12th May 2024 – (Beijing) Mayday, the Taiwanese band known as Mayday, faced allegations of lip-syncing during their concert tour in mainland China last year, sparking a heated debate among netizens. Their record label, Believe Music, issued a statement denying the lip-syncing accusations and even went so far as to livestream their concert in Paris to demonstrate their commitment to authenticity. Lead vocalist Ashin also expressed his thoughts, stating, “Every performance, every note, comes from the voice I have relied on for 24 years. There is no other way to move you except through genuine singing.” Despite presenting multiple pieces of evidence to support their case, doubts continued to linger, and even the Chinese authorities took notice.
After six months of investigation, mainland Chinese media outlets have now revealed that the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has responded to the allegations. According to the investigation’s findings, “Law enforcement officers from the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism were deployed to oversee the concert in question and, upon verification, no illegal activities related to your report were discovered.” This means that there was no evidence of lip-syncing during Mayday’s concert, thereby restoring their innocence, both as a band and for lead vocalist Ashin. The outcome has also left fans eagerly anticipating their upcoming series of ten concerts at the Beijing National Stadium, where they aim to break their own records once again.