"In China, I don't feel like a foreigner. I'm surrounded by warmth and enthusiasm．"——Nathan Scott Lee.
Dressed in a Chinese tunic suit, singing in Hakka, and playing the trumpet with the sound of a Suona, US singer Nathan Scott Lee captivated audiences on the stage of "Call Me by Fire Season 2" with his rendition of the Hakka song "Mo Qi Shao Nian Qiong" (Don't despise a poor youth) by the band Jiulian Zhenren. This cross-genre fusion of dialect and rock sparked widespread discussion.
Hakka, one of the oldest languages in China, is challenging even for many native people in Guangdong. For Nathan Scott Lee, an American married to a Chinese woman, the challenge was even greater. However, he chose to faithfully recreateaccording to the originalwords. "I wanted to preserve the original features of the work to present the charm of traditional Chinese culture better," he explained.
Fusion of traditional and modern: Cultural heritage inspires new music
Nathan Scott Lee's connection to "Mo Qi Shao Nian Qiong" began with the animated film "I Am What I Am". "My wife and daughter watched the movie and loved it. We then played the entire OST in the car, which was rich with Chinese elements. Although I didn't understand the lyrics at the time, I felt a strong connection to the music," he said.
When listening to songs, Nathan Scott Lee focuses less on the lyrics and more on the singer's timbre, technique, emotion, and stage presence. Chinese classical instruments, with their unique charm, deeply moved him. "I tend to like instruments with a sorrowful tone, like the Suona and Erhu. These instruments inherently carry emotion and provide immense inspiration for my music creation," he shared.
When Nathan Scott Lee first arrived in China, he knew little about traditional Chinese music. It was the traditional performing arts in Guo Degang's crosstalk that introduced him to the world of traditional Chinese music. Over time, he became a true fan of Chinese opera. "I love Chinese traditional culture and music. Sometimes I take roles related to Peking Opera to learn some segments," he said.
Development and change: Technology brings more possibilities
Since coming to China in 2006, Nathan Scott Lee has built his career, married, and started a family. This year marks his 18th year in China. "China is about to become the country I've lived in the longest," he said with a smile.
Despite his familiarity with life and work in China, the rapid pace of change continues to amaze him. "The changes in cities are most evident. Now, many cities in China excel in food delivery, transportation, payment methods, and urban planning. Technological advancements have made life very convenient," he observed.
Nathan Scott Lee believes the development of China's music industry is closely linked to technological progress. "Music evolves with technological progress. In the past, making music required an expensive studio, but now it can all be done at home. This gives young people more opportunities to engage with music!" he exclaimed.
Warmth and inclusiveness: A sense of home
Nathan Scott Lee faced various challenges when he first arrived in China, but the warmth and enthusiasm of those around him convinced him to stay. "The friends and fans I met here made me feel at home," he said emotionally.
Early on, Nathan Scott Lee met He Jiong and Xie Na in variety shows. They not only took him to dine and travel but also helped him practice Chinese pronunciation and better understand Chinese grammar. With the help of his friends, he discovered the secrets to learning Chinese.
Speaking of Chinese cuisine, he has a particular fondness for Sichuan cuisine. "My favorites are shredded pork with vegetables and hot pot," he said.
"In China, I've never felt like a foreigner. I'm always surrounded by warmth and enthusiasm," Nathan Scott Lee concluded.
用客家话唱歌的李承铉：“我没有感觉到自己是一个外国人”
“在中国，我没有感觉到自己是一个外国人，身边都是满满的热情和温暖。”——李承铉
身穿中山装，客家话演唱，把小号吹出了唢呐音，在中国闯荡的美籍歌手李承铉在《披荆斩棘的哥哥第二季》舞台上翻唱了九连真人的客家话歌曲《莫欺少年穷》，掀起一波新的讨论热潮，这次，方言和摇滚的跨界混搭成功出圈。
客家话作为中国最古老的语言之一，对于很多土生土长的岭南人来说都是不容易掌握的方言，对李承铉这位“中国女婿”更是难上加难，然而，李承铉却选择“原汁原味”地还原，他说：“我希望可以保留作品本来的特色，这样才更能体现出中国传统文化的魅力。”
国风与传承：“传统文化为音乐带来灵感”
李承铉结缘《莫欺少年穷》这首歌是因为动画电影《雄狮少年》。“我老婆和女儿去看了这部电影，她们说电影很好看。然后我们在车里放了整个电影的OST，里头所有的音乐都是跟中国元素有关系，虽然我当时完全听不懂他的唱词，但我就是觉得很有感觉。”
听歌的时候，李承铉不太关注歌词，他往往通过歌唱者的音色、技术、情绪、舞台表现力这些因素去感知自己是否被打动。中国古典乐器就以自身的独特的韵味打动着他，“我通常都比较喜欢一些带有悲伤音色的乐器，例如唢呐和二胡。我觉得这些乐器的音色自带情感和情绪，给我的音乐创作带来非常多的灵感。”李承铉说。
从水墨风街舞到中文rap再到客家话歌曲，近几年，李承铉凭着对中国传统文化的热爱和执着，解锁了很多“中式”新技能。
刚来到中国的时候，李承铉对中国传统音乐的了解并不多，是郭德纲相声里的传统曲艺给了他“国乐”初启蒙。渐渐地，李承铉俨然成为了一个“戏曲迷”。他说：“我很喜欢中国传统文化和音乐，在拍戏的时候，我会选择接一些跟京剧有关系的戏，然后就专门去学一段。”
现在，李承铉对中国文化已经从了解到理解,从喜欢到热爱。当谈到想要合作的中国音乐人和音乐项目，他更是如数家珍。李承铉说：“中国有非常多优秀的民族音乐人，像九连真人、二手玫瑰、谭维维、萨顶顶，我觉得他们的音色和唱法都很独特。”
发展与变化：“科技让未来有了更多可能”
从2006年来到中国，在这里闯荡、结婚、成家，今年是李承铉在中国的第18年，“中国已经快成为我人生中待得最久的国家了。”李承铉笑称。
虽然李承铉已经非常熟悉和适应在中国的工作和生活，但中国发展变化的速度还是让他惊叹不已。他说：“我觉得城市的变化是最直观的，现在中国很多城市已经完全超越了国外，不管是外卖、交通、支付方式还是城市规划，科技的发展让生活变得很方便。”
在李承铉看来，中国音乐领域的发展，也是和科技进步紧密相关的。“音乐的发展紧跟着科技发展，以前要做音乐是需要比较昂贵的费用，要去录音棚，但现在都可以在家完成，让年轻人接触音乐的机会更多了！”李承铉激动地说。
热情与包容：“这里有一种家的温暖”
初来中国，李承铉曾面临各种挑战，但周围人的热情和温暖，让他最终决定留下来。“我来以后认识的一些朋友，包括支持我的粉丝，他们让我有一种家的感觉。”李承铉动情地说。
李承铉早期因综艺节目结识了何炅和谢娜，他们带着李承铉去吃饭、旅游，帮助他练习中文发音，翻译中文语法……在朋友的帮助下，李承铉也慢慢摸索出学中文的窍门。
李承铉认为做音乐也同样需要开放和接纳。他说:“做音乐就像厨子做菜，每一个厨子有他自己的一种方法，没有应该或者不应该，只要是好吃就行了。”李承铉觉得现在中国音乐正在慢慢变得包容和自由，在世界舞台上大放异彩只是时间的问题。
提起中国美食，李承铉对川菜情有独钟。他说：“中国有太多太多好吃的了，我最喜欢的是农家小炒肉、火锅。”
“在中国，我从没有感觉到自己是一个外国人，身边都是满满的热情和温暖。”久居中国的十八年里，李承铉看到了城市发展的日新月异，但提到他最爱的城市，他不假思索地说道，“当然是成都，那是我老家呀！”
谈到未来的发展，李承铉的目标很朴素，在他看来也最重要，那就是“健康、平安、快乐”。
总策划｜孙爱群
统筹｜蒋铮 赵鹏
文案、台本｜曾潇 古司祺 付怡 戚美青 胡广欣
视频｜黎杰文 温泽广
海报｜李焕菲
翻译｜邹晓华