Talking about the roles music plays in her life and how different music genres influence her,

Xingyu says:

 

“Chinese traditional music is my root, is where I come from. YueJu Opera, Suzhou Pingtan (a form of Chinese traditional storytelling) were very popular when I grew up in Shanghai, while Guqin (an instrument created five thousand years ago) represents the best of the spirit of Chinese philosophy (an integration of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism), about the art of living with change and connecting with nature. Jazz has a huge influence on me, since Shanghai was the origin of Jazz music in China. 

 

I always gain inspirations from European classical music. Great music composed by J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Wagner, Satie…It not only offers me encouragement and deep insights about life, but also huge empathy and understanding of the world and human beings. 

 

The rhythmic spirit inside the grooves of African and Latin music are so powerful that they hit my essence directly. Dance! Right! The magic and power to gather people together and get involved as a whole! Music, the instinct of human beings, reveals the unlimited possibilities and all these amazing culture and expressions that make our lives so joyful and beloved. ”