In the first episode, Chi performed "Doa Hoa Hong" (The Rose), a song by musician Andiez.
Chi wore a multi-layered outfit and sang while taking off the outer layers one by one. The 29-year-old said she chose a flower design because it was suitable for the song, which encourages women to be confident.
Chi’s performance brought energy to the stage as performers before her had relied on slow melancholic ballads.
"She’s so professional, her stage presence is amazing and she invested a lot in the performance. She really woke us up with this," said singer Ella Chen, a member of Taiwanese girl group S.H.E., comparing Chi to a beautiful rose.
Singer Tracy Wang said Chi "left her stunned" while American contestant Amber said she liked the surprising but beautiful choreography when Chi took off parts of her outfit.
One of the show’s executive producers said Chi was "sexy and smoking hot" on stage.
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Chi Pu performs in the first episode of "Sisters Who Make Waves" on May 5, 2023. Photo by Mango TV |
Among 13 contestants performing in the first episode, Chi got 359 points and placed fourth, while Ella took the lead with 384 points.
On social networks in China, many viewers were excited about Chi's performance.
Real, a music blogger with more than 4 million followers on Weibo wrote: "I have become her fan after the first performance."
Others also lauded her, commenting: "I like how gorgeous she is" and "Chi Pu is great at transforming on stage". However, a few thought her moves were unnatural.
The Vietnamese singer also made an impression on the Chinese audience, with a humorous clip of Hong Kong actress Ada Choi teaching her how to speak Chinese trending on Weibo.
Aside from the performances, the first episode introduced the contestants, including 33 singers, actors and pianists.
The contestants also presented signature dishes of their homeland to each other. Chi chose a dessert of Vietnamese green rice.
The singer said that she accepted the invitation to join the show because she wanted to experience new things and engage with Chinese audiences.
Chi Pu, real name Nguyen Thuy Chi, is a pop singer and actress who was honored among Forbes’ list of Asia Pacific's 100 most influential digital stars in 2020.
Since debuting in 2020 "Sisters Who Make Waves" has been one of the top-rated reality TV shows in China.
In this season, foreign celebrities such as Japanese singer Mai Mizuhashi, South Korean actress Choo Ja-huyn, German singer Gina Alice Redlinger, and Russian singer Katerina have also joined in the show.
The contestants will show off their talents in solo and team performances Those with the highest scores will be chosen to form a new girl group.
Chi Pu performs "Doa Hoa Hong" (The Rose) on the stage of "Sisters Who Make Waves" on May 5, 2023. Video by Mango TV