Chinese singers Wang Sulong and Zhang Bichen have publicly fallen out on Weibo over who is the original singer of the soundtrack song “Annulus” from ‘The Journey of Flower’. The controversy escalated on the afternoon of the 28th when NetEase Cloud Music platform temporarily removed the “original singer” label from three of Zhang Bichen’s songs: “Annulus,” “Fantasy Zhuxian,” and “The Next Second.” The move quickly sparked heated discussion.
Around 5:30 p.m. on the 28th, the platform adjusted the listings, labeling Zhang Bichen’s versions as simply “performed by,” while retaining the “original singer” tag for Wang Sulong’s version of the same tracks. This instantly ignited a wave of online debate. About 50 minutes later, the platform restored the “original singer” label for Zhang Bichen. On some user interfaces, both were even marked as “dual original singers.” In response, NetEase Cloud’s customer service replied that this was a “system display issue” and said it had since been resolved.
The renewed “original singer” dispute over “Annulus” was triggered when past remarks by internet celebrity “Wangzai Xiao Qiao” resurfaced, in which he claimed Zhang Bichen was the only original singer of “Annulus.” This statement drew dissatisfaction from Wang Sulong’s side. On the 25th, Wang Sulong’s studio announced it was withdrawing authorization for the song “Annulus,” asserting a “dual original singer” stance. Meanwhile, Zhang Bichen’s studio insisted that she was the “sole original singer” and announced she would no longer perform the song.
Both parties remain firm in their respective positions. Zhang Bichen’s side expressed that when she signed the contract in 2015, there was no mention of “dual versions” nor any clause specifying two original singers in the agreement. They added her version was released earlier than Wang Sulong’s and she holds permanent performance rights for “Annulus.” Wang Sulong’s side contends that from the start, a male and female version was planned and that they have supporting evidence. As the lyricist and composer, they claim the right to revoke authorization. Wang Sulong’s studio further emphasized late at night on the 25th that the lyric and composition rights never changed hands, while also calling for an end to the disputes in a dignified manner.
Source: ETtoday Starlight Cloud