Dali never lacks touching stories. Historical cultures and contemporary cultures blend well in this ancient city which is filled with persistence and moving stories. Those creative craftsmen, portrait painters with strong personality and resident singers who were drunk into the music become an eye-catching scenery of this city. They showed up in different corner enjoying themselves or pursuing their own targets. The cultural ambience in this place is worth for people to slow down and appreciate.
When Macao singer meets with the unruly Dali
When I met Lam Si Man (Eva) for the first time, I was in a bar situated at Renmin Road, Dali. With a big guitar, she played and sang the soft, comfortable and jazz-style Bossa Nova music. Her voice was beautiful. Audiences always applauded for her at the end of each song, which made her immersed into the joy of music.
Eva is from Macao. Also, she is the famous resident singer in Dali. As to pursue the attitude and value of music, she travelled so far to Dali to carry out a different career. “I travelled to Yunnan every year. In the past few years, I was totally obsessed with Dali when I have been here. I love this place, in cultural customs, climatic environment or creative atmosphere.” Eva admitted that to work on the music career in Macao is difficult, because of the modest income and stressful life, not mention to whole-heartedly focus on composing music. Thus, she decided to move to Dali and wish to find the soul devoted to music.
Creating an ideal career path with music notes
When Eva having been in Dali for three months, Eva’s husband, who is also a music composer, Wong Chi Tat (Sin) also came to Dali for future development. Sin has been the guitar teacher in Macao for many years. He was passionate about music, but also found it difficult to locate himself in such a hurry city: “The pace of Dali is slow. When I was singing, many passersby would stop or even sit on the floor. They enjoyed my music, which was really inspired for a singer.” Sin knew that if he was going to regard music as his lifelong career, he should develop in a place with perfect industry chain. As it can make him hold on his dream and develop a career with business value in the same time. Dali, regarding cultural industry as the main pillar industry, is the perfect place for this couple to implement their ideas.
Although the life in Dali is relaxing, this couple never stops progressing. Eva said: “Every year, numerous singers come and go. If we want to establish our own career here, we have to create a unique image to promote our competitiveness.” They formed a band, called MAISHA, several months earlier with the bass, drum and another guitar players. The show of this band was really passionate. The styles were also various which made them famous in Dali. Rehearsing in daytime, while performing at night, without too much pressure for rental and life, they were given more spaces and respects, which made them concentrate more on music composing and developing.
Expanding career and seeking out the nutrient for music
When referring to economic benefits, Eva thought that the incomes from Dali was more stable than her expectation. With decent basic salary, they would also get the tips from audiences who thought they sang well. Except from performing in several fixed bars, they would also be invited to some business activities like concert. Eva, who always wants to challenge into the unknown areas, plans to perform in large-scale hotels or other places with her teammates to broaden their horizons. They want the possibility of future unlimited.
“Everyone carries out the things they love and makes these things more valuable” is probably the core to develop the cultural and creative industry. Business and dream collide with each other all the time. In Eva and Sin’s opinion, to make music industry develop smoothly, only providing capitals is not enough. Instead, a “cultural space” belonging to music should be established. This place is also the stage for different kinds of innovations and music types to be performed, communicate and compete. A place suitable for art activities could inspire the vitality of composer; a valuable cultural composing platform could promote the sustainable development of industry.
