bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Liya Su

A video of a 40-year-old mother of two young children in China who taught herself how to be a rapper and to write original songs, has gone viral.
The full-time homemaker, surnamed Xie, from Sichuan province in southwestern China, has a seven-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son.
She has gained widespread popularity for her determination and upbeat approach to life.
Despite the demands of running a household and caring for her children, Xie was determined to make time to learn rap music.
The video footage shows Xie in her kitchen wearing an apron and holding a feeding bottle, while simultaneously singing a self-penned song about her life.

“Apron is my uniform. It’s really cool,” she begins.
Xie goes on to sing about not being afraid of “living in adversity” and how she enjoys striving for her best life. “Please call me a middle-aged rap goddess,” she sings.
A long time music lover, Xie believes the medium is the perfect vehicle for expressing emotions and attitudes, especially rap music.
Although the devoted mother is a recent convert to the genre, she now enthusiastically embraces it.
“I use every moment of my spare time to practise. Even when I go to the bathroom, I listen to songs by others or read tutorials,” said Xie.
She does not have much time to herself during the day to write lyrics and has to wait until her children are asleep and she has completed all the chores before she can sit down without interruptions.
“It’s nearly 11 pm or midnight when I start to write songs for about one or two hours,” she said.
Despite only composing rap music since November last year, Xie has completed quite a few songs and has shared them on Douyin, attracting more than 720,000 followers.
In a clip she posted in the first week of January, she rapped about her New Year’s resolution to encourage herself to sustain her rap music passion.
“I’m a housekeeper and child carer day and night, so I am a supermum,” she rapped.
Besides the pure enjoyment of the creative process, Xie writes songs to convey the message that middle-aged women can love rap as much as young people.
She also wants to make the point that, in addition to being a mother, she needs a hobby and still has dreams outside the home.

“I’m a mother, but I still want to be myself,” she said.
The story has captivated mainland social media, with hundreds of people posting comments.
“Wow, what a very cool apron mother,” said one.
“She is a real Wonder Woman,” commented another.
A third said: “She proves that with a dream everyone can shine.”
“She makes her life sparkle,” another said.


‘Breasts will be larger’: China expectant dads voice discomfort over parenting app advice

China motorcyclist fulfils woman’s wish, places dead son’s photo on Tibet stone ‘near heaven’

China brothers shocked that rocks used as stepping stones are 190-million-year-old dinosaur fossils

French football legend Zidane delights China fans by playing shuttlecock with local aunties

Trending in China

Cool mama: China mother, 40, teaches herself to rap, writes songs then sings to her kids, attracts thousands online

A 40-year-old mother in China has become an online video sensation after she taught herself how to write and perform rap songs while coping with daily pressures of homemaking and childcare. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

40-year-old mother of two young children, Xie, performs in her kitchen while holding a feeding bottle. Photo: Douyin

Xie says her love of rap music shows that the genre can be enjoyed by everyone, not just young people. Photo: Getty Images

‘Just a game’: China firm tells employees to crawl along street in humiliating team bonding activity they ‘volunteered’ to endure

Mainland social media has been shocked after video emerged of a group of company staff crawling along a street as part of an apparent punishment for failing at a team bonding exercise. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

A viral video shows people crawling along a street at night. The company said all the staff involved had volunteered to take part. Photo: 51ldb.com

The nature of team-building sessions organised by companies in China often raises eyebrows. Photo: Shutterstock

Gifted China PhD holder who went from Wall Street to slums sees light at end of tunnel after 16-year homeless hell in New York

A highly-educated man from China whose life in the United States spiralled out of control following a messy divorce, and who has been sleeping rough on the streets of New York for 16 years, could be on his way back to the mainland after his story went viral on social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Baidu 

Sun Weidong has been living on the streets of New York for 16 years after his previously successful life turned sour following a marriage break-up. Photo: Baidu 

The former Wall Street software engineer has been sleeping in internet cafes and subway stations, as well as on the street. Photo: Baidu 

Watched by strangers: China mother live-streams son, 9, doing homework, says he works 3 times faster

A mother in China has begun live-streaming her son online as he does his homework so strangers can watch, and has been pleasantly surprised by the uptick in his performance as a result. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

The social media platform the boy’s mother uses to stream his study sessions does not allow children to appear, so only the youngster’s hands and work are shown. Photo: Douyin

One-on-one online study supervisor services are very popular with busy parents in China. Photo: Shutterstock

Loving China: ‘kitten superhero’ catches falling feline, doting father sends meals to adult daughter, boy messages dead aunt

Our latest loving China feature showcases a boy who saved a falling kitten, a doting father who makes and sends his daughter home-cooked meals and a youngster who continues to send messages to his aunt despite the fact that she died three years ago. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

The 15-year-old took of his coat, fashioned it into a makeshift net and waited 20 minutes in the cold weather for the stranded kitten to fall. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Despite the fact that she is 29 years old and lives away from home, the woman’s doting father still looks after her. Photo: Douyin

Little Xiaoao knows his aunt is dead but loved her so much he still updates her on his life and studies. Photo: Douyin

Motor home: soaring rents in China’s big cities see Shanghai man turn car into money-saving digs

A Shanghai man has turned his car into a home to save money as rents soar in China’s big cities. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Wang has bought an array of items, including bedding, to make his car a vehicular home. Photo: Douyin

As for cooking, Wang pitches a tent and uses a portable stove to satisfy his culinary needs. Photo: Douyin

News

People & Culture

Begins penning rap music in November last year, now has 720,000 followers
Every spare moment used to practise, read tutorials, even in bathroom


A mother in China who juggles the daily demands of homemaking and childcare with a new-found love for writing rap songs, has become an internet sensation.


China society

Parenting: newborns to toddlers

Cool mama: China mother, 40, teaches herself to rap, writes songs then sings to her kids, attracts thousands online

Begins penning rap music in November last year, now has 720,000 followers Every spare moment used to practise, read tutorials, even in bathroom

Begins penning rap music in November last year, now has 720,000 followers

Every spare moment used to practise, read tutorials, even in bathroom