Authenticity in Chinese Minority Popular Music: A Case Study of Shanren, a Multi-Ethnic Indie Band

This paper focuses on the ethnic minority indie music band, Shanren, which presents a representative example of such musicians and their association with authenticity and culture in modern China. Ethnic minority indie bands are interested in shaping their own identity in contrast to the officially promoted minority music scene found in mainstream media. Shanren, as an example, seeks to represent themselves as connected with “nature and reality,” instead of being motivated by modern trends in music and culture. They achieve a sense of authenticity through visual (instruments, movements, clothing and album cover art) and aural (vocal and instrument timbre, music structure and lyric) production associated with the social aspects of ethnic minority life, especially the migrant workers’ life, represented in their songs.