“A lot of Chinese young people appear to be very bad on the surface,” he said. “They might appear to be lazy, they may cheat people often, they’re crazy about money. But when they come across serious things, the kindness in their heart will be expressed.”

Song is riding high: Bad Girl is featured in an advertisement for Hugo Boss’ Man fragrance; he has a gallery show in Beijing’s trendy Dashanzi art district; and he is working on a “cartoon-based record” for a foreign music company, featuring original songs sung by him and a voice created for Bad Girl’s character. The record is due out this year.

In the last decade, China’s leaders have significantly relaxed their controls on artists, leading to a flowering of painting, photography and performance art exploring previously taboo subjects.