Original title: Long time no see Du Dewei’s 60-year-old overcoming thorns
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News reporter Qiu Junfeng
“Girl, whenever I start to be silent, you are sadder than me, as if it was your fault…” On the initial stage of “Overcoming the Thorns 2”, when the 60-year-old Du Dewei sang in a hoarse, metallic “Du style voice” When the song “Lover”, for a while, singers such as Wu Jianhao and Wilber Pan also sang along with tears in their eyes.
PeopleSoft whispered “the same age as my dad” to Ren Xianqi next to him.
From “Lover” and “Save the Earth” on the first stage to “Yi Gong”‘s re-enactment of the classic TV series “The No. 8 Pawnshop” many years ago, Du Dewei used his classic songs and styles to bring a full-fledged experience to many post-80s and 90s. Full of memories to kill.
However, the votes of younger audiences on the spot were not ideal – the score of Du Dewei’s team was always hovering in the danger zone.
Who is Du Dewei? This question is very similar to a young netizen posting a few years ago saying “I found an unpopular singer named Stefanie Sun”. Time flies, and the former “kings” and “Queens” also have the embarrassment of “asking where the guests come from”.
Du Dewei was born into a family of four in Hong Kong in 1962. Du Dewei is the youngest son in the family. In his memory, childhood was almost surrounded by all kinds of pets.
Du Dewei can embark on the road of music, and his family is inseparable. Mother Zhang Lu is a famous singer, known as the “Queen of Chinese Songs”, and her masterpiece “Give Me a Kiss” is still sung today; father Duoli is a famous music director and Latin jazz drum king.
When he was a child, Du Dewei listened to his mother singing almost all the time, and his father would also hold him and play the drums.
Influenced by music since childhood, Du Dewei formed a band in high school and served as the lead singer and guitarist.
At the age of 18, Du Dewei was sent by his family to study in Canada. Although he did not study music, he was exposed to music forms such as blues and blues abroad.
After returning to China in 1985, Du Dewei signed up for the 4th Hong Kong Rookie Singing Competition. That year’s contestants included Su Yongkang, Li Keqin and Zhou Huimin. Du Dewei won the championship and entered the showbiz.
In the 1990s when the Chinese music scene was “fighting with gods”, Du Dewei broke through with his unique singing and dancing, leaving behind songs such as “Lover”, “Love Life”, “Don’t Go” and “Intentionally Hurt”.
In 2003, the TV series “Pawnshop No. 8” starring Du Dewei was broadcast. He played the role of Han Nuo, a pawnshop manager belonging to the dark world. The show still has an 8.1 rating on Douban.
Over the years, Du Dewei seems to have disappeared from the entertainment industry. More often, he shares his relationship with his wife and son on Weibo. What’s interesting is that in “Overcoming Toughness 2”, Du Dewei is like a “wife and treasured man”. He will call and discuss with his wife regarding everything, and he will “sell miserably” when he has nothing to do. After getting the concern of his wife, he looks satisfied.
Du Dewei, who has debuted for 37 years, is 60 years old, but as the oldest brother in the show, he trains harder than many post-90s generation, and even insists on dancing following he has bone spurs on his feet. This kind of professionalism made PeopleSoft and Zheng Jun sigh with emotion: I can’t do it for me.
But Du Dewei also had to face a question – do today’s young people still know me?
Recently, we had an exclusive conversation with Du Dewei, who was called a “perfect man” by two old friends, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung, and talked with him regarding his life over the years and the story of “overcoming obstacles”.
Having fun with the brothers
I was invited in the first season of “Breakthrough”, but the timing was not good. My son wants to apply for school in Hong Kong, and as a father, it is best to go to the interview with him. After the first grade of primary school, I think this is the most important stage for a child, and his family should accompany him, so I didn’t participate in the first season.
It’s true that I haven’t been on a show for a long time, and this is the first time I’ve participated in a variety show in mainland China, so I was under pressure at first. First, I am worried regarding whether I can handle it; second, I have to get along with some unfamiliar brothers. Everyone lives together, the camera is recording 24 hours a day, and every breath will be magnified. Can you adapt?
Now that I have recorded so many episodes, I think it is actually quite fun. The pressure now is not whether you can adapt, but from this stage.
Every time I perform, all my brothers have only a short time to figure out how to present on stage, how to make music, and to learn a new song in such a short period of time. Can it be done? Stress comes from these.
A team is very different from an individual performance. Teams have to cooperate. Other brothers will also have ideas, and they may not be presented completely according to their own ideas. The trade-off in the middle will take time to run in, but we do not have much time.
The rest is fun. In the training camp, I lived with my brothers, and even slept in the same room and shared a bathroom. It’s like a bunch of big boys back in their school days.
After several performances, the scores are not high. You ask me if I have any regrets? I really don’t know what the regret is, I just know that we just practiced hard and then performed on stage without thinking too much.
I actually came to participate in the program with three principles: first, honest communication. Second, have fun. Third, is a handsome performance.
I think this show is a test aside from being a reality show and a music show. Really tempered the potential of all of us, gained a new understanding of ourselves, a new understanding, and more confidence.
From “The Lover” to “The No. 8 Pawnshop”, there are special meanings
Two songs were selected for the first stage, “Lover” and “Save the Earth”. “Lover” is something I have to sing every time I perform. I don’t need to think too much regarding it. I think this is the most popular song among all my songs.
In addition, the director team also hopes to have a fast song, which is inspirational or passionate, and I thought of “Save the Earth” at the first time. This song was released in 1991, and many of the older brothers are around 30 years old. When this song came out, some of them may not have been born, and some may have just been born. Today we present this song once more, it has a special meaning to me.
“The No. 8 Pawnshop” is a play from 2003, almost 20 years ago. Until now, people keep saying under my Weibo that they are still watching this drama. As an actor, I am honored to receive such a role, and then play this role to life, so that everyone is so fascinated.
Sometimes I also wonder, is there any chance for Han Nuo to be resurrected? In the case of resurrection, under what circumstances?
Then this time on the stage of “Overcoming Toughness 2”, I think it is a good opportunity.
The director team just gave us a dream theme, and I immediately thought of “The No. 8 Pawnshop”. In this dream, Han Nuo, the owner of the No. 8 pawnshop, was reborn.
After this idea comes out, I want to get back everything regarding Han Nuo, such as hairstyle, clothes, accessories and so on. The old costume and that chain are definitely gone, only remade. Luckily, these were all made later. We did put in a lot of effort.
michael jackson is my musical idol
Many netizens said that they miss the Chinese music scene in the 1990s. When they see us, they will miss that era.
In fact, what I miss is my student days, the 1970s and 1980s.
When I was in college in the 1980s, I thought the world of music at that time had limitless possibilities. A lot of music and stories from that era, such as my good brothers, classmates, and some stories with my parents when I was a child, are all in these memories.
Michael Jackson (Michael Jackson), everyone knows I like him a lot. Queen (Queen Band), Pink Floyd (Pink Floyd Band), Jefferson Starship (Jackson Spaceship Band), Diana Ross (Diana Ross) in the 1970s… There are also many classic record companies, There are many singers. Some of these singers may have gone viral following becoming popular with a single song. There are also some have been red, and now there are many people like it, like Whitney Houston (Whitney Houston). They are all my idols.
Every song of these singers and these bands has influenced my view of music. These accumulated little by little, and finally became the musical style I am today.
I believe that many of the new generation of singers are like this, unknowingly being influenced by their favorite musicians. After they become musicians or singers, they will carry this music with them, and then express it in their own way.
I am a very lucky person
Looking at my life now, it feels like a dream, the good and the bad seem to be extreme. In fact, life is like this, high and low, there are bad things, and there are good things.
I have been protected at home since I was a child. My parents and my brother loved me very much. I felt as if I would never need to grow up.
So is my business. I’ve been in the good record company since I got into the business. Everything went well, I met great people, whether it was the agency or the record company, the producers, even the film directors, they were really nice to me. I don’t think I need to grow up. I haven’t really faced some particularly difficult problems either.
After I got married, my wife was very nice, and even my father-in-law and mother-in-law were very fond of me.
I think I am a very lucky person, so I can only work hard and take good care of my family.
Of course, life can’t always be this smooth. In 2009, my mother passed away. In 2011, my father also passed away. Fortunately, I met my wife in 2009, and she accompanied me through this difficult period.
I was very close to my parents and it was a very sad time (following my parents passed away). At that time, I had no idea regarding work at all, and I didn’t want to make records for the sake of making records, and make new songs for the sake of making new songs. So I stopped for a long time, trying to find some other ideals in life.
Before I entered the industry, I thought regarding being a fashion designer. So during that time I set up my own clothing brand. Thinking regarding it now, it was a chaotic period in my life, facing a completely unfamiliar job and facing the departure of my parents.
I hope my son will be proud to hear my song
Family, without a doubt, is the focus of my life at this stage.
My wife and I have always had a good relationship. In the show, everyone has seen it, and I will ask her if I have any questions. In fact, she knows me better than I do, so if I have any questions, I will ask her.
We have no secrets at all together, and I think any secrets can create distance. I confessed everything openly to her.
At home, my wife and I have a clear division of labor. I am my son’s playmate, and my wife is sometimes strict with him. In a family, parents always have a strict.
I only have one son, and now at his age, I feel like I need a playmate and then a good role model. as a father. I think, just give him a happy childhood.
My dad was like that when I was a kid. He is very happy to play with us, take us to swim and barbecue, and even buy us gifts during festivals. It was a very warm, happy and happy childhood.
I believe that it is not wrong to follow this tradition, so I want to give my son more support and love, and hope that he can have a very good childhood and happy memories.
I also want to be a role model for my children. If I’m going to put out a new song, I’m thinking, if my son hears this song, will he like it? Will he be proud to hear this music when he grows up?
I have this feeling and experience. My mom is a singer and I get so proud when I hear her music. Her music is very serious and sincere, and I will proudly say to my friends: This is my mother’s song.
