HONG KONG pop singer Eason Chan’s track “Lonely Warrior” is not only among those at the top of the charts on music apps and video streaming platforms, but has also won the hearts of children. The song, released in November 2021, is the Chinese theme song of the animation “Arcane: League of Legends.” It tells the story of two champions from the video game “League of Legends” living through a time of chaos and fighting for their dreams. Recently, the song was described as being a new secret code to bond with children. On short-video app Douyin, videos of adults singing one verse, followed by pupils singing the remainder of the song have garnered hundreds of millions of views and likes, and different hashtags for the song have also trended on social media platforms for several days. The lyrics of the chorus: “Love you walk through the dark alleys alone; love you never bow down to hardship; love you have faced up to despair and refuse to cry,” have particularly struck a chord among pupils. The uplifting spirit exuded in the song brings positive energy to young minds to persevere and endeavor, which is why it has become a buzzword of discussion, according to fans and observers. The song has also been used to wake up kindergarten children from napping, cheer them up after losing a tug-of-war competition and even to encourage a boy at the dentist. The song has become a favorite for 8-year-old Li Zhuohong from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. Although he only started listening to it a couple of days ago, he can already sing the lyrics to the chorus. “I can understand part of it, and although I do not know all the lyrics, I like its melody,” said the second grader. “I think it is a song for boys, singing it makes us feel cool.” He believes that children’s songs are too “childish” for him now and he prefers pop music. The song has also won the heart of his cousin, Zhu Ximan, a 6-year-old child. She first heard the song when her mother played it in her car. “I do not understand what the song means but I like the melody, especially when it turns more intense in the chorus,” she said. According to China Central Television, sixth grader Yang Yilin wrote in an essay that the song is about heroes and her favorite lyric is “Who said only those standing in the light are heroes.” “Even when you are in a desperate situation, stand near a cliff, and at a low point of your life, the song can inspire you to fight and shine,” she wrote.(China Daily) | 