Wang says at that time she hadn't figured out her own standards of beauty, but she now understands that "being yourself is what makes a girl beautiful."

Besides, the lyrics she has written highlighting the importance of women's independence in society have resonated with many viewers, and her growing legions of followers.

Su Yujing, 24, joined one of Wang's fan clubs, and voted for the singer from Shanghai every day.

"I used to chase after the adorable stars in the Japanese girl group AKB48," says the Gansu province native, "But now I'm getting sick of pop idols with empty minds."

Su says she likes Wang, not only because she is well-spoken and hardworking, but also because of the amusing way that Wang's fans use to spread her message.

Since ju means chrysanthemum in Chinese, Wang's fans refer to themselves as Tao Yuanming - the name of an ancient Chinese poet who loved professed a love for chrysanthemums - and write rhyming couplets and memes to praise the singer and canvas votes for her.

This approach appeared to have worked well, as thousands of internet users found these ju-related phrases and memes flooding their screens over the following days.