Chongqing — Musicians from Denmark and across western China visited some of Chongqing's best-known landmarks on July 24 ahead of Magnificent Land, Melody of Western China — Night of International Musical Story, a concert scheduled for July 26 that brings together traditional ethnic music and contemporary electronic sounds.

The tour featured HEDEGAARD, a Danish DJ and music producer, alongside artists representing several ethnic groups from western China. Filmed at iconic locations across downtown Chongqing, the performances highlighted the region's rich intangible cultural heritage while fostering cultural exchange through music.

The first stop was Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, where the Tujia Percussion Ensemble from Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing, performed Tujia Luo-er Tunes, a traditional musical form. HEDEGAARD joined the ensemble with electronic accompaniment, blending contemporary beats with the powerful rhythms of traditional percussion.

As the performance unfolded, passersby stopped to watch and crowds gradually gathered around the musicians. Local residents, domestic tourists and international visitors recorded the performance on their phones, with many applauding as traditional ethnic music blended with electronic sounds in the heart of the city.

An American tourist who came across the performance during his morning walk described it as an unexpected highlight of his visit.

"Chongqing is absolutely fantastic. It's eye-opening," he said. "I just stumbled upon this performance, and it's amazing. This was supposed to be my morning walk, and instead I discovered something completely unexpected."

He said combining electronic music with traditional ethnic songs created a unique artistic experience.

"We're all one humanity," he said. "From my perspective, combining electronic music with ethnic songs and melodies is going to create some very interesting music."

The group then visited Guotai Arts Center, where Qumo Youga, lead guitarist of ZIMO Band and a Yi singer and music producer from Xichang, Sichuan Province, performed the Yi ethnic group's distinctive Adu-style high-pitched singing. Accompanied by electronic synthesizer elements, the performance merged traditional vocals with modern electronic music against the backdrop of the Guotai Arts Center's striking red facade. 

At the WFC Huixianlou Observation Deck, overlooking the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, Yaga, a Mongolian musician from Delingha, Qinghai Province, and president of the Haixi Mongol Folk Song Art Association, performed traditional Mongolian songs. Ambient electronic soundscapes accompanied the performance, creating an immersive musical experience above Chongqing's skyline.

The tour continued at Kuixinglou, where Dingding Group, a new ethnic pop group from Chongzuo, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, presented folk songs accompanied by the Tianqin, a traditional string instrument of the Zhuang ethnic group. The performance showcased the group's contemporary interpretation of Guangxi's musical traditions in one of Chongqing's most distinctive architectural settings.

The final stop was Huguang Guild Hall, where The Cloudward Dong Angels from Congjiang County, Guizhou Province, performed Dong Grand Song, the traditional polyphonic folk singing of the Dong ethnic group, which is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Their a cappella performance echoed through the centuries-old complex, demonstrating how historic spaces can provide a striking setting for traditional music.

The landmark tour served as a preview of Magnificent Land, Melody of Western China — Night of International Musical Story, where musicians from Denmark and across western China will share the stage on July 26, blending traditional ethnic music with contemporary electronic production in a celebration of cultural diversity and international artistic exchange.