Phoenix Legend (simplified Chinese: 凤凰传奇; traditional Chinese: 鳳凰傳奇; pinyin: Fènghuáng Chuánqí) is a Chinese popular music duo, consisting of female vocalist Yang Wei Ling Hua (杨魏玲花), who is from Inner Mongolia and sings in both Mandarin Chinese and Mongolian, and male rapper Zeng Yi (曾毅), who is from Hunan.
In 2012 Phoenix Legend was rated the most popular Chinese pop duo. Their music blends folk music with rap and hip hop elements and has a wide appeal with fans from migrant to white-collar workers, children to retirees. Some have dubbed them as "the savior of Chinese music industry", because of the popularity of their songs. In May 2012 Phoenix Legend was reported in the China Daily as having sold more than 6 million albums in China since 2005, and 10 songs from their four albums have recorded one billion online hits.
Their song "On the Moon" (月亮之上; Yueliang Zhi Shang) brought them national attention after they performed it on the television show Star Boulevard.
Their song "Fly Freely" (自由飞翔) has also been placing high on Chinese download charts.
In 2009 the duo had a major hit song entitled "The Most Dazzling Folk Style" (最炫民族风) (also translated as the Hottest Ethnic Trend). This song has been downloaded more than 100 million times through cell phones and websites in China.
In 1999 the duo first formed a group called Cool Fire, singing mostly Korean and American pop songs. Songwriter He Muyang heard Ling's voice on TV in 2003 and rewrote Above the Moonlight, a sentimental song he wrote in 1999 for the duo. In 2004, the group signed a contract with Peacock Bluehead and the song became a hit in 2005, after the group toured more than 20 universities in China.
Songwriter Zhang Chao has also written three popular songs for the group, including The Most Dazzling Folk Style and Moon Over the Lotus Pond.
The duo has also been gaining recognition outside China. "The Most Dazzling Folk Style" (最炫民族风) was used by cheerleaders during a NBA Houston Rockets game in April 2012 and also become an internet sensation after being remixed and re-edited by fans.
Ling's husband Xu Mingchao（徐明朝） is in charge of promoting the duo's songs.
Read more about Phoenix Legend: Discography
Famous quotes containing the words phoenix and/or legend:
“A victorious tomcat is like a tiger; a plucked phoenix is not worth a chicken.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Newspaperman: That was a magnificent work. There were these mass columns of Apaches in their war paint and feather bonnets. And here was Thursday leading his men in that heroic charge.
Capt. York: Correct in every detail.
Newspaperman: He’s become almost a legend already. He’s the hero of every schoolboy in America.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)