“Sisters Who Make Waves 7”: Christine Fan’s team ranked last but all advanced — backlash erupts: who is the system protecting?

(Beijing, 25th) Chinese hit variety show Sisters Who Make Waves Season 7 has once again sparked controversy over its competition format. Following the release of the second performance stage results, debates over “unfair rules” quickly went viral. Actress Tao Xinran—known for her role in Empresses in the Palace—was unexpectedly eliminated, igniting widespread discussion.

During the second performance round, the team of Lee Sinje, Tao Xinran, Xie Nan, and Xu Mengjie delivered a strong stage with “Cold Night,” scoring 868 points—the second-highest of the night. However, under this season’s rules, only the top-ranked team advances in full, while the remaining teams face individual eliminations based on popularity votes. Tao Xinran was ultimately eliminated with just 27 votes.

At the announcement, team leader Lee Sinje broke down in tears, hugging Tao tightly. Tao, however, remained composed, expressing hope that her daughter would see her as an example of courage: “Now mommy can go home and hold you to sleep.”

In contrast, the team led by Fan Weiqi, Sun Yi, Ye Yiqian, and River Chiang faced criticism for their performance “Qin Qin,” with viewers calling it “disjointed” and even accusing Fan of forgetting choreography. Despite scoring only 805 points—the lowest of the round—the team advanced safely with all members intact.

This stark contrast triggered backlash online, with netizens questioning: “Last place still gets full advancement—who is this system protecting?”

Some fans urged Tao Xinran to confront the show publicly, but she declined gracefully, saying: “No way—I have my pride.” Her composed response earned praise for showing true class.