Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

NEARLY 100 foreign artists from different countries and cultural backgrounds have paid tribute to Shenzhen by jointly creating a Chinese song to express their sense of belonging in the city due to its charm and inclusiveness.

The song, called “Our Spring,” was performed by artists from 15 countries including the United States, Ukraine, Russia, Colombia, the Philippines and Ecuador. After its Chinese version debut, artists from all over the world adapted it into different languages including English, Russian, Spanish and Italian.

Within the 13 lines of the lyrics, common phrases allude to how the global artists’ stories began in Shenzhen — meet here, embark on a journey of pursuing dreams, and eventually find a sense of belonging in the city.

“In the process of setting the tone, I chose the tempo and tune suitable for most people. The rhythm is strong and powerful, symbolizing the hope and energy of spring,” said Yang Xuan, music director of the song “Our Spring.”

The lyrics of the song in different languages were written by almost 100 foreign artists of a Shenzhen-based art troupe and it took nearly three months to complete. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, some versions of the song were recorded in other countries and then sent back to China.

“We’ve been living in Shenzhen for 14 years. I’m a professional singer, my husband is a saxophone player, and my daughter, Melody, was born and raised in Shenzhen. We feel very happy and safe living in Shenzhen. This is our new home. We want to express our gratitude and love for Shenzhen,” said a singer named Shirley from Colombia.

“The song was inspired by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the gathering celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone,” said Yang, hoping to tell the world about the story of Shenzhen in the eyes of expats living in the city.

According to Yang, at 8 p.m. every evening, his mobile phone would promptly receive a video conference reminder. “Every day, we discussed for more than three hours. Some people were out of town, some were in other countries, but we brainstormed together. Everyone talked about their feelings for Shenzhen and what kind of emotions they want to express through the lyrics,” Yang recalled.

“We put what everyone wanted to say into sentences, and let everyone sing after composing the music, and finally determined the final tune suitable for everyone. When they finished recording their part of the song, they sent it back to me for remix and final production,” Yang said.

It usually takes only one week to complete an ordinary song, but “Our Spring” took three months, according to Yang.

“After the lyrics and tone of the song were set, artists from all over the world spontaneously translated it into their own languages. It is really a musical feast!” Yang commented.

At present, two Chinese versions, one English version, one Spanish version and one Russian version of “Our Spring” have been officially produced, and a music video will be launched soon.