United in harmony

As the song progresses into its latter half, the two singers swap languages and sing in each other's native tongues during the chorus, heightening its emotional climax.

The performance, featuring the singers' outstanding vocal prowess, a perfectly tailored stage design and the harmonious interplay of two languages, has sparked enthusiastic discussions on social media platforms. Many viewers describe it as "an audiovisual feast" that will linger in their minds for a long time.

"I've employed tones that align with Eastern aesthetics when singing the song. I want to stage performances imbued with Chinese styles in the show," Gong says.

Riding the Wind 2023 is the fourth season of a reality show that aims to showcase the charms of 30-to-50-something women. The series' 2020 debut caused a sensation, capturing widespread public attention by challenging the entrenched focus on youthful beauty within the Chinese entertainment industry.

Embarking upon its latest season this year, the program seeks to expand cross-cultural collaboration and mutual support among women, regardless of their different languages, ages or personality traits.

To achieve this, the show has invited female celebrities from diverse cultural backgrounds to participate in duets or group performances throughout the rounds of competition.

Among them are Chinese TV anchor Xie Na, 42, model-turned-actress Qu Ying, 52, Hong Kong actress Ada Choi Siu-fun, 50, and Taiwan singer Ella Chen Chia-hwa, 42, as well as international participants such as South Korean actress Choo Ja-hyun, 44, Russian chanteuse Kateryna Kelly, 33, and American singer Annie Lowdermilk, 33.

Gong, along with her German husband, songwriter Robert Zollitsch, has long been exploring the realm of "new Chinese art music", which aims to preserve the essence of traditional Chinese folk music in new forms.

According to Gong, collaborating with international artists on the show has the potential to broaden her creative horizons for producing "new Chinese art music" in the future.

"Such collaborations may also facilitate the exposure of my musical works to larger audiences," she says.