On September 28th, Ju Laiti, a Uyghur singer from Xinjiang who formed a bond with mainland Chinese actor Yu Menglong during the talent show “Happy Male Voice,” made a public appeal at a concert, asking the audience to “remember Yu Menglong” and dedicated a new song to their dear friend.
After finishing the first song at the North Tun Group Stars Concert in Xinjiang on September 28th, Ju Laiti introduced his newly completed song “Are You Listening.” He expressed, “This is a song I just finished writing a few days ago. It’s the first time I’m singing it at North Tun. This song is very meaningful and important to me.”
Ju Laiti continued, “This new song is for my friend, my good brother, who recently went to another beautiful world. He was also from Xinjiang, a source of pride for Xinjiang. I hope everyone will always remember him, his name is Yu Menglong.” He also expressed his hopes that fans would enjoy this song and that Yu Menglong would be able to “hear” it. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
Yu Menglong tragically fell to his death on September 11th in Beijing. The police quickly concluded within 12 hours that there was “no criminal suspicion” and it was an “accidental fall after drinking.” However, there were many doubts surrounding the case, with numerous online reports suggesting that Yu Menglong was killed for resisting the unwritten rules in the entertainment industry. The Chinese authorities not only censored discussions but also arrested netizens on charges of “spreading rumors,” leading to strong dissent and questioning from the public, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the truth behind Yu Menglong’s death.
By live-streaming the song he performed, Ju Laiti became the first artist at the concert to openly mention “Yu Menglong” and break free from the ban imposed by the Chinese Communist Party.
Upon hearing Ju Laiti’s performance, netizens left comments such as “Excellent job, Ju Laiti,” “He is listening, we are listening, tears are falling,” “The music plays, the heart aches again,” “Heartbroken,” “We miss him too.”
Born in Xinjiang, Ju Laiti and Yu Menglong were both contestants in the 2013 season of “Happy Male Voice.” After Yu Menglong’s passing, Ju Laiti wrote several songs in memory of his friend, hinting at the dangers of the world.
In a video posted on social media on September 11th, Ju Laiti played the guitar and sang emotionally, “At that time, we were so happy, you were so gentle, whenever you were upset, you would hug a pillow, the final messages waiting for you. Are you listening? Are you tired? Are you okay there? Wait for me. Are you listening? Are you tired? Are you okay there…”. Midway through the song, Ju Laiti choked up, tears rolling down his cheeks, and eventually broke down in tears.
On September 12th, Ju Laiti posted a black background video with white text that read, “Slander and belittling, respect for others, the princess remembers, plan more, act decisively.” Netizens deciphered the hidden message as “Too many villains.”
On September 24th, Ju Laiti posted a video of an umbrella opening, with the caption “It’s raining.” Fans speculated that like other friends, he was implying that Yu Menglong had been returned to his hometown in Xinjiang for eternal rest.
Similarly, Hua Chenyu, another contestant from the 2013 season of “Happy Male Voice” alongside Yu Menglong, posted a candlelight icon on Weibo in the early hours of September 12th as a silent expression of mourning for his friend.
Furthermore, on September 21st, during the Foshan Music Festival in Guangdong, Hua Chenyu performed the song “I Want You Back So Much” with projected images of a white falling figure, shattered glass, an hourglass with scattered clocks, and puzzle pieces, highly symbolic and believed to be his discreet way of commemorating Yu Menglong. Many fans were moved to tears after watching the performance.
In an open statement, Hua Chenyu referred to Yu Menglong as his “best brother” and affectionately called him “Ling’er.” When Yu Menglong was eliminated from the competition, Hua Chenyu was reportedly so emotionally shaken that he needed support from others.