Na Ying granted exemption after unapproved tribute to Liu Huan

Following the death of renowned Chinese musician Liu Huan at age 63, singer Na Ying drew scrutiny after performing an unapproved song during a concert in Chengdu to honor him. Na Ying performed a fragment of Liu’s classic “Curved Moon” as a tribute, an act that triggered reports of potential violations of China’s entertainment regulations, which require all performance content to be pre-approved.

The Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism issued a statement clarifying that because the performance was a “brief, fragmentary performance during an audience interaction segment rather than a full rendition of the song,” it did not require additional approval and the singer would be granted an exemption. This decision has sparked debate regarding China’s strict censorship and the application of rules for high-profile versus emerging artists.

Beyond the regulatory scrutiny, Liu Huan’s passing has brought attention to his significant musical legacy and estate. Unlike some musicians who sold their copyrights early, Liu had previously secured a global exclusive partnership with Universal Music Greater China to manage his extensive catalog of recordings and compositions. His intellectual property rights are expected to generate substantial royalty income for decades to come.