Pictures for Qiao Renliang’s new photobook were taken by the same photographer as Li Xinru (actress for Ugly Wudi), Zhang Hongkai, whose work on this photobook was really nice imo, much better than Qiao Renliang’s first photobook, although that wasn’t bad at all, and was photographed by a Japanese photographer that Chengtian entertainment hired especially for their budding star.Which brings me to my utter of disappointment at the fact that Kimi has not only done a full-fledged concert but two photobooks already, when he has only released one EP and what I would call the most expensive single ever (45 RMB!).
This is the guy who I thought would never leave his band but instead those two other band members are nowhere to be found. This is the guy who I thought would be writing lots of rock songs for himself at this point in his career, but has instead let a whole team of Chinese and foreigners help him prepare one song (Lovely You). To his credit, he did compose my favorite song on his EP, and he does have a nice voice and improved enormously in the last year. I just wish he didn’t seem so commercial now.
It makes me appreciate Hua Yi so much more, as they developed all of their musicians Jane Zhang, Laure Shang, and BOBO go in a direction that fit them. But I’m not one of those people who goes blaming an company to defend an artist I like. There’s only so much a company can control, and if everything an artist does badly is justified by their stylist/producer/songwriter sucks, then that’s not someone I’d really want to look up to, if their creative input is zilch. As countless people have shown in Chinese entertainment, you CAN leave your company for one that allows you to do what you like.
Above and below are actually outtakes for the photobook. I haven’t found any scans of the actual photobook on baidu or elsewhere. Fans are being good about that. These fans are probably the same fans who bough Lovely You, his costly single. I’ll update this post when I find those pictures because while Kimi may be disappointing in his creative input for his music, he really never disappoints aesthetically, and I did really like Zhang Hongkai’s work.
man…he is cool…
Yeah, I think I prefer his old look. Many celebrities have to change their concept in order to bring something new to their audiences, but I think for some celebs they shouldnt try new image.
Take Jay Chou for example, I prefer his old songs than his new ones.
thanks cfensi.
@Kale Photobooks are really cheap in China, about the same as a CD, around 40-60 RMB depending on the quality.
@yelei Kimi was filming a movie a while back, and I assumed that he toned down his look for the movie, but now I’m not sure. I used to love his old style…he had great fashion sense before he signed with Chengtian. And he was one of the few guys that I thought looked good with eyeliner, since he had such pretty, long, almost Peking-opera like eyes. I wish he would go back to that.
what happen to his old look?
Kimi looks good in those pics. I saw many idols published photobooks, how much does it cost? I really wish he can be a singer songwriter just like Jackie Xue and they both are Shanghainese.
I thought he signed on to Chengtain with his band…and where is his rebellion personality? I hope kimi stays true to his music