Music is still in Han Hong

Han Hong is on a national tour in November. The pop star recently announced in Beijing her new start in running an entertainment company. [Photo by Li Shinan/CFP]

Ten days after she announced she's resigning from the People's Liberation Army Air Force on her Sina Weibo account with more than 10 million followers, Han Hong－one of China's most famous pop singers－was named CEO of the newly founded Hualu Baina Entertainment.

It marked the transition of the 44-year-old singer-songwriter from a pop star, who has been entertaining troops and the general public during the past two decades－and the former deputy head of the League of Literary and Artistic Workers of the PLA Air Force－to a businesswoman.

Collaborating with Hualu Baina Film & TV, a company headquartered in Beijing, Han will build a group with its core in music, training singers, songwriters and artists' management, and developing performances in an online-to-offline model.

"I started from zero in the music scene over 20 years ago. Now, I am an entrepreneur in a whole new field. I have never run a business before but I know what good music is, which will guarantee the content we will offer," Han told a news conference in Beijing last week.

The first project of the company will be a concert tour in 10 cities around China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Gathering former participants of I Am a Singer, a popular reality show on Hunan Satellite TV that features professional singers competing, the tour will kick off next April and is supposed to run until August.

In early 2015, Han participated in the third season of the show, and she came in first place.

"Han is a household name in China. She is a seasoned singer and knows the music industry very well. We are excited to work with her," says Hu Gang, vice-president of Hualu.

Known for her powerful singing and wide vocal range, Han, whose mother was a Tibetan singer, was admitted to study singing at the PLA Academy of Arts in 1995.

Her debut album, The Brightness of the Snow, was an instant hit in 1998, winning Han critical acclaim and popularity among audiences. In 2009, she joined the PLA Air Force. The League of Literary and Artistic Workers of the PLA Air Force was founded in 1950.

Han declined to do an interview with China Daily. It is not clear if Han's resignation from the PLA is linked with the ongoing reform of the Chinese army. On Sept 3, President Xi Jinping announced that China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000 to build a slimmer but stronger armed forces.

Xinhua News Agency reported that the cuts will be completed by 2017 and the move will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, and administrative staff and non-combatant personnel, such as members of arts leagues.

Other Chinese celebrities who work in performing arts troupes of PLA include singers Li Shuangjiang, Cai Guoqing and Song Zuying.

Han says that with the career switch, she wants to use her experience in the music industry to promote the development of China's original music.

"After taking off the PLA Air Force uniform, I still want do something with music," says Han.

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