One week after announcing she was cancer free, British pop star Jessie J traveled thousands of miles to perform for a billion-strong audience in China. On May 29, the singer, real name Jessica Cornish, delivered a powerful rendition of Frank Sinatra's My Way on the stage of Singer, a popular Chinese singing competition. She also performed her new song California, briefly adapting lyrics to reference Changsha, the host city.
A Nostalgic Return
Cornish described her return to China as nostalgic on Weibo, where she has 821,600 followers. She expressed gratitude for being widely recognized and loved, saying it means more than people can imagine. Cornish told the Guardian she was instantly hooked on China, adding, I just think in life you should go where you re celebrated and I feel so celebrated there.
One fan wrote on Weibo: In China, everyone thinks no one in the world can sing better than you. While less than a million followers in a country of 1.4 billion doesn t make her a household name, her pivot to China has allowed her to tap into a lucrative market, inspiring other western acts to follow suit.
Breakout Success in 2018
Cornish first burst onto the Chinese scene in 2018 when she won Singer, a show that can garner over 20 billion views per episode. The potential of the Chinese market was already evident, with hundreds of millions of young, digitally-savvy music fans creating an energetic scene. The government s crackdown on illegal streaming strengthened copyright protections, boosting earning potential. Since 2018, China s recorded music market has climbed from seventh to fourth globally, overtaking Germany.
Post-Covid Challenges
Alex Taggart, founder of artist management firm Isle Of, notes that Covid raised the bar for foreign artists. With no foreign acts able to enter China, the domestic industry massively raised its game. Before Covid, it was easier for random western artists to succeed in China. Now, international acts must work harder to win over fans.
Westlife exemplifies this dedication. The Irish boyband first performed in China over 20 years ago and has steadily built a following. Member Shane Filan says the scale of support still amazes them. In 2023, they performed a song entirely in Mandarin at a Wuhan show, a cover of The Ordinary Road by Pu Shu. This year, they performed at China s Spring Festival Gala to over 650 million viewers.
Musical Preferences
Part of the appeal of acts like Westlife and Jessie J is their penchant for ballads, a style adored in China. Taggart explains that Chinese listeners prioritize melody and pure singing ability, which is why they love Jessie J. Cornish enjoys how much Chinese audiences respect and celebrate voices and technique, noting she misses people just listening.
Challenges in China
Performing in China has challenges, including language barriers and stricter rules on showing tattoos on television, which was banned in 2018. Cornish had to plan outfits to cover her tattoos. Several mid-tier British indie bands, like alt-rock ensemble Sea Power, have also found success after scoring a popular video game.
Boosting China s Economy
China hopes to attract more international stars to boost its flagging economy. In 2024, Ye (formerly Kanye West) announced a surprise show in Hainan that sold out within minutes, generating 373 million yuan in tourism revenue. Other cities soon clamored for their own shows. West has never publicly crossed Beijing s red lines; an anonymous industry professional noted that political issues are more problematic than explicit lyrics.
Before the Hainan show, West canceled a performance in Taiwan, possibly learning from Katy Perry s mistake. Perry was reportedly banned from China after wearing a Taiwanese flag as a cape but was allowed to return last year for five sold-out shows, calling Chinese fans her best.
Additional research by Yu-chen Li.
