The late pop star Coco Lee‘s leaked audio recordings detailing alleged mistreatment and humiliation by the top Chinese TV talent show, Sing! China, have sparked a wave of outrage on mainland social media. The scandal has led to calls for a boycott of the program and caused a significant drop in the market value of the production company behind it, Star CM Holdings Ltd, by HK$26 billion (US$3.3 billion).
The scandal surfaced just over a month after the iconic performer’s suicide, leading to widespread online discussions about talent show operations. In a nine-minute audio clip, Lee emotionally recounted being mistreated on Sing! China, an eight-year-old program modeled after the global reality competition show The Voice. Lee, who was battling depression, breast cancer, and was soon to undergo leg surgery, alleged she was ambushed with a sudden placement change during a performance with contestant Wang Zepeng. This change left her standing alone in seven-inch heels, causing her to fall mid-duet. The incident was particularly humiliating as her ill health had been largely hidden from the public.
Wang later supported Lee’s claims, revealing that the arrangement for them to stand apart was established in rehearsals, which Lee was not informed about. Additionally, he was unable to read or reply to Lee’s messages on the day of the performance as his phone had been confiscated. The incident reportedly occurred after Lee argued with the show’s producers over the unfairness of the judging system, which led to the elimination of another contestant, Zhou Feige, despite having a higher score than others who remained.
The scandal has resulted in a nearly 54% drop in the shares of the show’s producer, Star CM Holdings Ltd, over five days, wiping out more than HK$26 billion in market value. Lee’s former music label, Warner Music China, issued a statement saying they would continue to pay attention to the investigation and fully cooperate. Lee was a pioneering talent in China, having broken into the American market with her 1999 album, Just No Other Way, and remains the only Chinese singer to have performed at the Academy Awards.
The incident has prompted many of Lee’s A-list friends, such as transgender icon Jin Xing, veteran singers Jenny Tseng and Han Hong, to call out the program. It has also led to widespread online discussions questioning why other artists have not spoken up for the pop diva. This incident has fueled further audience frustration with the “manufactured” nature of some reality shows, as evidenced by a recent episode of Sing! China, where the chair of rapper and current judge, Will Pan, turned around without the button being pressed.
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