Australian Producer James Guidos Co-Written Track Someone to Love Dominates Chinese Charts
Within 13 minutes of its launch, James Guido’s co‑written track “Someone to Love” shattered streaming records on China’s largest platform. The Australian producer, based in Sydney, teamed up with fellow songwriter David Turley during an APRA SongHubs session in Adelaide. The pair later pitched the song to Chinese pop star Yan Haoxiang, who released it on May 4 as part of the EP Scary Movie II: Same Face.
The numbers that followed were staggering. In the first 13 minutes, the track accumulated one million saves on QQ Music, the country’s dominant streaming service. By the 18th minute, 1.1 million listeners were tuned in at once. Eight separate QQ Music charts—New Songs, Hot Songs, Rising, Trending, Pop Index, Music Index, MV, and Mainland—topped simultaneously, and the song also claimed the lead spot on Tencent Music’s UniChart, which aggregates data from QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo, Quanmin Karaoke, and Weibo Music.
In an interview with The Music Network, Guido reflected on the moment. “‘Someone to Love’ is such a raw and honest record, and it came from such an honest place in my heart when I wrote it with David,” he said. “The response was so overwhelming. Knowing how many people have been touched by this record and the buzz it’s created around Yan and his EP, I’m really excited to hear what’s next for his project. He is so talented.”
Guido’s success is notable not only for its speed but also for its independence. Without a label, publisher, or manager, the release was a solo effort. “I grew up two hours from Sydney being told music wasn’t a real job,” he recalled. “I dropped my degree, flew to America at 21, and spent a decade building something from nothing. These days I fly back and forth to the US regularly, bringing my artists with me into rooms and relationships I’ve spent years earning access to. Seeing a Billboard China number one come out the other side of all that is the kind of thing that makes every difficult moment make sense.”
Looking ahead, Guido aims to replicate this overseas triumph in Australia. He said, “The next chapter is about doing this at scale and bringing Australian artists into these rooms, flying them into new experiences, and building records that can travel.” He added that the China result proves his music can compete worldwide, “beyond language barriers.” While he works out where to place his plaque, he is having the right conversations to build a structure here.
Beyond Yan Haoxiang, Guido has been collaborating with high‑profile K‑pop artists and splits his time between Asia, Los Angeles, and Australia. His experience in the U.S. market, combined with the recent Chinese chart success, positions him to bridge markets for Australian talent.
The track’s rapid climb and record‑setting streaming numbers underscore the growing influence of cross‑border collaborations in the global music industry. As of now, “Someone to Love” remains at the top of multiple Chinese charts, and Guido is preparing to leverage this momentum to expand Australian artists’ presence in international markets.
