At the conclusion of the United Nations Chinese Language Day, fans of singer Zhou Shen accompanied him from the conference room all the way to the elevator doors. The singer waved goodbye and said "thank you" to those who enjoy his music as he stepped into the elevator.

"What I feel very happy about is that there are many people behind me who support and love me," Zhou told China Daily in an exclusive interview inside UN headquarters in New York. "I feel that they are with me on every stage I stand on. I also want to tell them that we can work together to realize the dreams we want to realize."

News of Zhou singing at the UN went viral last week. The topic has garnered in excess of 180 million views, and more than 1.72 million posts included it on social media platform Sina Weibo.

UN Chinese Language Day usually falls on April 20, but this year it was held on April 18. It was rainy and cold in New York, with the temperature reaching a maximum of 11 C. Some of Zhou's fans waited outside the UN the entire afternoon to see him.

Talking about how he went from a mountain village in Hunan province to becoming one of the most popular singers in China, Zhou said that doing what he enjoys feels like the right thing for him to do.

"I think the right thing to do is to pursue what you enjoy and continuously explore your desires as you grow. I'm also figuring things out along the way, like which step may truly be my own? Follow your desires, or take steps that genuinely feel right when you take them," he said.

Born in 1992, Zhou grew up in a family from a remote mountain village. Up until the age of 6, he was often left at home by his parents and so music became his most important and precious companion.

"Especially when I was feeling down or sad, music comforted me. I was less confident and introverted as a child, and music allowed me to move from my own small world to the bigger world outside, step by step," he said during his speech on UN Chinese Language Day.

When Wu Zhongbei, clinical assistant professor of music and language at Alfred University in upstate New York, introduced one of Zhou's songs to the students in her guzheng (a zither-like traditional stringed instrument) class, she found that even those who didn't speak Chinese had already heard it.

"They all loved your song Big Fish," Wu said, recalling how after listening to the song, one student in her class expressed an interest in studying Chinese during the upcoming semester and even traveled to China earlier this year, and some of the students also sent Zhou cards with their best wishes written in Chinese.

As his most famous song, Big Fish has more than 2 million views on YouTube. The top comment on the video explains the vocal technique Zhou uses at the end of the song.

"It is called countertenor, and it is a falsetto singing technique. It has nothing to do with gender theory. He is a deeply skilled singer, singing beautifully," user halvardlund4782 wrote.

"How did they manage to hire an angel to sing this? Did they just fish one out of the sky or something?" user YolaroozXD wrote.

Zhou said he was proud to know his song was loved by people outside China and could serve as a bridge to spread Chinese culture.

"When I watch videos on the internet of foreign listeners reacting to Big Fish, I feel very proud. Because everyone thinks, 'wow, this Chinese music is very beautiful'. And they read the lyrics, as there are translations, and they say that the lyrics are meaningful and the song is very moving," he said.

Zhou is also pleased that his song has become a starting point for people to find a way to understand Chinese culture, and added that he thinks music is very important to the spread of culture.

On YouTube, vocal analysts have discussed his singing skills. In one YouTube video with 128,000 views, a voice teacher who goes by the name Bethany says that after listening to Zhou for the first time, she is "over the moon" to hear a singer with the skill and agility he displays in Big Fish.

"He is doing something very smart but also very cool. When you're in falsetto, sometimes it can be tricky to get your vocal cords to fully adduct. Rather than a neutral onset … he's putting a little 'h' in there … so it adds this really cool effect, making it sound really breathy, but it also is a healthy way of getting your cords together when you're in falsetto," she says in the video.

Zhou's music takes inspiration from traditional Chinese culture, and he weaves elements of ancient melodies and poetic themes into his compositions..

"In fact, I have many songs that are related to Chinese opera. I have one called Brightness, which is a combination of pop music and Chinese opera," he said.

"It is actually quite difficult to combine the two without being obtrusive, and creating a sense of dialogue between ancient and modern times in just three to four minutes is not easy. Moreover, this blending of ancient and modern elements has to be smooth and natural," Zhou told China Daily, adding that he is continuing to make more attempts.

As popular as he is now, Zhou's voice caused him some trouble in school because he said that he sounded like a girl.

"During adolescence, my voice didn't change much when everyone else's did. The cynicism surrounding me at that time greatly affected my self-esteem," he said.

Faced with the pressure of both family and academic expectations, he abandoned his musical aspirations after graduating from high school and became a medical student in Ukraine. However, after a year, he decided to quit and applied to the Lviv National Music Academy.

He began his career by covering other people's songs on social media. He gradually gained followers and caught the attention of The Voice of China, the Chinese version of The Voice, the television singing competition.

"Through these years of hard work, voices of support and encouragement have gradually increased. I feel the acceptance and love from strangers, and I have also gradually transformed from a teenager lacking confidence to a calmer, and more determined version of myself," Zhou said.

""I was once just an ordinary boy who loved to sing. Besides singing and music, I often thought about how to pass on the goodwill and encouragement I received in different ways," he added.

Zhou premiered his new song, Ode to Peace, on Chinese Language Day. He calls it "very relatable".

"As a pop singer, I usually perform more popular songs, but this one has a more aria-like feel, and its lyrics are relatable to everyone. It speaks about the importance of peace to humanity, and today, it is being performed in a special place like the United Nations.

"By singing this song, I aim to highlight its universal message to the fullest extent, so that everyone can resonate with it deeply. I also hope to sing it in a place that advocates for peace and the development of a beautiful world, so that more people can hear it and recognize the importance of peace," said Zhou, who also performed the theme song for the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

He said that singing Ode to Peace at the UN shows Chinese cultural confidence.

"My biggest belief today is that we should sing our own songs in Chinese on the platform of the United Nations. I think this showcases our greatest cultural confidence, as does wearing Chinese-style clothing," Zhou said.

Zhou said that he feels extremely fortunate. "I hope to convey this message to everyone who might think themselves ordinary. I want you to know that each of us has the potential to be fortunate.

"Through our efforts, strengths and talents, we can generate warmth and shine. I believe we can all achieve this. I am proof of this belief. As a very ordinary person who loves to sing and comes from an ordinary place, I stand here today. And so can you."

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