Peking University, May 4, 2024: The final of the 2024 Peking University (PKU) Top Ten Singers Competition was held earlier, on the eve of the University’s 126th anniversary, at the Khoo Teck Puat Sports Complex. After three rounds of competition, the top ten singers emerged from 13 candidates under the witness of the audience and judges.

Li Xinxuan from the School of Public Health won the championship, while Zhu Wenhao and Zhou Zhangchi respectively won the second and third place. Besides them, Kivia Xavier, Yang Chengxi, Wang Ruozhou, Zeng Zeng, Wang Aiwen, Guo Yanzhi, and Cao Jinghe were named the top ten singers for the 2023-2024 academic year.

PKU Top Ten Singers 2024

The final opened with warm-up performances by the winners of the previous PKU Top Ten Singers Competition. Jiang Yuliang presented “If the Clouds Knew”, and 2023 Top Ten Singers champion Yao Lan performed “If Love Forgets” along with Pan Yu, an alumna of Peking University’s School of Arts. Their performances won rounds of applause from the audience.

Warm-up performances

Li Xinxuan delivered three songs of different styles during the three rounds, “Language”, “Run! Frantic flowers!” and “Killing Me Softly with His Song”. She flawlessly showcased her mastery of these distinct musical styles, captivating the hearts of both the judges and the audience. Applause and cheers echoed throughout each performance, rightfully earning her the championship.

Champion Li Xinxuan 

Zhu Wenhao from the School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science kicked off his first round of competition with “Hard Path in Shu”, a traditional Chinese-style song adapted from a notable poem by ancient Chinese poet Li Bai. His powerful high notes and recitation immediately captured the audience’s attention, earning him resounding applause. He performed the folk-style song “No Immortals Can Stop Human Desires” and “The River” in the next two rounds, ultimately securing him the second place.
 

Zhu Wenhao performs 

Zhou Zhangchi from the School of Foreign Languages clinched third place with his mastery of diverse music genres such as funk, blues, and jazz. He performed three songs, “Crossfire + Superstition”, “Alone on the C Building”, and “Spain”, demonstrating his exceptional musical skills and expressing his distinct personality through singing.

Zhou Zhangchi

Other contestants’ performances were also remarkable. Kivia Xavier, a Brazilian student from the International Law School of PKU Shenzhen Graduate School, stunned the audience with her rendition of “Diamonds”, eliciting cheers from the moment she began. Yang Chengxi from the Department of Sociology set the stage on fire with her performance of “Black Sheep”. Wang Ruozhou from the School of New Media displayed a gentle yet firm voice, stirring the audience’s emotions. Zeng Zeng from PKU Eighth Clinical Medical College sang as if narrating a story. 

Plus, Wang Aiwen from Yuanpei College presented the challenging song “Silk Road” to perfection. Guo Yanzhi from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature displayed his unique personality through his singing. Cao Jinghe from the College of Future Technology possessed an extremely strong stage presence, resonating with the audience. 

Yao Wenjin from the National Engineering Research Center for Software Engineering employed individualistic stage designs to provide the audience with a dual feast of visual and auditory sensations. Fan Su, also known as Ma Terrasse, from the School of Economics, described her life attitude and personal experiences through original songs. Zhong Caiting from the School of International Relations evoked the audience's memories through her performance of a Cantonese song. 


This year’s Final invited national first-class actor Ding Dan, CEO of Running Monster Culture Entertainment Co., Ltd. Gao Hang, lead singer of the Lu Xiansen Band Guo Beibei, pop bass singer Wang Xi, composer Zhang Yi, and Professor Xie Tian from the Voice & Opera Department of the Central Conservatory of Music as professional judges. At the same time, 100 Peking University students were invited as public judges to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the competition.
 

The judges 

During the intermission of the three rounds of competition, the guests also brought performances at the concert level. PKU graduate and professional singer Liu Meilin presented her new song “Unnoticed Ardor”, her voice gently narrating, while singer Wang Xi brought “Little River”, his highly infectious voice depicting the scene of a flowing river. The Lu Xiansen Band presented their three most popular songs, “Golden Years”, “Hope Tomorrow You will be freer than Yesterday”, and “Ten Miles of Spring Breeze”, encouraging the audience to sing along, creating a lively atmosphere.

Lu Xiansen Band performs

Since the first Top Ten Singers Competition in 1986, the Peking University Top Ten Singers Competition has been held 37 times, accompanying generation after generation of PKU students through their youth and becoming an unforgettable campus memory for many of us. It can be said that the Peking University Top Ten Singers Competition, through music and singing, records the self-expression and era memories of each generation.

Contestants, judges, and backroom staff pose for a photo

Written by: Fan Xueyuan
Edited by: Dennis Meng
Photos by: Zhu Chengxuan, Li Yijie, Cong Rongqing, Zhang Haoran, Dengyang Landuo, Lu Zan