Last year in November during their concert tour in Shanghai, the well-known Taiwanese band Mayday was accused by mainland Chinese bloggers of lip-syncing and even rumored to be forced to make a political statement. Nearly 6 months later, the official investigation results from the Chinese Communist Party were finally announced. According to reports from Chinese media on May 11th, the Shanghai Cultural Inspection Hotline staff replied that they did not find any illegal activities involved.
In November of last year, Mayday held 8 consecutive concerts at the Shanghai Stadium. Following their move to Europe for a tour, Mayday was accused by a Bilibili blogger in China known as “Farmer in the Field” of lip-syncing during their concert on November 16, 2023, in Shanghai, potentially violating Chinese laws. This video blogger used computer software to analyze 12 songs from the concert, claiming that 5 of them were lip-synced while the authenticity of the other songs was questionable.
Although the incident initially caused a huge uproar and trended on Weibo for two consecutive days, some questioned the methodology of “Farmer in the Field” and deemed it unprofessional. Mayday’s management company, HIM International Music, issued a statement denying the lip-syncing allegations, accusing “Farmer in the Field” of “malicious attacks, rumors, and defamation,” and announced a live broadcast of Mayday’s concert in Paris, inviting “everyone to participate and witness.”
Lead vocalist Ashin responded to the incident, stating: “Every scream, every performance, every sound comes from the voice I have relied on for 24 years. Other than singing live, there is no other way to move you.”
Following the escalation of the matter, the Enforcement Division of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism stated that they had obtained the original audio recordings of Mayday’s concert in Shanghai in November 2023 and threatened to investigate and penalize. HIM International Music stated that they would fully cooperate with the relevant authorities’ investigations.
As “Farmer in the Field’s” analysis video quickly gained popularity and trended on Weibo, Chinese state media also joined the criticism against Mayday. On December 4, 2023, People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and CCTV News all reported on the incident. People’s Daily published an editorial the next day (December 5, 2023), demanding strict management from the relevant authorities.
Subsequently, the online discussions about Mayday in China shifted, with some accusing them of being “Taiwan independence” artists, making their Taiwanese identity a target for attacks. Taiwanese singer Rainie Yang sparked controversy among Chinese netizens when she mentioned Mayday’s upcoming live-streamed concert in Paris on December 7, saying, “I love Mayday, can Paris let me request a song?” This statement fueled anger among some Chinese netizens.
On April 24, 2024, Mayday announced their 25th-anniversary concert tour “Back to That Day,” which will be held from mid to late May to June at the National Stadium Bird’s Nest in Beijing. The news sparked discussion in China, with the topic “Mayday lip-sync scandal investigation without results for nearly 5 months” trending on Weibo.
However, the Cultural and Tourism Bureau of Beijing responded that there was no conclusion regarding the “lip-syncing incident,” so they granted approval as per the law. The relevant enforcement departments of Beijing also stated that staff would be sent to monitor the concert at the venue.
Almost 6 months later, on May 11, 2024, the Yangtze Evening News reported that a journalist called the Shanghai Cultural Inspection Hotline regarding the Mayday lip-syncing saga. The staff at the institution replied, “During the Mayday concert in Shanghai in November 2023, the law enforcement staff arranged by the Shanghai Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau inspected the venue and upon verification, no illegal activities related to your report were found.” The news quickly became a trending topic.
Although the official stance of the Chinese Communist Party seemed to confirm that Mayday did not lip-sync, neither the netizens nor Mayday’s fans were satisfied with the outcome. They questioned why it took six months for the investigation and criticized the perfunctory response, feeling it was unfair for Mayday to endure such prolonged slander. Some so-called “patriotic netizens” also demanded detailed investigation results and criteria from the Chinese Communist Party.
Of interest is the fact that “Farmer in the Field,” who accused Mayday of lip-syncing at the Shanghai concert, announced in mid-March of this year that he was shutting down his “Lip-Sync Appraisal Series” channel. He disclosed that the total income from his channel in the past year was 39,021 RMB, with half of it earned by appraising three Mayday videos.
As to why he closed down the lip-sync analysis channel despite its popularity, “Farmer in the Field” ruefully explained that there were many gray areas in Chinese laws regarding lip-syncing, and being a private individual without a team, his appraisal results did not hold legal weight. He understood that while he might not necessarily lose in a lawsuit, the process would be cumbersome and affect his life, expressing apparent disappointment in the shifting stance of the Chinese Communist Party.