Inspired by the golden era of Shanghai nightlife, known as the “Paris of the East,” The Shanghai Pearls transport audiences to an enchanted world of glamour, mystery, and rhythm. Their sound is rooted in shidaiqu, a vibrant musical style that emerged in 1920s–30s Shanghai, a heady fusion of Chinese folk melodies and American jazz.
This remarkable musical form, long celebrated in Chinese culture but largely underground elsewhere, burst back into international consciousness in 2003 when EMI unearthed a forgotten cache of original 78rpm stampers in a Mumbai warehouse, musical treasures from a time when Shanghai was a melting pot of global influence.
As Limelight Magazine described: “Paris of the East in the 1930s, overseen by an eponymous diva… a charming, intoxicating cabaret with sumptuous visuals and a taste of music we don’t often get to hear.”
The Shanghai Pearls began as the band behind the original Shànghai MiMi show, commissioned by Sydney Festival, which blended live music with circus, dance, and acrobatics from China’s Xining Acrobatic Troupe. Since then, the band has evolved into a stand-alone ensemble, with standout performances at the NGV’s Terracotta Warriors – Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition, the Chinese Museum, Box Hill Town Hall, Hawthorn Arts Centre, and Chinese New Year celebrations across Melbourne. Most recently, they were flown to Miami for a high-profile international event.
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