Song Zuying

Song Zuying
宋祖英
Song Zuying singing Dragon Boat Melody (龙船调) in Miao costume at the East Meets West concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London in June 2012.
Born (1966-08-13) August 13, 1966 (age 58)
Guzhang County, Hunan, China
Alma materChina Conservatory of Music
OccupationSinger
Years active1988-present
Political partyChinese Communist Party
SpouseLuo Hao
RelativesSong Jialing (sister)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Song.

Song Zuying (Chinese: 宋祖英; pinyin: Sòng Zǔyīng; born August 13, 1966) is a Chinese classical/folk singer. In 2006, she received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Crossover Album for Song Zu Ying: The Diva Goes To The Movies at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.[1]

Early life

Song was born in Guzhang County, part of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan. She is of Miao ethnicity, and studied at the Department of Music and Dancing at the Central Institute for Nationalities in Beijing, after which she studied at the China Music College. Her father died when she was 12, and she is the oldest daughter. In 1991, she joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe as a national first-class singer.[promotion?]

Political activities

Song joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1999 when it was led by General Secretary Jiang Zemin, with whom she is rumored to have had an affair.[2][3][4][5][6] Zeng Qinghuai, brother of Zeng Qinghong, a key political advisor to Jiang Zemin, is also believed to have been her "key patron".[7] She rose quickly to become a deputy representative at the 9th National People's Congress from 1998 to 2003, and a member of the 10th, 11th, and 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, from 2003 on.[8] She is a standing member of the Communist Youth League of China, an executive member of All-China Women's Federation, a member of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the agent of China Musician Association. She is also an ambassador to the Chinese Red Cross.[9]

Investigation for corruption

In January 2018 it was reported that Song was under investigation for corruption as part of General Secretary Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in connection to an alleged misuse of public funds in the financing of her personal musical concerts in 2002, 2003, and in 2006.[10] During this time, other former Jiang Zemin loyalists were targeted by investigations, including her former patron Zeng Qinghuai, and Song's brother, Song Zuyu.[citation needed]

In February 2018 Song's name was removed from the list of attendees of the CPPCC.[11]

Discography

  • Song Zuying & China Philharmonic Orchestra: Epics Of Love - An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry (Stockfisch, 2015)[12]

Filmography

References

  1. ^ "Song Zu Ying | Artist". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  2. ^ "Singer who disappeared six years ago resurfaces married to China president's brother". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  3. ^ Asia Sentinel
  4. ^ Parry, Simon (17 April 2011). "Sleeping with the enemy". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  5. ^ Fan, Jiayang (4 March 2013). "SINGING FOR CHINA: SONG ZUYING IN NEW YORK". The New Yorker. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Humble hometown hesitant to talk about Peng Liyuan, China's first lady". South China Morning Post. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  7. ^ Lam, Willy Wo-Lap (2015). Chinese Politics in the Era of Xi Jinping: Renaissance, Reform, or Retrogression?. Routledge. p. 57. ISBN 978-1317515777. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Star members attend opening ceremony of the CPPCC (4) - People's Daily Online".
  9. ^ aboutchina.info Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ DeAeth, Duncan. "Chinese starlet Song Zuying, many others, under investigation for corruption by CCP". Taiwan News. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  11. ^ Nakazawa, Katsuji. "Downfall of a diva mirrors Beijing's backstage politics". Nikkei. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  12. ^ ""Epics Of Love" - An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry". Stockfisch Records. Retrieved 2020-06-13.