Meet the City Singers, a rising a cappella ensemble

A cappella is a style of singing without the support of instruments. With its increasing visibility in popular music, TV and film productions in recent years, a cappella has become a popular musical style that's attracting the attention of young people here in China.

The City Singers is one of the most dynamic and influential a cappella groups in China. Formed in 2009 at Xiamen University, they are one of the most popular a cappella groups in China who have collaborated with such well-known singers as Lisa Ono and David Zee Tao. The group has taken part in a wide range of events, from music festivals and national and international competitions to television programs and other performances. The performers' talent has led them to be invited to prestigious events such as the Shanghai World Expo, and the group has excelled in competitions both at home and abroad.

Speaking about the formation of the City Singers, Xu Cong, the group's founder and baritone, said: "I studied at the graduate school in Xiamen, in the Chinese department of Xiamen University. Xiamen is also a city of music, and Kulangsu is known as Piano Island. When I came here, I found that many of my friends really enjoyed playing music. So we tried a cappella singing, and together we experienced the artistic energy of vocal music."

Although the art form of a cappella originated in the West, the City Singers has incorporated Chinese characteristics into their singing. "Although it's an art form brought from Europe, which is often performed in churches and belongs to the field of classical music, since we imported it, we've integrated it into Chinese music, which has ignited a musical spark," Xu Cong said.

"I grew up in China myself, and my mind is filled with Chinese melodies and scales. We have so many ethnic groups, so many eras of music, and so many rich musical instruments. When we use human voices to draw on these things, we're naturally influenced by our culture. Integrating Chinese melodies and folk songs into a cappella is something that we, as a Chinese a cappella team, really enjoy doing," he added.

Xu Cong stressed that their fans recognize the Chinese melodies they are familiar with and continue to offer them feedback – often confirming that Chinese music and the human voice blend so well. "Our vocal cords can really create a lot of things that blend with Chinese music. Even when we're adapting someone else's work, we often call it a 'recreation.' In fact, as well as the main melody and some basic harmonies, Wenbo, our music producer, has already injected a lot of creative effort. I just want everyone to hear something very fresh and unique," Xu said.

Xu Cong said that forming their vocal group was even more difficult than forging a successful marriage, because it required specific positions for each voice part, and each person had to have relatively strong musical ability. They also had to get along well with one another and be willing to work hard during rehearsals as well as holding full-time jobs, and in this sense he believes that their "marriage" has truly been successful.