The 2025 Jing'an Music Festival, a highlight of the 36th Shanghai Tourism Festival’s fashion performance week, began on July 8 and will run until Aug 30.

This year's festival utilizes AI technology to create immersive musical experiences across key commercial zones such as West Nanjing Road, Suhe Bay, and Daning.

The opening ceremony featured a diverse lineup of professional musicians. Kunqu Opera artist Zhang Jun performed a traditional opera spiced up with electronic effects, Canto-pop singer Karen Tong Po-yu sang classic hits, while emerging singer-songwriter Chen Xuening connected with the audience through her original music.

The festival also saw the premiere of the AI cultural tourism music video AI Jing'an. The video combined dynamic scenes with real cityscapes using cutting-edge light and shadow technology. Virtual idol singer Never explored Jing'an landmarks like Jing'an Temple and Suhe Bay, linking city's history and modernity through a music and city tour narrative.

In collaboration with the Shining Shanghai Light Up Jing'an exhibition, the music festival has brought a light and shadow show to the Suhe Bay waterfront. The performance transforms famous paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet into dynamic light displays, accompanied by live jazz and electronic music, creating an immersive experience of light and sound.

Throughout the festival, hundreds of public performances and musical events will take place across 14 blocks. Various theaters and venues will host a range of musical performances, such as symphonies and concerts, bringing music into the community.

Additionally, the festival has launched the first Jing'an AI music travel guide Soundtopia Passport: Melody Map of Jing'an. Visitors can use the guide to enjoy exclusive dining discounts and retail promotions in major shopping areas, including Jiuguang Department Store and Jing'an Kerry Centre. Accompanying the guide is a stamp collection activity, which allows visitors to collect stamps in their passports at various checkpoints to redeem exclusive limited-edition merchandise.

Sources: WeChat account of Jing'an district administration of culture and tourism at "zbggwhy", Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism