Random Entertainment has turned the tide in the domestic entertainment industry within just three or four years.
Every year, there are talent shows, and every year, companies aim to create idol groups to change the domestic market. However, they all end up carving out a small niche in the vast ocean, unable to break through.
Initially, it was thought that Random Entertainment would follow the same path, launching a couple of groups, attracting some fans, and then settling into their own little world.
But looking back now, the trainees who grew up under Random Entertainment's high standards have set a new benchmark for others. Wherever there are Random Entertainment trainees, the competition is fierce.
With Random Entertainment as a reference point, the public's expectations for domestic idols have risen significantly.
In a fan culture where everyone has a strong sense of career, it's inevitable that fans will flock to artists under Random Entertainment.
Following this trend, it was expected that Random Entertainment would enter an era of dominating their own niche. However, they began collaborating with other platforms to create an ecosystem suitable for the idol market.
The launch of "Idol New Museum" brought Equals3 to the forefront of public attention, attracting countless curious netizens and sparking a wave of enthusiasm in the domestic idol market.
Among the three MCs, Sang Mo is an idol, while the other two are rising actresses with some achievements this year. This combination was a refreshing surprise for the audience.
With their wide audience reach and easy dissemination, the actresses were more recognizable to the outside netizens than the male MC.
The mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces piqued the interest of viewers who stumbled into the live stream, leading them to chat with the comments and watch until the end.
"Who's next?"
"How do I vote?"
"What's the point of winning first place?"
"Can I still vote now?"
Fans looked at the comments and sighed, "There are so many people."
Every time they followed a star, it felt like everyone around them was a part of their group. But this time was different. It was like being taken on a school trip by their teacher, only to end up abroad, surrounded by strangers, feeling like intruders in someone else's territory.
Since the voting hadn't ended, fans were eager to pull in as many votes as possible, even if it was just one vote, it was crucial to them.
"The next group is Equals3! The one with the male host!"
"Vote in the top left corner! Top left! Click! There's the group name! Vote for Equals3! Thank you!"
"Winning first place gets you a splash screen ad!"
Although Equals3's presence in Random Entertainment is relatively low, that's only because they are compared to AIcho and Timetrain. In the broader context, their three members have a significant fan base, so there was no need to worry about the vote.
At that moment, the three of them stood backstage, waiting for the current performance to end. As the show was nearing its conclusion, other groups' artists also gathered nearby, waiting for the final award presentation.
The venue was filled with fans, most of whom had come to see Equals3. The audience mostly sat in the second-tier stands, while the inner venue had only about a hundred spectators, the rest being filming equipment.
Initially, they had planned to perform earnestly, even if the live broadcast didn't capture their on-site footage, to make the fans who had traveled far feel it was worth it.
However, due to the live broadcast's audio being switched according to the program's progress, they couldn't perform live on stage, not even with other musicians joining them.
This was a first-time experience for them.
To ensure a smooth transition between the award presentation and their pre-recorded stage, staff called other artists to prepare for their appearance as Equals3's stage began.
On stage, the three of them were singing their hearts out, even though they didn't have microphones, their voices were loud and clear.
Other pre-recorded artists only performed their dances and interacted with fans, some not even appearing. Only Equals3 truly "opened the mic," their voices heard even without microphones.
Since Equals3 is a band group with no dance routines, fans had mentally prepared for their absence until the final award presentation. To their surprise, the trio actually took the stage and sang.
With no cameras capturing them, they stood freely at the front of the stage, holding imaginary microphones, and belting out their performance for the fans.
The hundred or so fans in the front row could hear them clearly, making them anxious.
"Okay, okay, we know you're good at live performances, stop singing before you hurt your voices!"
"It's been a long time since I've seen such a unique group."
"Ahhh, Jiang Wangran, I can almost see your throat!"
"So close!"
The live stream viewers saw a different scene. Their first song was a highly rated track from their album, also the most praised song besides the title track.
Jiang Wangran was the lead singer, holding a standing microphone in the middle, with a white guitar in his arms.
The simple electric guitar melody played, two notes alternating, like raindrops falling from the eaves after the rain, carrying the loneliness and melancholy of the early morning.
The camera focused on Jiang Wangran's face, gradually pulling back as the music started.
He wore a tight black turtleneck, with no accessories around his neck. Under the light, his muscle lines were outlined.
His dark gray jeans were unusually baggy, with wet-looking stains on the legs, as if he had run through the rain.
The comments suddenly went silent for two seconds, then exploded with a barrage of messages.
"Where's the morality, where's the bottom line, and where are the names, heights, and materials?!?! What's wrong with you fans? Too ignorant!"
"The director knows what's up, giving a close-up of the hand!"
"…Not bad, you guys are eating well? Hiding it from us, huh?"
"Now I know why Equals3's fans are called 'sexy women,' you really are."
"I used to dislike Sang Mo, now I can't understand what I was being so picky about."
"So that's why you were quiet for those two seconds, typing away."
Jiang Wangran's voice started, like a hum in a quiet room, the loneliness and sadness enveloping the mood. With his singing, the image of someone lying quietly on the floor, listening to this song with headphones, appeared in front of them.
"Hold on, TikTok, we'll be at the top of the hot songs list soon."
"This isn't the title track?"
"The harmony is amazing… I'm getting goosebumps."
All three members of Equals3 are lead singers, each with different vocal styles depending on the song's atmosphere.
Jiang Wangran's voice is deep, perfect for dark or very depressing songs.
Sang Mo's tone is also low, but he excels in passionate songs. Long-term training turned him from a main dancer to a lead singer, with most of the company's songs for him being high-energy, forcing Sang Mo to take on many high notes.
Chen Wu is different; his voice is bright, ideal for light and cheerful songs, like a rare good day, making it even more precious.
The chorus was sung by Jiang Wangran, with Sang Mo providing harmony. Most of the song was Jiang Wangran's part, with only a few segments given to others.
This arrangement kept the audience focused, immersing them in the song's emotions.
The first half built the atmosphere with only a few spotlights on them. But when the chorus came, the electric guitar's pitch suddenly rose, like the clouds parting to reveal hope.
The stage lights also matched the music's mood, expanding the light circle, revealing the backdrop.
On the edge of a cliff, under dark clouds, the precarious environment and the fragile emotions were all conveyed through the song.
As the melody climbed higher, Jiang Wangran's voice followed, like someone at the bottom of a deep pit finding a rope to climb out, struggling upwards.
Most of the song had passed before Chen Wu's voice appeared, those eight Bridge lines being his part.
His voice was like a beam of light piercing into the abyss, gentle and soothing, yet also realistic. It made those struggling to climb out of the abyss suddenly realize that some things are not achievable through mere effort; they are already in the abyss, and even if they climb out, they remain on the ground.
Chen Wu's voice contrasted sharply with the atmosphere of the song, adding a more layered meaning to it.
After the bridge, Jiang Wangran and Sang Mo sang the chorus again. Although it was just lyrics and a stage performance, the live stream viewers seemed to catch fleeting glimpses of scenes.
Scenes of them running in the rain, lying on the ground with hearts as cold as stone, and standing on the edge of a cliff, looking back at the past.
These fragments were the visual impressions the song left on them.
"Did you hear what our Sister Se said? TikTok, keep an eye on your top chart, we're coming."
"Rushing to buy the digital album..."
"No surprise, this song will be all over the major platforms tonight."
As the netizens predicted, during the Equals3 performance, their digital album sales began to rise, especially for the song "Not Today," which started climbing the charts, and search boxes began to recommend it based on big data.
Equals3, once a niche group, finally matched the attention that a Random Entertainment idol group should receive.
However, the three members on stage were completely unaware of this.
With the upcoming announcement of the award winners and only one song left, other artists began to take the stage. The three of them could no longer continue showcasing for their fans and had to follow the staff's instructions to stand in the front row of the stage, waiting for the camera to cut to them.
As Equals3's two-song stage was about to end, the director in front, wearing headphones, looked at his watch and raised his hand, counting down—
"Five! Four!"
He gestured the last three numbers.
Standing in the center of the stage, Sang Mo picked up the microphone, "Idol New Museum!"
By this time, the live chat was already chaotic. Those who had become fans rushed to search for their stage performances on the letter station, opening split screens to listen to the live broadcast while searching for their materials.
The three of them: We're also going to compete for the top spot at Random Entertainment!
