‘Danish Justin Bieber’ Christopher Nissen seeks pop stardom in China, where success has long evaded Western artists
The Dane, who goes by the stage name Christopher and admits he is something of an experiment, will do anything it takes to make it in the mainland. Except wear a tutu
Two hours before the concert was scheduled to begin in Shanghai’s Xuhui district, young women were already lined up outside a coffee shop under a pink neon sign that read, “Please don’t tell my Mom.” One wore a hooded sweatshirt bearing the name and face of the night’s performer, the Danish pop star Christopher Nissen. Others were dressed, for unclear reasons, like Harry Potter and his classmates. Most wore all black, as the invitation instructed.
When the doors opened, around 7pm, on a Monday evening in December, these early birds – many of whom had already intercepted Nissen the previous night at the airport – swarmed to the front row, bypassing a table offering free snacks and drinks. They were followed, at a more leisurely pace, by ad agency executives and social media influencers, who had come at the invitation of the evening’s sponsor, Dynaudio. Guests chatted through a presentation about the Danish stereo company’s new wireless speakers, then hushed when a Chinese emcee standing on a makeshift stage introduced the event’s musical guest – his fans know him simply as Christopher.
He ambled out wearing a V-neck white T-shirt and a black leather jacket.
“Is this your first time in Shanghai?” the emcee asked him in English.
“Noooooo,” the crowd answered for him.
“They know,” Christopher said, beaming.
