LayarHijau – Liu Yuning had already issued a warning before “She” was performed on Call Me By Fire 2026. The singer had contacted Xiao Shenyang and warned him that the song, which serves as both a character song and opening theme for the Chinese drama The Early Spring, was not an easy song to sing.
The warning has drawn renewed attention after Xiao Shenyang, Guo Xiaodong, Li Guangjie, and Shawn Yue performed “She” during the fourth stage of Call Me By Fire 2026 and faced widespread criticism from viewers. The group performed the song live without vocal tuning, making it one of the most talked-about performances of the latest stage.
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Liu Yuning Said “She” Was Difficult to Sing
Before the performance, Liu Yuning reportedly contacted Xiao Shenyang remotely to offer advice on how to approach “She.”
Liu Yuning openly acknowledged the song’s difficulty, telling Xiao Shenyang, “This song is really difficult to sing.”
His warning became particularly notable after the Call Me By Fire 2026 performance received a wave of negative reactions from viewers.
“She” demands considerable vocal control, and the four performers had to sing it live without vocal tuning. However, problems began to emerge almost immediately.
Guo Xiaodong Opens With Emotional, Tearful Vocals
Guo Xiaodong drew attention by opening “She” with an intensely emotional, almost tearful delivery before moving into the main vocal section.
At first, some viewers thought the unusual delivery was an intentional part of the performance. However, as the song progressed, Guo Xiaodong was criticized for repeatedly going off-key.
Some netizens described the vocals as unstable, while others felt that the dramatic opening was too abrupt and disrupted the song.
The vocal issues were not limited to Guo Xiaodong. Shawn Yue and Li Guangjie were also criticized for unstable pitch and strained articulation during their individual sections.
The four-member performance was subsequently described by some viewers as sounding disconnected, with the members seemingly “singing separately” rather than blending their voices together.
Xiao Shenyang, meanwhile, was regarded as the most stable vocalist of the group. He maintained relatively steady pitch and breath control throughout the performance, prompting comments that he was essentially carrying the entire group.
This was not entirely unexpected. Just days before the fourth stage, the group had undergone an evaluation in which they performed “She” without vocal tuning and received only 83 points.
At the time, Xiao Shenyang had already apologized to the audience and admitted that the group was not sufficiently familiar with the song.
“She” Scores 861 Votes, but Xiao Shenyang’s Group Enters the Danger Zone
The controversy intensified when the audience voting results were revealed. “She” received 861 votes, even beating “Moonlight Flash,” performed by Yao Chen, Cao Jun, and Wang Heye, which received 853 votes.
The result became a major talking point because “Moonlight Flash” had received widespread praise from viewers and was described by some netizens as one of the best performances of the fourth stage. The eight-vote difference between the two performances subsequently prompted questions about the show’s scoring system.
However, the stage vote was not the only factor determining the final result. After additional points from various segments, including the contestants’ special performances, captain performances, and challenge bonuses, Wang Chuanjun’s group reached a total of 900 points after earning 875 votes for “Believer.”
Xiao Shenyang’s group finished with 896 points. Although they were only four points behind Wang Chuanjun’s group, the result still placed them in the danger zone and sent them into the elimination round.
Individual scores were then used to determine which contestants would stay and which would be eliminated. Guo Xiaodong scored 813 points, while Chen Ruoxuan received 824 points. They were the two lowest-scoring contestants and were eliminated.
Li Guangjie, who scored 830 points, managed to advance to the next stage.
The stark contrast between online reactions to the performance and the results of the on-site voting subsequently fueled debate over Call Me By Fire 2026’s scoring system. However, audience voting in a competition show is not necessarily based solely on vocal ability. Stage concepts, emotional impact, and an artist’s popularity can also influence how viewers vote in person.
Guo Xiaodong Says He Was Afraid to Listen to His Own Performance
The controversy continued after the elimination results were announced.
Following his departure from the show, Guo Xiaodong revealed that he had not dared to listen back to his performance of “She.”
He said that from the night of the performance until then, he still had not been brave enough to listen to the recording himself. Guo Xiaodong also thanked viewers for their tolerance and understanding.
His comments offered a glimpse into how he himself viewed the performance that subsequently became the subject of intense discussion online.
Meanwhile, the controversy brought additional attention to Liu Yuning’s original version of “She.”
Controversial Cover Sends Listeners Back to Liu Yuning’s Version
“She” is performed by Liu Yuning for The Early Spring. The song serves as both the character song for Luan Nian and the drama’s opening theme.
Written and composed by Yu Yan, the song was released in August 2026 and became an important part of The Early Spring’s soundtrack.
Before the song was performed on Call Me By Fire 2026, Liu Yuning had already warned Xiao Shenyang that “She” was difficult to sing.
After the controversial performance, attention instead returned to Liu Yuning’s original version. Many listeners began comparing the Call Me By Fire 2026 performance with Liu Yuning’s original recording.
As a result, the controversy surrounding the cover not only put the participating performers in the spotlight but also brought renewed attention to “She” and its connection to Luan Nian in The Early Spring.
In the end, Liu Yuning’s warning before the performance proved particularly relevant. He already knew that “She” was a challenging song, and that challenge became evident when the song was performed live without vocal tuning on the Call Me By Fire 2026 stage.
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