With Harlem's team collecting the bulk of good contestants this week (but not all), this episode is full of surprises and memorable performances. Yang Mei Na singing Diamonds by Rihanna is certainly worth looking out for - she got all four judges very stressed and they even started promising her all kinds of rewards for joining their team. This episode is exciting enough to watch it from start to end. Read the full episode summary here:

Here you can watch the entire SING CHINA Season 1 Episode 4.

Immediately, this episode launches into 李咏's (Li Yong) performance of a perfect medley of the most representative songs of all four judges. This talented Urumqi man is the host of SING CHINA, who fills the big shoes of 华少 from VOC. Since the season kicked off, it is the first time that he truly addressed the audience on a more personal note. The four songs that he mixed together are 春天里, 情非得已, 征服, 听妈妈(爸爸)的话. The judges and Li Yong started engaging in the most stereotypical post-performance exchange.


李瑞轩 (Li Rui Xuan) performs 双刀, one of the understated songs by Jay Chou. This song is one of the perfect collaborations between 方文山 and Jay Chou. I would imagine Li Rui Xuan making this song known to more people after choosing this song in his performance. There is this alluring factor in his voice that I would think Harlem would like. Wang Feng points out how incredibly versatile he is. His rap is super steady. Jay Chou and Harlem slams the button simultaneously. I am surprised but happy that he chose Team Harlem.




The next contestant is a 23-year old chubby bar singer, 单良 (Shan Liang) from Liaoning. Sensing that he is losing inspiration from his daily singing, he wants to join SING CHINA to prove to himself that he still can sing well. He performs his favourite song, 悟空. It has an edge of the traditional Chinese style - what Jay Chou loves to call ~中国风~ which was probably what made Jay hit the button and slid down towards the stage. Most of it, he uses a more "mainstream" way of singing. Personally, I do like his voice - very smooth and affective but I don't really like the song he chose. I would imagine it would expand his potential when he sings love songs with this amount of power. Ultimately, Shan Liang chooses Team Jay Chou.


Like many, 27-year old 杨美娜 (Yang Mei Na) has the ambition to become a professional singer. She sports a short crew cut. She sings Diamonds by Rihanna, and just from her first line, you can tell she is really good already with a very thick voice. Wang Feng hears it and slams the button within the first few words - a rarity to see Wang Feng so rash with his decision. As she continues in her performance, it is obvious she has so much lung power that it seems like she has way more room to sing even more difficult songs. Before long, the remaining three judges hit the button - she couldn't hide her excitement! The audience is all revved up. Wang Feng says that her rendition of Diamonds is even better than Rihanna's. All four judges exert much effort to poach her to their teams, but in the end, she chooses Team Harlem. Harlem is really collecting a lot of 'diamonds' today! Yang Mei Na is certainly one of the contestants that will go very far in this competition.


Next up: 陈晨 (Chen Chen) sings 夏洛特烦恼 by 金志文 of the first season of VOC. His first line caused a small wave of cheers from the audience despite it being a slow song... probably because his voice is so special, steady almost like Jeff Chang's. All four judges remain in deep thought, even after he finished singing the second chorus. I actually liked this performance a lot, very touching... it's hard to watch this without at least tearing. 江源东 (Jiang Yuandong) and 耿斯汉 (Geng Sihan) are spotted in the audience, praying really hard he'll go through. Later, he revealed that they are room mates. But the judges remain unmoved. I can't help but feel deeply disappointed because I think that some contestants from the second episode wasn't as good as him. During the post-performance exchange, they exposed some gossip about Jiang Yuandong, Geng Sihan, Wang Feng and Jay Chou.


22-year old Rap singer 万妮达 (Vinida) approaches this stage with a strong hip-hop personality and pep talks herself to stay true to herself. I love the way she started 牛仔很忙, one of Jay Chou's iconic songs, immediately injecting her own feel into this song. Rapping seems so easy for her which gives her more space to express her own personality. I think she's very good at making people remember her with her very strong street-style. Learning more about her determination about persevering in this rap style in China makes her much more admirable. Vinida joins Team Na Ying beyond anyone's wildest expectations.


And... with a David Reset, we launched into the next contestant - 杨山 (Yang Shan) sings an old song, 小雪, with his guitar. Although his voice is brilliant, I feel that it was also so smooth that it became quite sleep-inducing. In a way, it's good because it's indeed very relaxing, inspired by his self-drive travels with his wife to Hoh Xil Lake. Na Ying and Jay Chou hit the button towards the end of the performance. Yang Shan chooses Team Na Ying despite his wife's fangirling over Jay Chou!


Finally, we are at our last contestant 黄俊杰 (Huang Junjie), someone who sings yet another Jay Chou song... 雨下一整晚. He is a third-year student at Shenyang Conservatory of Music. The highlight is that his voice is incredibly effeminate in the Joanna Wang, lazy way, which is quite endearing actually - so blues! I like his sense of tempo. Jay Chou hits the button, and Na Ying, Harlem follows soon after. He reveals that he does funk, fusion, bossanova, and jazz. He has to make a choice eventually between the three judges that chose him - and in return, he chooses Team Jay Chou, making him a rare contestant that sang Jay's songs AND actually joined his team.

Curious why SING CHINA is no longer called VOICE OF CHINA? Find out here.

Who is your favourite contestant of this week? Comment away below!