Ding Bo, vice-president of NetEase Cloud Music, says the subsidiary has become a pivotal online base gathering together more than 50,000 independent musicians.

"Independent musicians have expanded their influence in recent years, and a lot of talented performers are gaining popularity online. So, we thought they deserved a high-profile event to let more listeners hear their music and find out more about them," Ding says during an interview on the sidelines of the event.

In 2016, Cloud Music launched a project titled Stone to encourage the creation of original content. "The first batch of 49 new songs were promoted through the project, and we have also given some young acts the chance to take part in live shows, as well as assisting them with copyright deals," adds Ding.