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Consisting of three humanoid robots with a popularity rivaling human bands, the group has signed contracts for eight Lunar New Year performances, with more bookings expected, according to China News.
The busy schedule began well before the holiday period. Throughout 2025, He Xuan toured multiple locations across China, performing five to six times a month during peak periods. The band also appeared at major events, including the World Humanoid Robot Games 2025 in August and the World Internet Conference in October.
He Xuan humanoid robot music band during a performance. Video from TikTok
Developed by the Haichuang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center in Hangzhou, He Xuan debuted in August 2024 with two robots playing the yangqin and piano. A year later, the group expanded to five humanoid robots performing on five instruments: piano, drums, electronic wind instruments, yangqin, and guitar. Its repertoire now includes more than 60 pieces across multiple musical genres.
Gong Lijian, the engineer in charge of the band’s operations, said the team developed its own algorithms to ensure precise robotic performance. This process requires a detailed understanding of how each instrument works, he said, as different robots face different technical demands.
Explaining the motivation behind the project, Gong said the research team found that many humanoid robots still lack practical real-world skills. "Training robots to perform musical instruments helps build the foundation for them to eventually work in factories and serve people in households," he said.
Wei Song, a researcher at Zhejiang University’s Robotics Institute and deputy director of the Hangzhou Haichuang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, said he and his team envision a future in which household tasks such as cleaning, washing dishes, or folding clothes become easier for robots once their musical capabilities are refined.
Before robots enter homes to perform simpler tasks, they need training in high-precision, complex environments, he said, adding that piano playing offers an ideal foundation.
Wei also said his long-term vision is for robotic bands to become creative partners for human musicians. "The hardware needs to be more stable, and the algorithms need to be smarter," he said. In his ideal collaboration, a single glance from a human performer would be enough for a robot to know what to play and to adapt instantly if the musical style changes.
