October Challenge: Learn Mandarin Through Song Lyrics – Outlier Linguistics

30-day Challenge for October

Learn Mandarin through Song Lyrics

Just $97, signup ends October 1

Signup has ended—come back next year!

Struggling to Connect with Mandarin? Try Music!

Listening to music in your target language is a tried and true way of immersing in the language and culture.

But sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start.

● There are thousands of Mandarin songs out there

● Spanning genres from pop to hip hop to hard rock and heavy metal

● From multiple decades and countries throughout the Chinese-speaking world

● Not to mention—you need to find songs with lyrics in Mandarin (not literary Chinese), that are approachable for your level!

If you think it's hard to find good music in Mandarin that you enjoy listening to and can learn from...

You're far from alone!

It can be overwhelming!

With so many Mandarin songs out there—from classic ballads to modern rock and everything in between—how do you choose songs that will actually help you improve?

Well, we've done the hard work for you.

The Learn Mandarin Through Song Lyrics Challenge is here to guide you through the rich landscape of Mandarin music, one song at a time.

Over 30 days, we’ll explore 15 carefully selected Mandarin songs that span different time periods and genres. Each day, you’ll break down the lyrics, dive into the vocabulary and grammar, and discover the cultural context that makes each song unique. You'll also get another 15+ songs as supplementary material (probably more—we love dropping music recommendations!).

What you'll get

  • Daily Song Analysis
    Each day, you’ll receive an in-depth analysis of one song. We’ll dissect the lyrics, explain key vocabulary and grammar points, and provide you with the background and themes of each track.

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  • Curated Playlist
    No more endless searching! We’ve handpicked 15 songs that represent a variety of genres and time periods, plus another 15 supplementary tracks to expand your listening experience.

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  • Cultural Insights
    Learn about the stories behind each song, the artists who created them, and the cultural significance they hold. You’ll connect with the language on a deeper level by understanding the context behind the lyrics.

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  • Community and Support
    Join our learning community to discuss each song, share insights, and get support from fellow learners. It’s a great place to deepen your understanding and stay motivated.

  • Who is this for?

    • Mandarin Learners of All Levels: Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, this challenge will help you engage with the language in a new and exciting way.


    • Music Lovers: If you’re passionate about music and want to explore the richness of Mandarin songs, this is your opportunity to dive into different genres and eras.

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    • Anyone who wants immersion: Break free from textbooks and rote memorization—discover how music can be a powerful tool for language learning.

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      • What you'll achieve

          • By the end of this 30-day challenge, you’ll:

          • ● Discover 15 Mandarin songs, understanding their lyrics, vocabulary, and grammar (plus another 15 supplementary songs).

            ● Build a deeper cultural connection through the stories and themes of each song.

            ● Expand your listening comprehension and enrich your Mandarin vocabulary.

            ● Have a curated playlist of 30 songs to continue exploring on your own.

         

All part of the October 30-Day
Learn Mandarin Through Song Lyrics Challenge

With your guides...

John Renfroe
Co-founder, Outlier Linguistics

Before co-founding Outlier, John got his Bachelor of Music at Berklee College of Music, and then Linguistics and Paleography in the Graduate Institute of Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University. He co-founded and later ran the Taipei Classical Chinese Reading Group, a weekly reading group consisting mostly of graduate Sinology students from western universities. He also taught classical Chinese to members of the group who had no previous instruction in the language. His coursework and research focused on excavated Warring States bamboo texts, historical Chinese character morphology, and the Shuowen Jiezi 說文解字 and its commentaries and criticism.

Christine Shen
Language Instructor

Christine is an experienced Chinese instructor with two master’s degrees in language teaching. Over her career, she has taught high-ranking managers in major companies, and she currently teaches diplomats, providing instruction from basic daily Chinese to advanced professional language. Her extensive background in language education and hands-on experience with diverse professional clientele allows her to offer tailored and practical lessons. She is passionate about helping students achieve fluency and confidence in Chinese, empowering them to excel in both personal and professional contexts.

Here’s what the challenge entails:

We’ve crafted a 30-day program designed to give you a tour of Mandarin music—from classics of the 70s and 80s through modern pop stars, rock bands, and hip hop artists. We'll also listen to some songs off the beaten path by artists you may not have heard of before.

There will really be something for everyone in this challenge.

This program is created to bury the tones deep in your brain in an effective and practical way.

For just $97, you'll get:

● In-depth song analysis and lyric breakdowns.

● Lifetime access to all course materials, including audio and video lessons.

● Weekly live Q&A sessions to deepen your understanding.

● Access to our supportive learning community.

Just 30 minutes a day is all you need.

Don’t wait—enrollment is open now, and registration closes October 1st.

Ready to Immerse Yourself in Mandarin Music?

We've meticulously organized the entire challenge, so all you need to do is show up and dive in!

Here's what you need to know to join us:

Start date: October 1st

Daily time commitment: 30 minutes

Total duration: 30 days

The investment in your tonal transformation is just $97 — equivalent to a couple of sessions with a professional tutor.

And lifetime access means you get to keep everything, even after the challenge is finished.

Click the "Enroll Now" button to sign up today.

 

30 Mandarin Songs in 30 Days, starting October 1
Just $97!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What level is the challenge for?

No matter your level, if you want to listen to more music in Mandarin or learn Chinese through song lyrics, this challenge is for you. By the end, you'll know some of the most famous songs and artists, as well as some lesser-known music, and you'll have learned lyrics for many of the songs.

How can I access the challenge?

Mobile, desktop, laptop, tablet... The challenge is super user-friendly and you'll be able to log on from anywhere!

What exactly will I learn? How will this challenge help me?

For each song, we'll be introducing the artist, breaking down the song line by line, and giving explanations of vocabulary and grammar in the lyrics. We'll also explain cultural references and allusions that the lyrics make.

Study will consist of two parts: listening to the song, and working through the lyrics. If you've never learned using music before, you'll be surprised at how the lyrics stick—rhythm and melody can be powerful learning tools, and you'll find the lyrics and sentence patterns will stick with you for a long time!

I'm not sure I can commit for 30 days

Your daily tasks should only take around 30 minutes. The principle of the challenge is, "do a little each day and big results will follow." 30 minutes is a pretty manageable amount of time to devote to your Chinese.

You can break it up into 5 minute chunks throughout the day:
• 5 minutes after breakfast
• 5 minutes on your lunch break
• 5 minutes before dinner
• 5 minutes while waiting for the bus...whenever is convenient for you!

The secret sauce is the consistency - working at it for a little bit of time every day. You'll be amazed at the massive progress you make from simply showing up every day to give focused attention to one aspect of your Chinese!

What if I decide the challenge isn't for me?

All of our products come with a 30-day money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with it for any reason, reach out to me at any point during the challenge and I'll issue you a full refund.

How long do I have access to the course after the end of the challenge?

How does "lifetime access" sound? While the challenge is 30 days, you will have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like.

What exactly does "lifetime access" mean?

In practical terms, it means the course materials will be available online for as long as Outlier is in business. If we do ever go out of business or otherwise need to remove the course for any reason, we'll make the material available for you to download for a period of at least 6 months.

October Challenge: Learn Mandarin Through Song Lyrics

October Challenge: Learn Mandarin Through Song Lyrics

Regular price $97.00 Sale