A singer's debut album is scheduled to be released ahead of his 23rd birthday, Chen Nan reports.

Cai Chengyu has seen his music career grow quickly over the past two years. The singer performs at various events thanks to his increasing popularity among young audiences. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

When Cai Chengyu appeared on Super Vocal, a talent show produced by Hunan Satellite TV for classically trained singers in 2018, he was still a student of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he was trained to become a bel canto tenor. Little did he know then that he would be embarking on one of the most thrilling experiences of his career.

During the past two years, he has gained over 1 million followers on the micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo. He has performed at national galas, such as the Spring Festival Gala, one of the most-watched annual events in the country, as well as participating in several variety shows.

"It happened so fast－what I achieved and have now－that I am still learning with each project I am involved with," says Cai, who is pursuing his bachelor's degree at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Cai is excited about releasing his debut album on Jan 15, which will feature six songs, before he turns 23 years old on Jan 17.

On Oct 30, the first song from the album, titled The Light Beyond, was released by Decca Records, part of the Universal Music Group. The song, which is a Mandarin version of an English song with the same title, is adapted from a 2013 musical, titled Lightseeker, written by award-winning Singaporean songwriter Dick Lee.

The Mandarin version of the song also features a performance of the Budapest Art Orchestra.

Cai also traveled to Ulaanqab in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to shoot the music video for the song. With the beautiful scenery and his performance, Cai says he hopes it will be a fresh take on the song, using his classically trained voice to bring a romantic blend of classical and pop music to his audiences.

"Though I haven't watched the musical Lightseeker yet, I love the vibe of the music, which is full of hope and confidence," Cai says.

The release of Cai's new song received a warm response online.

"Though only one song was released, I felt like I was watching a musical. I like his voice, which tells the story of a young man seeking out his dream," Chen Yixin, one of Cai's fans, comments on one of the record company's social media posts.

In July, Cai sang in the role of Don Ottavio in the Shanghai Opera House's concert version of Mozart's Don Giovanni. It was his first major performance in an opera.

First performed in Prague in 1787, the opera is about the notorious libertine Don Giovanni, who seduces women and kills them. Don Ottavio is the fiance of Donna Anna, whose father was killed by Don Giovanni.

"I turned down other work for this. It was a great experience to perform the role. I felt the energy, and that's the best feeling," Cai says.

Under the baton of conductor Xu Zhong, who is director of the Shanghai Opera House, Cai, along with other singers, received online coaching in language, music and stage performance by artistic directors from the Vienna State Opera and the Sydney Opera House.

"The two-month training was intensive. If I hadn't reached Xu's expectations, I would have been replaced by other singers," Cai says, adding that he was happy to have made it.

Xu says it was Cai's voice, rather than his popularity, that helped him to win the role.

"His voice suits the role of Don Ottavio well," says Xu.

"I had to point out every tiny flaw to him. The experience helped a promising young singer."

Born in Suzhou, Anhui province, Cai developed an interest in music from a young age. He recalls that at the age of 4, he sang at a public square in his hometown.

"In my last music class in high school, I performed a song in front of the whole class. My teacher encouraged me to pursue a career in music," he says.

In 2016, he successfully became a student of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with the fourth best grades nationwide.

"It was during my study at the conservatory that I was able to fully immerse myself in classical music," says Cai.

"Classical music is full of color and touches our senses and our hearts. I am happy to see more young people enjoy the art form through my crossover projects."

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn