Singer Zhang Bichen will no longer be able to sing “Annual Rings”! Her hit song “Annual Rings,” an insert song for the Chinese drama “The Journey of Flower,” became popular 10 years ago alongside the show. The songwriter and composer is singer Wang Sulong, who also sang a male version of “Annual Rings,” sparking debate over who the original performer is! The breaking point came when influencer Wangzai Xiao Qiao covered the song and claimed Zhang Bichen as the original singer. Wang Sulong’s fans explained it was a dual original (both male and female), but Wangzai Xiao Qiao disagreed, saying she only recognized Zhang Bichen since her version made the song popular. This inadvertently triggered a fan war between Zhang Bichen and Wang Sulong’s supporters. After communication between the artists, Wang Sulong’s studio suddenly issued a statement declaring the reclamation of the copyright to “Annual Rings,” meaning Zhang Bichen would no longer be allowed to perform it. Zhang Bichen also issued a statement bidding farewell to “Annual Rings,” completely falling out with each other!
The boss of Wang Sulong’s company spoke in his defense, saying, “Absurd, unnecessary, an undeserved misfortune—it really does need clarifying. I clearly remember that when we first received the request for ‘Annual Rings,’ the project side (the drama ‘The Journey of Flower’) invited us to compose and perform the song. So from the start of the creative process, we knew male and female versions would exist simultaneously. I just checked, and the email records from the project exchanges 10 years ago are still in my inbox. Now that things have come to this, ‘Annual Rings’ is coming home.”
Some netizens revealed an inside timeline: 10 years ago, “The Journey of Flower” production team needed to create an original soundtrack and negotiated with Wang Sulong’s side to produce the song. Wang Sulong submitted his composition “Annual Rings.” The team thought it fit the female lead and hoped for a female singer, so Zhang Bichen was brought in to sing the female version, while Wang Sulong also sang the male version. Thus, Wang Sulong’s side recognized both as original singers, but Zhang Bichen’s team claims their contract did not specify dual versions, and considers her the “sole original singer.” Her fans feel Wang Sulong is only seeking attention from the song’s popularity. However, both the lyrics and composition were created by Wang Sulong. After the fallout, Zhang Bichen cannot sing “Annual Rings,” and fans lament that they can no longer hear her version—calling it a real pity.
Source: Apple News Network