Chinese Official: FFXIV: ARR Answers, vocal by Laure Shang (Shang Wenjie)

Laure Shang sang Answers at Shangda Games' FFXIV release conference in China on Aug 20, 2014. Video officially recorded by Shanda Games.
Accompaniment: Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra

[Ecaepyrt]

Coming here, after Venat cutscene is... just... too much for my heart, thanks Nobuo, Thanks Yoshi p, Thanks FF XIV <3

[raycuevas]

6 years later and this performance still gives me chills.

Damn, she can sing.

[hitokage]

I am one of the biggest fans of the original "Answers" by Susan but dear GOD I actually found myself tearing up at "Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?" - The PASSION in that last note of that line is absolutely incredible! I felt like it was a cry against fate and a shout of defiance. I love both versions so much.

[RoseRaptors]

She sings so beautifully. I love an artist who gets wrapped up in the song. a singer who feels just as much emotion as the song lets on that she tears in the eyes. Beautifully sung. Beautifully sung.

[Bankai]

Who cares who is "better", they are both amazing and give us the chance to get drawn into this magical world.

[dottieshields]

I have not heard this before. What a compelling performance. I really like her voice and her style!

[livyu]

Thinking about this is a LIVE You cannot compare a recorded version and a live together by two different artists. That's unfair. They are both great.

[Winter]

This might not sound 'normal' to some listeners, but this is done in a semi chinese operatic style and its very, very intriguing and beautiful

[seiraaina]

Her voice is so magical. I came here after watching her rendition of La Vaguellette and was not disappointed

[xHoshikox]

Actually, this woman's range is far more amazing than Susan's. Of course since English is not her first language, pronunciation is not perfect. It's a shame that people tend to automatically cross off any version except the original, to the point of saying that their ears are bleeding after listening to this. Incredibly rude to the singer, but of course someone of her caliber would never listen to the comments of people that clearly don't know what they're talking about and just hate for the sake of hating.

[RosaDosGames]

A marvelous master piece performed with so many feelings, this show surely was a gift for ears and hearts!

[doremonhg]

WTF she was absolutely phenomenal. What the fuck are you guys complaining about, honestly?

[jeunst]

This is shockingly stunning!! I mean the voice, the dynamics and the orchestra!! This is one superb performance I have to admit!!

[郑茂林-tb]

This Chinese singer Laure Shang (Shang Wenjie) is so incredible and unique in China. She majored in French and then became a singer by chance. Her vocal is so influenced by her idol Lara Fabian with whom she was the only female singer that sang Lara's song : J'y crois encore which means I still believe. And then they become good friends. You can search her name + Lara Fabian, and then you can enjoy their wonderful performance😘

[mbzl]

Every time I watch/hear this, I cry, overcome by emotion. There's just something so real, raw, and pure, with the way in which this masterpiece is performed, that I cannot hold back the tears. Simply beautiful.

[famousguest]

You have just heard a beautiful Chinese woman sing a fantastic song composed by a Japanese in English. Remarkable. Curious. Unimaginable. Normal. Work. Work. Work together.

[starling]

Laure Shang's Answers has a lot of depth and dynamics. Absolutely love her use of librato in this song! A heavenly performance!

[getsuga-b]

i didn't even play 1.0 and imagine being one of those players who stuck with the game and hearing this song along with that trailer after their world is destroyed. i wasn't even there and this has to be the best mmo closing event of all time and one of the best game trailers i've ever seen.

[ilakya]

It's an Asian style vibrato. The traditional Japanese also having this heavily vocal cord wobbling. So bear with it as she may having background on training to represent that traditional style and make she very skillful to take on another cover of this song.

About the song itself. Though it use the emotional powerful western orchestra style, The lyrics telling very core concept of Buddhism about everyone will facing death and ways to finding answer about how we should lived before we die. This song is a nice combination of culture mix, Composer may thinking about this because it's a song about Hydelyn aka. the mother earth. And that's also why somehow this singer represent another different intense feeling compare to Susan.

[infamousS]

Wow!!! I love the emotional sadness and depth she sings with. I felt the lyrics powerfully