Gentleman is the first extended play by Chinese singer-songwriter Joker Xue. It was released on June 5, 2015, by Ocean Butterflies and later acquired by Xue's own label Chaoshi Music.[2]
| Gentleman | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | June 5, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Genre | Mandopop | |||
| Length | 14:16 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Joker Xue | |||
| Joker Xue chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editIt took Xue nineteen months to complete The Gentleman, traveling between Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei.[3] He chose the EP format because he felt that, often, when a full album is released, people only listen to songs that were released as singles and ignore the rest of the album. A lot of hard work went into creating an album and he'd like each song to be heard, so the plan, Xue shared, to release three songs first, then three more, and finally the entire album.[4] However, he advised against buying the album as it only contained three songs and not a good value proposition. He recommended listening to it for free online first and purchasing the full album but only if you liked the songs.[5]
Gentleman contains the first three songs with music videos accompanying each single, which were written, composed, and produced by Xue himself. The inspiration for "Gentleman" is the choice between being lost lovers who have no contact with each other or maintaining a careful distance, with the conclusion that a gentleman in love is the most difficult role to play. "Actor" expresses the wish of "if you no longer love me, please express it openly" and outlines the roles one acts out as a relationship is near its end. "It's Raining" uses its melody and lyrics to create a melancholic atmosphere that portrays the "heavy downpour inside the hearts of those who have lost their loves". Xue's unique "Xue Style Love Song" sound is present throughout the EP, with his interpretation of heartbreak and longing in a poetic way.[6] His vocals were considered to have evolved from the lyrical R&B style in his early days, now richer and more layered.[7]
Gentleman not only ranked in the top spot on many Chinese music charts across streaming platforms, radio, and music shows but also received praise from critics for its three songs.[8] "Actor", in particular, is Xue's best-known song both domestically and internationally, with more than 200 million views on YouTube,[9] more than 100 million streams on Spotify[10] and more than 27 million collection counts on QQ Music.[11]
Track listing
edit| # | Track listing | Lyricist | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Gentleman" (绅士) | Joker Xue | Joker Xue | 4:50 |
| 2 | "Actor" (演员) | Joker Xue | Joker Xue | 4:21 |
| 3 | "It's Raining" (下雨了) | Joker Xue | Joker Xue | 5:05 |
References
edit- ^ "阔景音乐官方微博" (in Chinese). Weibo. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ "《绅士》专辑介绍" (in Chinese). NetEase Music. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ "薛之谦全创作EP《绅士》网易云音乐首播" (in Chinese). NetEase. June 8, 2015.
- ^ "薛之谦：演戏开店赚钱是为了做音乐" (in Chinese). Sina. June 12, 2015.
- ^ "为什么薛之谦的歌都是免费的, 薛之谦做出了回应" [Why are Joker Xue’s songs free? Joker Xue responded]. Sina (in Chinese). December 11, 2018.
- ^ "薛之谦新单《绅士》首发 赴台湾抢时录音" (in Chinese). Sina. May 21, 2015.
- ^ "盘点：薛之谦那些年"烂大街"的三首歌" (in Chinese). NetEase. July 12, 2021.
- ^ "盘薛之谦EP《绅士》多榜夺冠 "逗比段子"圈粉读者狂增" (in Chinese). news.yule.com.cn. June 24, 2015.
- ^ "演员 MV". YouTube. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ ""Actor" 演员 on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ "歌曲收藏量破千万"榜单：薛之谦第一，周杰伦第二，蔡徐坤垫底". Sohu. March 12, 2021.