Chongqing - The first all-English international broadcast program in Chongqing, the 239th special edition of the Let’s Meet series, titled “When Western China Meets the Beat” and produced by WCICO, will be broadcast globally on August 22.

Western China Heard Through Ten Songs

What happens when the Yi Adou high-pitched melody meets deep electronic beats, and ancient folk melodies are reimagined through contemporary rhythms? The WCICO and Danish DJ and producer HEDEGAARD jointly created the ten-episode music documentary Western China’s Melody and its adapted album Kin. Traveling across ten locations and engaging with ten ethnic groups in western China, the project explores the lives, emotions, and cultural roots behind traditional music, allowing the world to hear the sounds of western China. In this episode, let’s step into Western China’s Melody and discover a Western China that is real, diverse, and full of life.

Chinese and International Musicians Reunite in Chongqing

The sounds collected across ten locations in western China have now returned to the stage. Recently, the Melody of Western China- Night of International Musical Story Event was held at the Chongqing Guotai Arts Center, bringing Chinese and international musicians together once again. Through original folk performances and contemporary musical adaptations, they revisited the sounds and stories gathered along the journey and jointly lit up a musical map spanning western China. From songs heard in the field to fresh expressions on stage, this reunion has given the musical journey of Western China’s Melody a new continuation.

Interview with HEDEGAARD: Listening to the Sounds of Western China

For HEDEGAARD, “hearing Western China” meant more than encountering unfamiliar music. It was a way to move from sound into real people and everyday life. After traveling through ten cities, his understanding of Chongqing was no longer limited to a rapidly developing modern metropolis. He also came to see the human warmth behind the city and the great pride people take in their traditional music and cultural roots. For him, Western China’s Melody was more than a music project; it became a journey from unfamiliarity to understanding, and a way to celebrate the voices of Western China. Let’s hear what he has to say.

《Let’s Meet》 airs every Wednesday and Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and is simultaneously released across the official Let's Meet WeChat Channels account, the official Let's Meet YouTube channel, the Bridging News app, the iChongqing website, iChongqing's Facebook account and YouTube channel, as well as WCICO's global communication network.