Domestic soft drink brand Yuanqi Forest (also known as Genki Forest) welcomed its third annual Chengdu music festival over May Day weekend.
Th event, which took place at the International Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo Park from April 29-30, courted China’s youth with a diverse setlist of local acts.
The two stages, named after the yuan and qi characters in the brand name, showcased homegrown acts from across the genre spectrum. Rappers Lil Ghost and Boogie Wang, singer songwriter Silence Wang, and rock band Omnipotent Youth Society were among the headliners, whilst female rapper NINEONE and folk duo The Landlord’s Cat supported. Ticketholders also received a digital blind box gift, extending the experience into the virtual world.
On China’s Twitter equivalent Weibo, the hashtag “Yuanqi Forest music festival” garnered 300 million views over the course of the event and in the days after. One of the most liked posts was from ten-strong rap collective W8VES, who rose to fame in 2020 after forming on the TV talent competition Rap for Youth.
Yuanqi Forest established its first branded music festival in Chengdu in 2021 and has been actively engaging in China’s local music scenes via social media since. The brand has also made a foray into livehouse, a subculture revolving around the enjoyment of music in small, intimate venues. Yuanqi’s livehouse first opened in Shanghai in March, drawing on the university student locale to get closer to the cultural zeitgeist.
