Writing a forget-me-not for Hong Kong's music scene

The new-generation darling who once proclaimed to be "Asia's number one" was reviled and mocked after a disastrous stage performance; the singing icon who grew up with a generation of music lovers became a "familiar friend" after a controversy. The versatile diva, once accused of "corrupting youth," was posthumously hailed as "Hong Kong's Daughter"; the singer-songwriter, once seen as an outsider, will eventually become a "fan favorite" with his song "Can Doraemon Please Not Get Old?".

In pop culture, ebb and flow are the norm. There are ordinary people who become famous overnight, and stars who command a huge following, but eternal superstars are rare. Amidst the clamor, many voices are erased and ignored, but from the ups and downs of some singers and stars, we can discern the unique sentiments of this place.

Over these past years, we have experienced the helplessness of the pandemic and the sorrow of separation; returning to daily life, we continue to toil, squeezed onto platforms at Admiralty Station waiting for the next train, too busy to even escape for half a day to Sai Kung. But with headphones on, we can respond to life's joys and sorrows with one golden oldie after another, soothing some of our inner struggles.

Perhaps it's too early to talk about a new golden age for Cantopop, but at this moment, we are diligently writing our book of laughter and forgetting – starting from constructing the era, picking up forgotten people and songs, discussing images long stereotyped by society, and continuing to explore the possibility of a golden age.

"For the cacophony of Hong Kong's music scene, from the past to the present, from forgetting and remembering, to writing and cherishing."