[1] Song was born in Guzhang County, part of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan.

In 1991, she joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe as a national first-class singer.[promotion?]

Song joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1999 when it was led by General Secretary Jiang Zemin, with whom she is rumored to have had an affair.

[9] In January 2018 it was reported that Song was under investigation for corruption as part of General Secretary Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in connection to an alleged misuse of public funds in the financing of her personal musical concerts in 2002, 2003, and in 2006.

[citation needed] In February 2018 Song's name was removed from the list of attendees of the CPPCC.