Performance offers singer catharsis from pressures of fame

To the outsider, A-list entertainer Alec Su's life probably seems like it has been quite plain sailing-since he was 15 years old, the Taiwan-born star has garnered a huge number of loyal followers with his good-as-gold image after getting his break as a key member of a boy band Little Tigers in 1988. After the trio disbanded in 1997, he embarked on a solo career, with his charm carrying him to wider audience and even greater heights as he successfully, and seamlessly, transitioned from the role of pop singer to the world of acting, and even film direction.

He impressed TV audiences with roles in many hit series, such as My Fair Princess, Romance in the Rain, and The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. As well as winning over TV viewers, he has also won acclaim from veteran artists and critics. He won the Hundred Flowers Film Award for best supporting actor in the movie The Message in 2009, and his directorial debut The Left Ear earned him a nomination for best new director at the 52nd Golden Horse Awards in 2015.

However, in the recent TV program, titled Let's Show Together, Su adapted one of his old tracks and rapped about his own perception of his fame and his vanity, how he has struggled to maintain a pristine public image under the scrutiny of fans and the media, all the while reflecting on his seemingly perfect career.

In the song, he raps: "If I tear off the tag of docility, will I be wild and carefree? Can I go to a party without concerning that it might damage my wholesome image? I have used the past three decades to crossover from singer to actor and filmmaker, proving that good looks cannot be the only currency for an entertainer."

The 46-year-old expressed his initial confusion when facing the overwhelming pressure of being the center of so many people's attention, then about his determination to grasp each favorable opportunity that came his way and to become a better person in the process.

One of the most touching aspects of the program is that the star sings with over 100 ordinary people from all walks of life. While performing the song together with Su, some of them rapped, one after another, a few words imparting their individual thoughts or ambitions, as well as recounting their hardships and challenges.

Su says of them: "I feel grateful for the efforts made by my partners who shared their sincere stories and emotionally expressed their true feelings on stage."

Aired on Jiangsu Satellite TV, the program invited celebrities such as Su to collaborate with members of the public on performance pieces, with only 24 hours to prepare. Other stars who have participated include Hong Kong rapper and singer Jackson Wang, singer-songwriter Wang Sulong and members of boy band NEXT.

The 2,000 or so participants that joined the celebrities were selected by the program's production team based on short, 30-second videos uploaded online, in which the hopefuls displayed a talent or special skill. Once selected, they were able to choose which celebrity they wanted to perform with.

The program's producer Wang Junxian says: "Compared to other singing programs, most of which require participants to have a good voice, our program offers a wider range of people the chance to express themselves on stage."

The 24-hour time limit, Wang explains, is to ensure celebrities quickly develop a bond with their partners and work together efficiently.

"I'm sure that, encouraged by the stars, who are professional performers with stronger expressive power, all of the participants will be more willing and eager to lower their inhibitions and give in more freely to their emotions," he says.