 | Wang Xin 王馨 | Zhang Luxin 张露馨 | Wang Honghao 王泓昊 |
| 6 | | Zhuang Yuliang 壯煜亮 | | Yu Zibei 于梓贝 |
| 6 | | Tan Xuanyuan 谭轩辕 | | |
| 7 | Team Hacken Lee | Team Coco Lee (Replace Liao Changyong) | Team Fish Leong | Team Li Ronghao |
| 7 | Sumi Liang 梁玉莹 | Wang Zepeng 王泽鹏 | Pan Yunqi 潘韵淇 | Claire Choi 蔡子伊 |
| 7 | Ru Jin 茹今 | Figo Zhou 周菲戈 | Yang Can 杨灿 | Li Chuchu 李楚楚 |
| 7 | Yao Yusheng 姚宇笙 | | Burning Dolphins 灼海豚乐队 | Zhang Yiwen 张艺雯 |
| 8 | Team Henry Lau | Team Wakin Chau | Team Joker Xue | Team Wilber Pan |
| Current season ||||

## Series overview

| Season | Aired | Winner | Runner-up | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Winning coach | Host(s) | Host(s) | Host(s) | Host(s) | Host(s) | Coaches (chair's order) | Coaches (chair's order) | Coaches (chair's order) | Coaches (chair's order) | Coaches (chair's order) |
| Season | Aired | Winner | Runner-up | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Other Finalists | Winning coach | Main | Specials | Specials | Finals | Finals | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Comeback Stage |
| 1 | 2016 | Jiang Dunhao | Nathan Hartono | Wang Chenrui | Xu Geyang | Yang Meina | Jeryl Lee | Wang Feng | Li Yong | Yi Yi | Li Yong | Hu Qiaohua | Yi Yi | Jay Chou | Wang Feng | Na Ying | Harlem Yu | N/A |
| 2 | 2017 | Tashi Phuntsok | Doris Guo | Joanna Dong | Ye Xiaoyue | Xiao Kaiye | Xiao Kaiye | Liu Huan | Hu Qiaohua | Yi Yi | Shen Tao | Hu Qiaohua | Yi Yi | Eason | Na Ying | Liu Huan | Jay Chou | N/A |
| 3 | 2018 | Tenzin Nyima | Li Zhenwu | Liu Junge | Su Han | Cering | Cering | Li Jian | Hu Qiaohua | Yi Yi | Rosy Luo | Hu Qiaohua | Yi Yi | Nicholas Tse | Jay Chou | Harlem Yu | Li Jian | N/A |
| 4 | 2019 | Xing Hanming | Sidanmanchu | Nasi Li | Nasi Li | Chen Qinan | Chen Qinan | Li Ronghao | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Li Ronghao | Harlem Yu | Na Ying | Wang Leehom | N/A |
| 5 | 2020 | Shan Yichun | Zebra Forest | Pan Hong | Cao Yang | Song Yuning | Song Yuning | Li Jian | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Nicholas Tse | Li Jian | Li Yuchun | Li Ronghao | N/A |
| 6 | 2021 | Wu Keyue | Wang Jingwen | Chen Wenfei | Yao Xiaotang | Kazu | Kazu | Hacken Lee | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hu Qiaohua, Yi Yi | Hacken Lee | Wang Feng | Liao Changyong | Li Ronghao | N/A |
| 7 | 2022 | Sumi Liang | Claire Choi | Pan Yunqi | Wang Zepeng | Li Chuchu | Li Chuchu | Hacken Lee | Hu Qiaohua, Andy Lau | Hu Qiaohua, Andy Lau | Hu Qiaohua, Andy Lau | Hu Qiaohua, Andy Lau | Hu Qiaohua, Andy Lau | Hacken Lee | Coco Lee | Fish Leong | Li Ronghao | Huang Xiaoyun & Curley G. |
| 8 | 2023 | Season suspended | Season suspended | Season suspended | Season suspended | Season suspended | Season suspended | Season suspended | Hu Qiaohua | Hu Qiaohua | Hu Qiaohua | Hu Qiaohua | Hu Qiaohua | Henry Lau | Wakin Chau | Joker Xue | Wilber Pan | N/A |