United States singer Mickey Guyton performs in the Chinese singing competition Singer 2025 in Changsha, Hunan province. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

International participants gave a thumbs-up to the popular Chinese singing competition Singer 2025, saying that the program offered opportunities for cross-border cultural interactions and confirmed the artistic consensus that "music knows no borders".

Well-known country music singer Mickey Guyton from the United States won second place in the live final of the show with her Better Than You Left Me earlier this month, which was hosted by Hunan TV and Mango TV in Changsha, Hunan province. Chinese male singer Chen Chusheng was crowned the show's champion.

Guyton was among the international finalists who outnumbered their Chinese rivals for the first time in the TV program, winning over the audience with her unique country style and emotional singing.

"I was just so excited and felt so much love from the audience," she said, adding that the experience was life-changing as it allowed her to see all the different styles of music, providing new angles for her future creations.

In her view, US music is more rhythm-driven, while Chinese music is more emotion-driven. She described the latter as a "winding river", with poetic lyrics, delicate rises and falls, and a graceful flow, whereas the former resembles a "roaring ocean", sometimes erupting with sudden waves.

She detected hints of 1990s American country music in certain Chinese songs, suggesting there might be "unrecognized common ground" between the two. Fascinated by the rich theatricality and instrumental elements in Chinese music, she expressed a desire to incorporate them into her own work, such as performing a song in Chinese, despite acknowledging it as a "considerable challenge".

Guyton views music as a powerful bridge that transcends genres and unites people. She believes that it's the singers' duty to step out of their comfort zones, respect and learn from different cultures, and promote mutual understanding.

A first-time visitor to China with her family, Guyton tried Chinese snacks, traditional attire and learned about silver ornament forging and brocade weaving in a trip to Huaihua, in Hunan, organized by the show producers.

"I think the people here are so lovely and kind in the way they treat children and take care of their elderly. And I think that is probably one of the most beautiful parts of Chinese culture," she said.