Singer finds new fame, friends in Laos

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Settled in at a downtown caf in the Laotian capital, singer Zou Bin, 31, has clearly come a long way from his hometown of Yichang city in central China's Hubei province.

Famous for its proximity to the world-renowned Three Gorges, the city helped to form the young man before studies and profession brought him to Beijing and beyond.

Having been in Laos for more than two years, he still hankers for dishes like the perennially popular local delicacy of diced spicy sour potato, known locally as "suan la tudousi."

Despite being more than 1,600 km away from hometown, his formative years spent in Yichang singing along to the well-known melodies of Hong Kong's Andy Lau during study breaks, continue to pay dividends.

That was in evidence recently when Zou was crowned the winner of Laos' National Chinese Song contest in the native speaker section, joining Xi Yathortou who took top honors in the Lao national category.

The competition brought together hopefuls seeking to test themselves against some of the best Chinese language singing talents in Laos.

Zou believes the key to his success is balancing his passion for singing with his professional duties.

As a project management staff, Zou's work sees him head a young team of professionals contributing to the rapid development of the hydroelectric power sector in the fast-growing Southeast Asian nation of approximately 7 million.

For Zou, managing to balance what appears to be two disparate talents is not a complex proposition.

"For me the key is, I think, to give your full focus to what you're doing at the time, whether it be work, or singing, or whatever it is you want to achieve," he told Xinhua.

"Of course, support from one's employer certainly helps," he added.

Knowing his talents on the microphone, Zou received all the encouragement he needed from his company, something that clearly paid off in the eyes of the audience and judges alike.

The song he performed in the opening round was "Zhao Ziji," which translates as, "Find Yourself."

"It's an uplifting tune, and I was hoping that would make a good impression. Also, if you translate the characters used in my company's motto to English, it reads something like "active upwards, healthy sunshine", so I think the song embodies that," said the maestro.

The performance secured him a spot in the hearts of new fans and the opportunity to proceed to the final.

Indeed, the song seems even more apt when considering Zou's journey to life in Laos.

He first left the comforts of home for the nation's capital after being accepted into the prestigious Beijing Foreign Studies University.

It was there both his linguistic and vocal talents blossomed.

His love of singing found expression through the university's annual top 10 singing talent search, in which he found himself ranking highly over three consecutive years.

However, his language studies came with a catch. Like all successful applicants to the university from Hubei, he was accepted on the proviso that he tackle the Lao language.

Now a fluent speaker, he confesses to having less than a comprehensive knowledge of the country and culture at that time.

However, he now has every reason to consider it a most fortuitous move.

Asked what he likes about living in the nation renowned for its easy-going style, he is not shy.

"I like living in Laos, the pace of life is definitely more relaxed. People are very friendly, and, of course, the air quality is better than in big cities, comparatively speaking."

"I also like the fact that Lao people's traditional beliefs still seem to play a strong part in culture and community life, people believe in something more than just making money," he added.

He cites this relaxed vibe as a key component in the making of fast and true friendships with locals, foreigners and fellow members of the Chinese community alike.

It also influenced his choice of song for the final round if the national song contest, settling on "Wu Suo Wei," which translates as, "I don't care."

The tune harnesses the spirit of another quintessentially Lao expression, the ubiquitous "borpennyang," usually expressed in English as "no problem" or "no worries."

"It's a more reflective tune, but one allowing me to test my vocal range. Also, I like the message the song expresses."

"By the time the final came, all the competitors had become friends. So in that sense, it didn't matter who would go on to win or lose. That's what choosing that song meant for me," Zou explained.

With the championship title and prize under his belt, will his growing fan base get to hear more from Zou, better known to his international friends as Comma?

"Sure, I would like to continue balancing singing with my professional life. I am very lucky to have the support from my company, so I would like to continue to perform if it is possible, " he enthused.

And as for a message for his fans as the Lunar New Year draws near, the singer hoped for them to, "Live life with a positive attitude," adding that in doing so every day will "provide you with good opportunities."

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