Chinese singer brings back viral hit for new tour

Chinese singer Li Yugang, known for his cross-dressing performances and guofeng-style music, will kick off his concert tour, Happened to Meet You, in August.

The term guofeng is widely used in China's creative industries to describe contemporary music that draws from the Chinese language, cultural references, and storytelling traditions while engaging with modern production approaches and global music trends.

The concert will incorporate traditional Chinese aesthetics into the stage design to create a dreamlike, immersive experience for audiences.

The tour will take place in 40 cities, including Wuxi and Changzhou in Jiangsu province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Xuzhou and Hefei in Anhui province, and Wuhan in Hubei province.

Li has multiple hits that have long been popular as background music for short videos on social media platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou.

The concert tour is named after one of those hits, marking the 20th anniversary of his entry into the Chinese music scene in 2006.

"I have a special affection for the single Happened to Meet You because it tells of the bond between my fans and me," Li says.

"When I released this song 10 years ago, I simply wanted to sing a song for my fans. I never expected it would reach such a wide range of applications — but because of its sincere emotion, it has resonated with so many young people. At weddings and graduations, it has become an indispensable song.

"When planning the concert, I made only one request to the director: this song must be the last in the setlist. I hope that after the concert ends, as my fans leave the venue and still have the lyrics on their lips: 'If we meet again, I think I will remember you.'"

Over the past year, Li has stayed largely out of the spotlight, spending most of his time living in his hometown in Jilin province — a period he says helped him find inner peace.

"I tell myself that even though we're going to tour to so many cities, I must not be pretentious, impatient or irritable, nor should I get overly excited just because a performance goes well," he adds.

"After each show, I want to quietly return to the hotel, take a shower, and act as usual. That is my expectation for this tour."