Finding the spotlight

For contestant Zhang Zhuo'er, 24, this unedited, live competitive stage means one's strengths are amplified instantly, while weaknesses cannot be hidden.

He clearly sees areas he still needs to polish, such as vocal technique, stage presence, confidence, and mentality.

"We want to select new musical talents who are both professionally capable and market-ready. We hope they hone their craft on this stage and inspire more young people," Hong adds.

For Wei Jinyu, a baritone who struggled to stand out academically at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, competing on the show was about exploring more career possibilities.

At 15, he fell in love with musical theater after watching The Phantom of the Opera, but after entering his ideal university, he spent four years feeling overshadowed by top peers in his program.

He longed for his own moment in the spotlight on the opera stage, yet hesitated to audition for some productions.

As a relatively average student, he grew accustomed to watching from the auditorium until he chose to compete on Sound Trek, where the spotlight finally found him.

He finally stands out as the top winner.

"I came to the show to find a way out beyond classical music," he says.