Interview with Zhou Bichang: Actually, I am a person with no self-confidence, when others criticize me, I will say, "I did my best"

Text: Womany Jiaqi

Chen Shanni uncanny valley project, an interview with musician Zhou Bichang, who had just turned 34 years old, sat on the bench and was amused by Shanni and giggled. Her cheeks bulged when she laughed, and her eyes curled, which was very cute. Since his debut in "Super Girl" in 2005, Zhou Bichang's neutral voice has fascinated many boys and girls.

The neutral girl in the MV who sings, "Copy and paste, and then disappear into the group with one click", says that finding yourself is the same as making music. The more you make music, the more you understand the genre you like. In the same way, the more you know yourself, the more comfortable you will be.

Photo courtesy of Dale Music

I'm a person with no self-confidence: when people criticize me for my appearance, I say "I did my best"

Listening to her talent show debut, she has lived in an entertainment world where talent, appearance, and heart can be scored since she was 20 years old. Zhou Bichang has experienced the overwhelming figure of the actress. She recounted the criticisms she had received: "She has a big face and an ugly look. He looks like whoever."

"The company requires that the record must show its face, but if I had to do it myself, I don't like to show my face. Because I want people to know me through music, not to see the face on the album and then they want to buy my album."

Once, Zhou Bichang's figure did not meet people's imagination of an ideal actress. Even today, you can find ridicule remarks on the Internet a few years ago, thinking that she is too fat and earthy: "Fat like a tomboy", "My best friend Yang Mi is laughing at you on the way". Later, she tried her best to exercise, diet, and learn to dress up, and finally lost weight. The comments changed their words, saying that seeing her hope, the swan neck, waist and legs were back. They said, "Dear pen, remember to keep your mouth shut and open your legs." (Read more: Have you ever hated the way you looked?) Accept yourself, and your heart will be free)

A lot of people will say, then you fight back: don't go to your heart. Be domineering and fight back. Recognise that imperfection is the norm. Know that you're already great.

But, "I'm a person with little self-confidence." She confessed.

"My appearance is ordinary, even to myself. Of course, it's better now (laughs). I don't know about anyone else." What others think, she thinks about for a long time. "Because aesthetics is very subjective, some people think it looks good, and some people think it doesn't look good."

"How do you react to criticism and attack?" Sanny asked. Some actresses will be hit hard, and some actresses will fight back and say it's your business. As Zhou Bichang, what does she want to say?

"I'd say, 'I did my best.'" Because you see yourself differently in each period. Now, when I look at myself at that time, I tell people, 'Well, I really tried my best.'" 」

She said lightly.

Photo courtesy of Dale Music

It's not an attack, it's not a denial, it's not a decision not to take it to heart. She counted the attacks and comments she had experienced, from unwillingness, anger to acceptance, the key reason was that she saw and recognized the self who had worked hard, and grew her strength from semi-compromise. (Gaying in the same scene: [Zhang Weixuan's writing] We are not born with self-confidence, but we can practice and have confidence in ourselves)

"Perhaps, that's the best version of yourself at that time." She said.

Once neutral, once feminine, that's because I'm still looking for myself

Shanni recalled that when Bi Chang first debuted, his style was very neutral. "Then there were more feminine ones, and now they are more neutral, how do you decide [the change]?"

"People will have a little bit of a time when they don't know what they want to become, so more or less, when you don't know what to do in the middle, it's possible to see some images and states that you also have questions."

Now this look, some people say neutral, some people say boy-like, but anyway, she likes it. "I think I found it slowly after I made my own decisions."

Sunny said that in the past few years, Zhou Bichang has led all his music works, starting from the concept, always flying to the world by himself, going on adventures, looking for his favorite musicians to cooperate, he participated in the whole process of music production, and made his favorite and unique electronic music. He's also been experimenting with different looks, challenging newer visual styles.

Photo courtesy of Shanni Chen

"I don't think images can really capture beautiful things 100%, and you can find and learn the angle of beauty from that small frame at a certain moment." Zhou Bichang said.

A word for those with appearance anxiety: Start where you are happy

Photo courtesy of Dale Music

After a period of anxiety about her appearance, she slowly found the most comfortable appearance for herself. Sunny asked, "What would you say to someone who was anxious about her appearance?"

"It's hard to change this in one sentence. Because there are a lot of things that are the result of the environment. If he's in that environment, a word or two of comforting words won't change anything."

"So there's no way? Can you just let them go?"

"You can only get stronger on your own. I think that's it, I get stronger. Or find a way to take your anxiety away a little bit, and from there, as a start." (Gaying in the same scene: Interview with Chen Shanni: Take time to get used to your looks, and you will become your own expert)

"Finding something to do that makes you very happy is the way you can get stronger slowly. Because when you're happy, a lot of things don't seem to be that important. The angle from which you see things will also be different."

At the end of the music video of Sunny's "Uncanny Valley", the girl who thinks she has no self-confidence finally escapes from the filter and gets back to her true self. On the screen, she is happy, staring at the camera and singing the last words of the song:

「just break it till you make it」。

Photo courtesy of Dale Music

The uncanny valley project of Woman Fan x Chen Shanni x Gender Power tells the physical fears and stories we face in this era. Bi Chang is very brave and honest, she says that every moment of self is the best version of herself. We also sincerely hope that when you feel out of place in the world, we can walk with you through it.

Shanny's Postscript

On the day of the visit, Zhou Bichang had just finished mixing from abroad, and I don't know if he flew back to participate in this plan, in short, he didn't bother with anything, he went straight to the studio to make up and hair as soon as he got off the plane, he is this kind of silent character, a very interesting friend.

We had lunch together after the interview, because we hadn't seen each other for a long time, and I had already said that I would take this opportunity to chat, and that afternoon in the hotel café, he asked me to listen to the new album that I had just made, which was LUNAR, which had just been released, and he said that he agreed to participate in the uncanny valley shooting project, also because it was related to the theme of his new album, which was something he cared about. At the time, I only heard the music and thought it was amazing, but now when I see the text written by Zhou Yaohui for the LUNAR album, I think it is really clever and detailed.

A woman like me

I'm sorry, I'm here

Hysterical and bewildering slowly practice deep breathing

A body where it all begins, believe in myself – the muse of rebellion

One more gram that annoys him One centimeter less than one centimeter that pierces her eyes will still be me Who said that beauty is just a layer - "Moon and a half"

When the uncanny valley was launched, we chatted for a while, and I thanked him for his help, and he said that there was something, and I said yes, it was very important.

He suddenly said to me, "You told me before that you need to think bigger, and this time I can make the most satisfying album."

I don't remember when I said this, but we may just be two more similar girls in this world, silently doing what they like, trying to make themselves stronger, not to prove anything.