#shes an old member of acrush

[murcielagatito]

just found the perfect faceclaim for one of my ocs and SHES SO PRETTYYYYYY

[cpopwonderland]

China's all-girl pop band crushes hopes of besotted female fans

Just a little under a year ago, Min Junqian was an unknown art student in China's eastern province of Shandong, dreaming of becoming a star and hitting the big time. Fast-forward a year and the 23-year-old is a member of Acrush, China's first all-girl "boy band", which released its debut single last week, but already has hundreds of thousands of fans. "Our fathers' generation still holds the idea that girls should dress in a feminine manner, something I was never comfortable with," Min told Reuters. "I just like to dress in a unisex way." Min wasn't expecting to be picked when she went to the band's audition last year. But her boyish appearance and androgynous style were exactly what entertainment startup Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication, backed by Tencent Holdings, was looking for. Marketed as a pop band that encourages girls to pursue their own identities and shake up female conventions, Acrush has won more than 749,000 followers on Chinese social networking site Weibo. Acrush goes against the grain in China's still-evolving music industry, where girl bands are marketed as sweet young things to appeal to a male audience. "I left home when I was young," said the band's lead singer, 21-year-old Peng Xichen. "To comfort my parents, I told them my boyish appearance would keep me safe." Some fans, most of them millennials born after the mid-1990s, have called the band members their "husbands". Some have sent love letters, which the band cannot answer, bound by contract. "We are not allowed to disclose our gender preferences or have romantic relationships," said Lu Keran, the band's leader. From day one, Zhejiang Huati has created individual identities for the women. Min is supposed to be the band's comedian, while Peng is a "gentle romantic", and the 21-year-old Lu is portrayed as an energetic dancer with a sunny disposition. She wears long-sleeved outfits to shield from the public eye a dragon tattoo on her arm, and is reluctant to talk about it, saying only, "I did it when I was an ignorant girl." But she did admit to sometimes dressing in pink and behaving like a little girl. The Chinese blogosphere is ablaze with questions about Acrush's leanings. Asked if they supported feminism and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, the band said they had no idea what the abbreviation LGBT stood for. "We're just 'handsome' girls," said Min. (Source: Reuters; Reporting by Muyu Xu and Ryan Woo; Additional reporting by Thomas Sun in BEIJING; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

[algeroth]

In China, women dressing up like men has become a more common sight and more accepted by society in recent years. That’s in part thanks to pop idol Li Yuchun, dubbed the mother of the unisex look in China. After Li won the nationwide talent show “Super Girl” in 2005, more boyish girls popped up on TV, but none of them became superstars like Li.

China’s talent agents have been talking about forming an androgynous band for years ever since Li’s success, Zhou says, but few women wanted to take the risk. Zhou’s search for unisex stars across the country began last March. In September, the 28-year-old agent narrowed down the target to 10 candidates. After two months’ training, Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan emerged as the five members of Acrush. The youngest is 18-year-old Lin from southwestern Sichuan province.

Zhou says they will avoid using the word “boy” or “girl” when introducing the group. Instead, they have carefully chosen a gender-free phrase, meishaonian, or “handsome youths.” But still, female fans on Weibo have taken to calling them “husbands,” a meme usually reserved for male celebrities like Justin Bieber.

21-year-old Lu, captain of Acrush, says some female fans send love letters to her, but “of course I won’t like fans back.” She says the company doesn’t allow her to discuss her own or her teammates’ sexual orientations.

Behind Acrush is Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd, an entertainment startup founded in 2016 in Tencent’s business incubator in Jinhua, a small southeastern city best known for ham. Huati adopts the same star-producing system that has proven a success in Korea. The company recruits trainees across the nation and selects them to debut as part of a boy or girl group. Aside from Acrush, Huati will roll out three other girl groups between April and May, says Wang Tianhai, the company’s head.

[gaymusicchart]

GAY MUSIC CHART – 2017 week 47

 Welcome to the Gay Music Chart, the LGBTQA related music videos TOP 50 actuality and most request.

Vote for your favourite LGBTQA related music videos by leaving a comment for this post on :

YOUTUBE (in the comment section of the video of the week) : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7yfp-xq-b08tD6mAWwclA

BLOGGER : http://gaymusicchart.blogspot.fr

FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/GayMusicChart/

TWITTER : https://twitter.com/GayMusicChart with #GayMusicChart  

TUMBLR : http://gaymusicchart.tumblr.com  

 Here is the recap for this week :

 OUT : Lizzo - Good As Hell (LW: 19 / WO: 48 / PEAK: 02)

OUT : Superfruit - GUY.EXE (LW: 22 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 15)

OUT : Milck - Quiet (LW: 23 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 23)

OUT : Yann - Igual (Rio Pride/Parada do Orgulho LGBTI do Rio de Janeiro) (LW: 25 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 25)

OUT : Pussy Riot - Police State (LW: 29 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 29)

OUT : Tim Treffers - Hold on (LW: 32 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 32)

OUT : Sam & Sky - Skammens Diskotek (LW: 36 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 36)

OUT : Smashby - Birthday Suit (LW: 37 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 29)

OUT : Trey Pearson - The Good Grief [Official Lyric Video] (LW: 38 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 38)

OUT : Сергей Лазарев / Sergey Lazarev - Так красиво / So Beautiful (LW: 39 / WO: 7 / PEAK: 15)

OUT : Jimena Barón - QLO (LW: 41 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 41)

OUT : Tokio Hotel - Boy Don't Cry (LW: 42 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 18)

OUT : Acrush 组合 单曲 - I'm Sorry (LW: 43 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 43)

OUT : Namuel - Joven de Corazón (LW: 44 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 24)

OUT : 희철 HEECHUL and 민경훈 Min Kyung-Hoon - 나비잠 (Sweet Dream) (LW: 45 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 45)

OUT : Eddy de Pretto - Fête de trop (LW: 47 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 47)

OUT : Kurt Hugo Schneider feat. Sam Tsui & Michael Constantino - Evolution of Boy Bands MASHUP!! (LW: 48 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 48)

OUT : Lycinaïs Jean - Je veux rester (LW: 49 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 48)

OUT : Ricky Rebel - Time (LW: 50 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 50)

  01 (=) : Alfie Arcuri - If They Only Knew (LW: 01 / WO: 20 / PEAK: 01 (x3))

This is the new music video of the winner of The Voice Australia 2016. What must do a gay man when he's in love with his best male friend, who's dating his best female friend?

 02 (+ 3) : Kevin Chomat - Sens Interdit (LW: 05 / WO: 11 / PEAK: 01 (x2))

This new single of the French singer reached the top 10 YouTube trending in France. Taken from the album "Ma boussole".

 03 (=) : Wrabel - The Village (LW: 03 / WO: 16 / PEAK: 03)

This engaging song was written the day after US President Trump removed new federal protections for trans students in public schools last February. Trans actor August Aiden plays the role of a young transgender who tries to be himself despite the hostility of his father in the music video.

 04 (+ 10) : Michele Bravi - Diamanti (LW: 14 / WO: 9 / PEAK: 04)

This is the third single from the Italian singer taken from the album “Anime Di Carta”.

 05 (+ 6) : ILY - Your Love (LW: 11 / WO: 6 / PEAK: 05)

Two new brides are kissing in this Swedish music video.

 06 (+ 1) : Mr John - Neon (LW: 07 / WO: 9 / PEAK: 01 (x1))

Instead of covers, this time, the Brazilian singer delivers an original song.

 07 (- 5) : Huntington - Love Is Love (LW: 02 / WO: 8 / PEAK: 02)

Three years after "Secret", this is his new original song.

 08 (NEW) : Citizen Four - My Name (Say It) (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 08)

Citizen Four is a new boy band, including a gay member named Austin (the one with short brown hair and who is dancing with another guy).

 09 (=) : Leon Else - What I Won't Do (Lyric Video) (LW: 09 / WO: 23 / PEAK: 02)

The British singer has came out on Facebook last May.

 10 (- 6) : Sam Tsui - Cameo (LW: 04 / WO: 8 / PEAK: 04)

Finally, a new original song!

 11 (+ 22) : Sufjan Stevens - Mystery of Love ("Call Me By Your Name" OST) (LW: 33 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 11)

 12 (+ 12) : Steps - Dancing With A Broken Heart (LW: 24 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 09)

The British band will be on Tour this month.

 13 (+ 21) : Alaska Thunderfuck - Come To Brazil (LW: 34 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 13)

 14 (RE-ENTRY) : Trey Pearson - Love Is Love (LW: - / WO: 4 / PEAK: 14)

 15 (+ 12) : La Prohibida - Baloncesto (LW: 27 / WO: 17 / PEAK: 03)

 16 (+ 2) : PJ Brennan - Tease (LW: 18 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 18)

PJ Brennan is well known for his role as Doug Carter in the British television soap opera Hollyoaks.

 17 (- 5) : Bobby Newberry - Up (LW: 12 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 12)

 18 (- 5) : Neon Trees - Feel Good (LW: 13 / WO: 14 / PEAK: 10)

After a break for his first solo album "Excommunication", Tyler Glenn goes back with his band for a new song.

 19 (NEW) : Superfruit - Keep Me Coming (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 19)

 20 (- 14) : P!nk - What About Us (LW: 06 / WO: 13 / PEAK: 01 (x3))

The music video includes audio contents from the tragic events in Charlottesville for denouncing the hate speeches from the supremacist movements, and shows several people dancing under the intimidating eye of the authorities, including two men together.

 21 (NEW) : Dannii Minogue - Galaxy (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 21)

She's back after ten years of break with a song composed by Sia.

 22 (- 2) : LP - No Witness (LW: 20 / WO: 11 / PEAK: 18)

This is the sixth single taken from the album "Lost on You".

 23 (+ 3) : Alfie Arcuri - Love is Love (LW: 26 / WO: 6 / PEAK: 19)

The Australian singer took position with this song for the YES in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. 61,6% of the 12,7 millions people who voted said YES to mariage equality. A law will be debate before the end of the year.

 24 (- 14) : Alvin Point - Il a dit (LW: 10 / WO: 60 / PEAK: 01 (x4))

The first single of the French singer is talking about a romantic gay love story. The title means "he said".

 25 (NEW) : Bilal Hassani - House Down (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 25)

Several young French YouTubers are featuring in his new music video.

 26 (+ 14) : G&D (Geez & DIK) - Freelove (LW: 40 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 40)

There are several straight, gay, lesbian and bi couples making love in this music video.

 27 (- 19) : GAREK - Stray (LW: 08 / WO: 57 / PEAK: 01 (x2))

The single taken from the album "Take the King" is a conversation with his 8-year-old self about accepting who he is, the talk he wishes he had as a child, because he "spent so many years hating [himself] because [he] listened to the voices around [him] saying that people like [him] were disgusting".

 28 (+ 18) : Larva - For Ruy (censored version) (LW: 46 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 28)

Larva is a Mexican openly gay heavy metal band. The uncensored version, only for adults because of its raw sex content, is now also available on YouTube.

 29 (- 12) : Madblush - My Radio (LW: 17 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 05)

Taken from the album "Cactus".

 30 (NEW) : Hercules & Love Affair feat. Rouge Mary - Rejoice (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 30)

 31 (+ 4) : Kevin Chomat - Un homme à terre (LW: 35 / WO: 41 / PEAK: 01 (x3))

In this single, the French singer is talking about infidelity, with his boyfriend who cheated on him.

 32 (- 16) : Myckael SG - John vs Angela (LW: 16 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 16)

 33 (NEW) : Silvia y Karmen - ¿Me regalas un ratito? (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 33)

Mexico

 34 (- 19) : Michele Bravi - Tanto Per Cominciare (LW: 15 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 15)

 35 (NEW) : Luke Million feat. Sam Sparro - Back To The Rhythm (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 35)

This collaboration is an occasion to rediscover Sam Sparro and his hit track "Black and Gold".

 36 (NEW) : Mademoiselle K - SICK (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 36)

 37 (- 7) : Brian Justin Crum - Wild Side (LW: 30 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 30)

 38 (NEW) : Adam Joseph feat. Peppermint - Thirsty (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 38)

 39 (NEW) : Seann Miley Moore - We in Luv (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 39)

 40 (- 19) : Cub Sport - Chasin' (LW: 21 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 11)

This is the second single of the album "Bats" from the Australian band.

 41 (NEW) : KLUBBB3 - Das Leben tanzt Sirtaki (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 41)

The new track of the schlager band with Flemish member Christoff.

 42 (RE-ENTRY) : Kim Petras - I Don't Want It At All (LW: - / WO: 3 / PEAK: 27)

This is the debut single of the young German transgender singer, with a featuring with Paris Hilton in the music video.

 43 (NEW) : STORM3 - Ga Ga Ga (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 43)

 44 (NEW) : Dyan Tai - Up in the Air (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 44)

 45 (- 14) : Hayley Kiyoko - Feelings (LW: 31 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 04)

The singer flirts with another woman while she’s dancing in her new music video.

 46 (NEW) : Christoff - Door Jou (Nieuw Geluk) (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 46)

This is the new single of the Flemish schlager singer.

 47 (NEW) : Superfruit feat. Amber Liu - Fantasy (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 47)

 48 (NEW) : Casey Breves - I’ll Sing To You (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 48)

 49 (NEW) : Uncle Meg & John Debt - Winning It Or Losing It (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 49)

 50 (- 22) : Oscar and the Wolf - Runaway (LW: 28 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 19)

Max Colombie,aka Oscar and the Wolf, is an out singer. Billboard has included this track in their top 30 gay love songs last October.

  ALSO NEW THIS WEEK

 Tiziano Ferro - Il Mestiere Della Vita

 Sieneke - Wat Mij Is Overkomen

The singer describes how she didn't realized she felt in love with a gay man.

 JOEY - Temporary Love

 Madblush - Piscando Assim

 Felix and the Future - Karen

 Bebe Huxley - Scorpio

 MisterWives - Oh Love

 Candy Ken feat. Trashh - Instalove

 Deadlift Lolita - 【筋肉】No More Tears

 LP - Muddy Waters (A Night At The McKittrick Hotel)

 Christophe Willem - Nos balles perdues (Session acoustique)

 Kele Okereke - Do U Right (Acoustic)

 Michele Bravi - Medley a X Factor Italia - Live Show 3

For those who can't watch the music video, here is a live performance of the song.

 Jack & Joel - The Edge of Heaven! | Live Shows | The X Factor 2017

This is a cover of George Michael. Jack is gay and Joel (with the glasses) is straight, and both are best mates.

 Christmas Queens - Let It Snow

The drag queens will be on tour in the USA and the UK this December.

 Mark Feehily - Merry Christmas Baby (Official Audio)

 Parson James - Only You (Lyric Video)

 Todrick Hall, J.Fla, Mario Bautista, Samantha Harvey, Clara Marz - Come Together | Justice League

  See you next week and don’t forget to vote for your best LGBTQA music videos ! Here are the rules :

1 ) You can vote for many videos as you want under the videos on YouTube in the comment section. It could be recent or past music videos, which must provide at least one among the following conditions:

- the music video has LGBTQA related content, in the lyrics or the music video

- the artist is LGBTQA, an LGBTQA icon or eventually ally

- LGBTQA medias talked about it.

2 ) You can’t vote more than 3 songs of a same artist per week.

3 ) In case of an artist who receive votes mostly by a fan base, we will count only one song, in a limited time of 10 weeks of presence in the top.

4 ) You can vote with only one account.

5 ) If you make 5 votes or less, your first vote will represent 5 points, your second vote 4 points, etc… until your last vote and following 1 point. If you make 6 to 10 votes, your first vote will represent 10 points, your second vote 9 points, etc… If you make more than 10 votes, your first vote will represent 20 points, your second vote 19 points, etc…

6 ) People who make 1 to 5 votes form the amateur ranking, those who make 6 to 10 votes form the fan ranking, those who make more than 10 votes form the expert ranking. We form the jury ranking. And we count now the ranking of minutes of views of our weekly playlist of the previous week. The Gay Music Chart is the addition of the five charts. In case of equality, the number of votes and the dates of votes will count.

7 ) The votes will close on Thursday, 8 PM, European time.

[factpatrol-blog]

China's all-girl pop band crushes hopes of besotted female fans| Reuters

BEIJING Just a little under a year ago, Min Junqian was an unknown art student in China's eastern province of Shandong, dreaming of becoming a star and hitting the big time.Fast-forward a year and the 23-year-old is a member of Acrush, China's first all-girl "boy band", which released its debut single last week, but already has hundreds of thousands of fans. "Our fathers' generation still holds the idea that girls should dress in a feminine manner, something I was never comfortable with," Min told Reuters. "I just like to dress in a unisex way." Min wasn't expecting to be picked when she went to the band's audition last year.But her boyish appearance and androgynous style were exactly what entertainment startup Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication, backed by Tencent Holdings, was looking for. Marketed as a pop band that encourages girls to pursue their own identities and shake up female conventions, Acrush has won more than 749,000 followers on Chinese social networking site Weibo. Acrush goes against the grain in China's still-evolving music industry, where girl bands are marketed as sweet young things to appeal to a male audience. "I left home when I was young," said the band's lead singer, 21-year-old Peng Xichen. "To comfort my parents, I told them my boyish appearance would keep me safe." Some fans, most of them millennials born after the mid-1990s, have called the band members their "husbands". Some have sent love letters, which the band cannot answer, bound by contract. "We are not allowed to disclose our gender preferences or have romantic relationships," said Lu Keran, the band's leader. From day one, Zhejiang Huati has created individual identities for the women. Min is supposed to be the band's comedian, while Peng is a "gentle romantic", and the 21-year-old Lu is portrayed as an energetic dancer with a sunny disposition. She wears long-sleeved outfits to shield from the public eye a dragon tattoo on her arm, and is reluctant to talk about it, saying only, "I did it when I was an ignorant girl."But she did admit to sometimes dressing in pink and behaving like a little girl. The Chinese blogosphere is ablaze with questions about Acrush's leanings. Asked if they supported feminism and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, the band said they had no idea what the abbreviation LGBT stood for. "We're just 'handsome' girls," said Min. (Reporting by Muyu Xu and Ryan Woo; Additional reporting by Thomas Sun in BEIJING; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Source link Click to Post

[rtscrndr53704]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[porchenclose10019]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[grgedoors02142]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[repwincoml4a0a5]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[repwinpril9y0a1]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[rtawngs20815]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[chpatdoorsl3z0a1]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[cpopwonderland]

Acrush: the boyband of girls winning hearts in China

China’s latest boyband have all the usual trappings: five attractive singers, upbeat music and a loyal fanbase of young women. But in one crucial detail they are different. This boyband is made up entirely of girls.

Acrush have yet to release their first single, but their fan page has already attracted more than 750,000 followers after a series of live performances. Their admirers already call the women “husbands”, a term usually used by female Chinese fans to refer to male pop stars.

Hong Kong charges pro-independence activists over China protest

The A in the band’s name refers to Adonis, a figure in ancient Greek mythology whose name has become synonymous with male beauty. Acrush released their first music video on Friday.

China remains a conservative country in terms of gender roles, with company and the government leadership heavily male-dominated and sexist attitudes prevalent. Job advertisements frequently specify a desired gender, and five feminist activists were detained in 2015 for planning events to raise awareness of sexual harassment to mark International Women’s Day.

But Wang Tianhai, the Simon Cowell-esque figure behind the scenes whose company formed the band, says he has no intention of pushing a political message.

“They just enjoy the male appearance, the carefree style and want to sing like men,” Wang said. “They want to express a positive and sunny image, to show that girls can be a boyband too.”

Wang said he originally intended to push a “cutesy” girl group. But Acrush has since become the company’s star act after a smattering of concerts led to overwhelmingly positive response, including a flood of love letters from female fans.

Not everyone has accepted their style. “Some people don’t understand and don’t accept our androgynous style, but we’ve received a lot of support from our fans,” said Lu Keran, the band’s 21-year-old leader. Lu has worn short hair since she was a child, and said she was sometimes chased out of women’s bathrooms for looking like a “little boy”.

Wang said: “There’s prejudice, and some people think because of their style then they are homosexual, and use that to criticise the band.”

The manager has prohibited members of Acrush from discussing their sexual orientation, and he said there was a sizeable contingent of “anti-fans” who trolled the band over their looks.

But the quintet have precedents, both in Chinese culture and in pop forerunners who adopted similar styles over a decade ago.

“There’s a long history of cross-gender performance in China, male playing female roles and vice-versa, in traditional Chinese theatre,” said Lucetta Kam, a professor of gender studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. “Feminist issues are getting more and more politically sensitive under the current political regime, but as long as they don’t mention any gender issues and remain entertainment-oriented, it’s all OK.”

Li Yuchun won Super Girl, a female-only version of Pop Idol, in 2005 with boyish looks. Li, who also uses the English name Chris, has maintained her androgynous look and has become one of the biggest stars in China, signing deals with Coca-Cola and L’Oréal.

Despite Li’s stardom, some members of Acrush said they had felt alone before the band formed.

“I feel very lucky to have met a group of like-minded people,” Lu said. “An important message we want to convey to our fans is that it’s important to be true to who you are.”

With additional reporting by Wang Zhen

source: here

[stormdoors78476]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[exfrenchdorsl4p0a1]

This 'Boy' Band Is Genderless, And They're Breaking Down Barriers

#ffcacrush #acrush VKDNNDNSNV (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #cpop #chineserapper #chinesegirls #idols #kpop #chinesepop #chinesepopidol They're Handsome O: like VKSJNWNSNSNV New Group [Ffc- Acrush]

A post shared by @ffc_acrush_ on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

This “boy band” isn’t your typical pop sensation.

All members of the group, called FFC-Acrush, are androgynous people assigned female at birth but who identify as genderless ― and they’re quickly rising to fame in China.

The band are affectionately known as Acrush and they’re made up of five members aged in their 20s or younger: Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan, according to Quartz.

And although Acrush was assembled by the Chinese entertainment company Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd., they have all been dressing with androgynous swag for years.

【FFC-Acrush】

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Acrush has nearly 1 million followers on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. And the group just launched official accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Their female fans call them “husbands” ― a term usually used to describe male pop stars like Justin Bieber, according to the BBC.

Agent Zhou Xiaobai told Quartz that the group avoids using terms that identify them as “he” or “she.” Instead, they use the genderless term “meishaonian,” which translates as “handsome youth.” 

The “A” in Acrush represents Adonis, the mythological Greek god of beauty and desire, according to Quartz. Zhou told the news outlet that Acrush is a “group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames.”

The band’s official Twitter account profiles each band member in typical boy band fashion. Peng is the romantic lead singer. Min is a musician at heart. An is the rebellious one. Lu is a natural-born dancer and Lin is the baby of the group at 18 years old.

The group’s parent company recruits musical talent from across China. They’re trained and then placed into various girl groups or boy bands who perform songs and play soccer on stage ― under the umbrella brand name Fantasy Football Confederation. (That’s why the band’s official name is “FFC-Acrush.”)

And while all the band members have chosen to assume an androgynous identity, company policy prohibits any member of Acrush discussing their personal sexual orientation.

Hello!We are Acrush!Glad to see you here! Thank you very much for your attention!

A post shared by Acrush (@ffc_acrush) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:18am PDT

Their debut video is due out at the end of April, when Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication plans to start launching another three girl groups, according to the BBC.

H/T Quartz.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nI0dcu

[jordannamatlon]

by Zheping Huang

Earlier this month, China’s social network giant Tencent held a series of music events called “Husband Exhibition” at Chinese universities. The idea was to showcase new pop stars who appear on the company’s online streaming site; the term “husband” is how China’s female fans refer to male pop stars who are so charming they fantasize about marrying them.

Enter Acrush, a hot new “boy band” that performed at the tour’s last stop in southern Zhejiang province, where the group is based.

They had one big surprise in store for fans: They’re not actually male.

Acrush is made up of five women mostly in their early twenties, who all have edgy short hairstyles and dress like a bunch of boyish hearthrobs. The group won’t formally debut with a music video until the end of April. But it has already garnered a big fan base after several appearances at music events. Its fan page (link in Chinese) on China’s Twitter-equivalent Weibo now has nearly 900,000 followers. By comparison, Katy Perry, also a big name in China, has about one million Weibo followers.

Acrush fills an unusual niche in China’s homegrown boy or girl bands scene, where girl bands have been shaped by the influence of J-pop, which can involve knee socks, pony tails and other symbols of girlish cuteness. The letter “A” in the name stands for Adonis, a god in Greek mythology known as the epitome of male beauty, says the group’s agent Zhou Xiaobai in a phone interview with Quartz.

“A group advocating freedom, not bounded by frames” is Acrush’s distinguishing concept, Zhou says.

In China, women dressing up like men has become a more common sight and more accepted by society in recent years. That’s in part thanks to pop idol Li Yuchun, dubbed the mother of the unisex look in China. After Li won the nationwide talent show “Super Girl” in 2005, more boyish girls popped up on TV, but none of them became superstars like Li.

China’s talent agents have been talking about forming an androgynous band for years ever since Li’s success, Zhou says, but few women wanted to take the risk. Zhou’s search for unisex stars across the country began last March. In September, the 28-year-old agent narrowed down the target to 10 candidates. After two months’ training, Lu Keran, An Junxi, Peng Xichen, Min Junqian and Lin Fan emerged as the five members of Acrush. The youngest is 18-year-old Lin from southwestern Sichuan province.

Fans are predominantly female, Zhou says, ranging from teenagers to recent college graduates. They like Acrush more than equally handsome boy bands, she says, because the five members can understand them better, which is particularly important in one-on-one interactions with fans. “I ask them to reply every WeChat and Weibo message,” says Zhou. “They need to show gratitude [to fans].”

Zhou says they will avoid using the word “boy” or “girl” when introducing the group. Instead, they have carefully chosen a gender-free phrase, meishaonian, or “handsome youths.” But still, female fans on Weibo have taken to calling them “husbands,” a meme usually reserved for male celebrities like Justin Bieber.

21-year-old Lu, captain of Acrush, says some female fans send love letters to her, but “of course I won’t like fans back.” She says the company doesn’t allow her to discuss her own or her teammates’ sexual orientations.

Around 15% of Acrush’s Weibo followers are so-called “anti-fans,” Zhou says, who follow them solely for the purpose of railing against them because of their boyish looks. Lu says she doesn’t really care about the trolls, “as long as they are happy.”

The five members have been dressing like boys in their daily lives long before they took to the stage, Zhou says. Lu has been wearing short hair since she started to learn fencing at around age ten. She recalls that in her childhood she got routine checks before going into public women’s restrooms, with people calling her “little boy.” The situation is less common these days, she says.

With the exploding popularity of The Fighting Boys, a group of three wholesome teenage boys who sing about homework and patriotism, Chinese entertainment companies have revived their hopes of producing megastar homegrown boy or girl bands in a market that has long been dominated by their Korean and Japanese counterparts.

Behind Acrush is Zhejiang Huati Culture Communication Co. Ltd, an entertainment startup founded in 2016 in Tencent’s business incubator in Jinhua, a small southeastern city best known for ham. Huati adopts the same star-producing system that has proven a success in Korea. The company recruits trainees across the nation and selects them to debut as part of a boy or girl group. Aside from Acrush, Huati will roll out three other girl groups between April and May, says Wang Tianhai, the company’s head.

While those groups will have different styles, androgynous or sexy, Wang says, they are all bundled into a brand called Fantasy Football Confederation (link in Chinese). So for example, Acrush is formally known as “FFC-Acrush.” All FFC members have to learn play soccer, and make it part of their stage performances. Wang says playing sports can make the point that his pop stars are “sunny, healthy, and full of positive energy.” He says he has chosen soccer partly because the government has placed great emphasis on the sport.

Lu had never played soccer before joining Acrush. But she enjoys the training, “even as we get injuries sometimes.”