Televised reality show break the mold(2)

"The reality show will see the emergence of a new female pop group different from the others. Each performer has a unique style," Zhao added.

In 2005, Hunan Television produced Super Girl, one of the first reality shows of its kind in China.

The competition was won by Li Yuchun-then a student at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu-with her gender-neutral style and solid singing and dancing skills. As a result, Li became a national pop icon.

The show attracted a nationwide audience of 400 million, with many fans voting for Li, who wore her trademark short hair and sang in a deep, soulful voice.

She also appeared on the cover of Time magazine's Asian edition, which described her as an "Asian hero". Now 36, she is still one of the best-selling female pop stars in the country.

On May 30, Li appeared as a performing guest on the hit reality show Youth With You Season 2, singing All the Girls, which she wrote in just three days.

She was also invited to write a theme song for Sisters, which was released on Thursday. Titled Ms Priceless, the electro-pop number delivers a message about breaking stereotypes attached to women from birth. A video of the song has been viewed some 10 million times on Li's social media platform.

"My face, my fingers are priceless. My ideas, my talents are priceless," she sings. "I choose my lipsticks, my handbags and I create my own life and dreams. Protect the truest smile and I am priceless."

Li said, "Like many people, I was looking forward to a totally different reality show about women and their performances, proving that they have far more than just physical beauty."

Before Sisters premiered, Youth With You Season 2 had just ended on the video streaming platform iQiyi on May 30, with the birth of The 9, a new girl pop group. Since premiering on March 12, topical news and articles relating to Youth With You Season 2 have been viewed more than 2 billion times.

The public voted for the nine finalists out of 109 contestants, including Liu Yuxin, the overall winner with 17 million votes, and Yu Shuxin, who finished second with 13 million votes.

The finalists were born from 1995 to 1997, and the average age of all the contestants was just 22.

Instead of a typical sweet-girl image, Liu Yuxin, 23, wears her hair short and dyed, rather than long, straight or curly. She also favors pantsuits rather than miniskirts, and is shy but aggressive onstage.

She learned street dance when she was 10 and stood out among her peers with her singing, dancing and rap performances.

Liu took part in Up! Juniors on Hunan TV in 2012, and the following year appeared on a dance reality show produced by Dragon TV in Shanghai. In 2015, she joined the seven-member girl group Lady Bees, releasing an album two years later, which failed to receive much attention.

Wu Han, producer of Youth With You Season 2, said: "The show focuses on the concept of creating infinite possibilities. We don't define. In auditions, we look for a contestant's personality and attitude.

"There is heightened awareness of women's independence in Chinese society. The show aims to present young Chinese women from different perspectives. They are more than cute or sexy, and we want to show their diversity," Wu said.

In recent years, major streaming platforms have produced male and female pop groups through reality shows, providing new blood for the entertainment industry.

For example, the 11-member female group Rocket Girls 101, fronted by Wu Xuanyi and Meng Meiqi, started life in 2018 on video platform Tencent's reality show Produce 101, in which 11 finalists were selected from 101 contestants.

Cai Xukun, who was born in 1999, shot to stardom after winning the iQiyi reality show Idol Producer in 2018. He now has more than 30 million followers on his Sina Weibo account and is a coach and judge on Youth With You Season 2.

When Wang Ju appeared on Produce 101 in 2018, she generated a huge buzz on social media platforms. Instead of looking like a typical female pop idol, with a slim figure and pale complexion, Wang, who was 25 at the time, was tanned and had a fuller figure.

Although she wasn't among the 11 finalists, she won a large fan base with her comments such as, "Being yourself is what makes a girl beautiful."

Jimmy Guo, founder of a cultural company in Beijing that trains aspiring pop stars, said: "Pop groups have the same dance moves. What helps them stand out is their personalities and distinctive features. The goal is to let people see you. You have to have something to be remembered by.