Chongqing – September 04, 2026 --A new music documentary pairing Danish producer HEDEGAARD with traditional musicians from ten Chinese ethnic groups has drawn over 25.8 million views outside China within weeks of its July 27 release.
The project covered 7,200 kilometers across western China
"Western China's Melody" was co-produced by the Western China International Communication Organization (WCICO) and HEDEGAARD, who is known for over 1.7 billion streams worldwide. Filming took the crew through ten cities and among ten ethnic groups, including Han, Tujia, Tibetan, Yi, Mongol, Yugur, Hui, Zhuang, Dong and Dai communities. The team documented endangered musical traditions such as the Adu High-Pitched Melody, the Mongolian Tobshur, and Xizang Layi.
HEDEGAARD spent two months learning from local musicians
Under the direction of WCICO director Feng Xiaolou, HEDEGAARD traveled from the high-altitude plateaus of Qinghai-Xizang to the tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna over two months. He learned old instruments and vocal techniques directly from tradition-bearers in fields and by firesides. "I didn't want to 'use' these sounds," he said. "I wanted to listen until they entrusted me with their soul."
The resulting album reworks three regional songs into electronic tracks
The ten-part documentary series and its companion album, "KINΔ," grew out of that immersion. "Drumroll" reinterprets Tujia Luo'er tunes as a song of resilience, "Monolith" turns a Layi love song from Xizang into a meditation on lasting love, and "Dancing with My Destiny" layers Dong Angels harmonies over synth pads.
A live concert in Chongqing brought the recordings to stage
On July 26, HEDEGAARD performed at the Guotai Art Center in Chongqing alongside Tianqin players, Mongolian throat singers, and Dong children, at an event titled "Magnificent Land, Melody of Western China - Night of International Musical Story." Traditional instruments and voices combined with live electronic production. The album has since topped niche electronic music charts, with the documentary's clips gaining particular traction in Europe and Southeast Asia.