Rocking Against the Phonies: Rising Nanjing Band Sixi Talk Keeping It Real Ahead of Dec 15 Yugong Yishan Gig

Rocking Against Posers: Rising Nanjing Band Sixi Talk Keeping it Real Ahead of Dec 15 Yugong Yishan Gig

Kyle Mullin | Dec 13, 2017 1:00 pm | Add a comment | 1018 reads

Seeing as Sixi is fronted by the sizzlingly charismatic vocalist and synth player Xiao Xin, and rounded out by flaring guitar riffs of Wang Laoji and the bouncy rhythm section of Xiao Kai and Yang Yang (on bass and drums, respectively), there's little wonder why the alt-rock quartet is one of the most hotly buzzed bands to come out of Nanjing's music scene in quite some time. Though they're more mainstream than hometown forefathers like P.K. 14, mostly thanks to the grooving rhythm section and Xiao Xin's sunny synth playing that are all sure to make you sway, the combination of her sultry singing with those dancier elements, along with Wang Laoji old school shredding, all make for a unique combination that clearly appeals to a wide swath.

All those aspects should clash, Sixi somehow make it work, and China's music industry has taken notice. After inking a deal with top-notch label Midi this past August, the band has gone on to win several high-profile accolades like a spot on Xiami X Weibo's top 10 new artists of the year list, third place at the Tigger National Band Contest, and Best Rock New Artist of the Year of Midi China Rock Awards last year. Now they're set to release their debut LP, TV WATCH TV (stream the album here ), and will tour behind it across China, including a stop at Yugong Yishan on Dec 15.

Below, frontwoman Xiao Xin tells us more about the band's rise, the unique challenges they face in the age of social media, why they want to call out phonies, and more.

Tell us about how your band formed, and why you have good chemistry together.
We met through internet. After a few chats we decided to meet face to face, and then we formed the band. We have chemistry through many of our shared ideologies, though of course, not all the time.

An article on Yugong Yishsn’s WeChat account mentions how critics have lauded you for “refreshing the 20 years of sadness and hardship in the Nanjing rock scene with a brand new sense.”
Maybe it’s true. We are honored to be described in this way but we don’t think there is too much sadness in Nanjing. Hardship, yes, there is some. We hope more genres will join in Nanjing’s music scene.

That article also says: “Sixi’s debut album TV WATCH TV satirizes the “fake people.” What inspired you to address this topic, and what are some great examples of you doing so in your lyrics?
People often unconsciously disguise themselves while communicating with each other. They’re trying to make themselves look more interesting and more suitable for other's expectations, like a TV program weaving together beautiful plots. With our song “Eat Dream,” we try to highlight a better way, especially with the lines: “He is only loyal to the heat of his body temperature, as well as the pure motive." The words "body temperature" and "pure" are especially crucial in our underlining the importance of being true.

This will be your debut album. Which of its songs are you most proud of, and what inspired them?
Each member of our band has different favorites off this album at different times, depending on our moods. But we all agree that “Stiff” is our recent favorite. It reflects our mood when we first hit the road to tour. It’s such an exciting feeling that it’s hard to express, but then suddenly on that song we let all that joy finally burst out.

You are a very young band, and this will be your debut album. What might be the advantages and disadvantages to being a new band now, compared to bands from other eras in Chinese music history? For example, do you think P.K. 14 (a fellow Nanjing band) had different challenges and benefits when they got started?
One constant throughout the years is that bands rarely have a leading role in the Chinese mainstream. Solo singers and pop star types always seem more attractive to these audiences. That being said, people are more open to different genres these days, which is a huge advantage to us, as we are very versatile in our style. The disadvantage that our generation faces, however, is that marketing is so crucial in this musical climate. We are not aggressive enough and indulge in writing songs so much that we appear very low-profile, especially compared to musicians who are savvier on social media. This may affect the development of our band, or at least its growth and popularity.

Anything else you’d like to add?
We hope to always treat our music with the enthusiasm and attitude of a new band, make more distinctive and interesting songs that we can share with the whole world.