Hong Kong Cantopop singer Moon Tang on her rise to fame, connecting with her fans, and headlining Future is Now at the AIA Carnival
- Moon Tang found fame with her music videos on social media, clocking up millions of views for songs including Qing Cheng and Lately
- Tang, whose duet Honest with Gareth T clocked 10 million hits, is performing with Kiri T and Nancy Kwai at Future is Now at the AIA Carnival
The year 2023 was one of self-discovery for Hong Kong singer-songwriter Moon Tang.
“I released an EP [last] year and I worked with a lot of different producers to experiment with partnerships and creative styles,” says the YouTube sensation. “I’ve learned to embrace my sensibility and vulnerability to create more music.”
Tang was part of a movement in Hong Kong that took root when an entertainment-starved population turned to the video platform to get in touch with up-and-coming local artists. She made a big splash after covering Mavis Hee’s 1997 hit “Qing Cheng” for the short film Hong Kong Neon Lights, gaining a million views within six months.
She has signed with Warner Music Asia, and her song “Lately” was listed in the top three songs on Commercial Radio’s Quote Chart for 2022. Tang’s duet with R&B singer Gareth T, “Honest”, clocked up more than 10 million streams across platforms such as YouTube and Spotify.
Coming into the new year, Tang feels more self-assured, and confident about her musical style and career. “I spent a lot of time around other artists with ambitious goals and for a while, I was wondering if I should dream bigger too,” says the “I Hate U” singer.
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However, Tang, along with independent songwriters such as Gareth T and Kiri T, compose their own material, and have their own following on social media, providing them with a degree of autonomy when managing their work and fame.
“I’m very comfortable with maintaining my level of fame,” she says. “I enjoy communicating with my fans personally on social media. Some are my friends now. They tell me in letters and messages how much they connect with my lyrics,” she says.
“They tell me their personal experiences and sometimes I’ll channel these … into my writing. I try to reply to their mail personally and even if I don’t have time to answer them all, I really love receiving them.”
Her coming performances at AIA Carnival’s Big Top align with Tang’s aspirations. The venue seats an audience of about 1,000, allowing an intimate experience.
When discussing the next steps in her career, Tang says connecting with her followers is her priority.
“I would love to tour around the world and experience my overseas fans. Different songs are popular with different listeners, for example, ‘Water Comes Out of My Eyes’ has a huge US following, ‘Lately’ and ‘I Hate U’ have more streams in Taiwan than Hong Kong, and my Cantonese songs have a large local audience,” the singer says.
It seems the days of Cantopop idols being an enigma and out of reach of the public are over.
“My mother met my followers at an exhibition yesterday and she told me they reminded her of me, that we are all kind-spirited yet fragile at the same time,” she says.
Future is Now: Moon Tang, Kiri T & Nancy Kwai, live at the Big Top, AIA Carnival, Central Harbourfront Event Space, Hong Kong. January 17, 8pm to 9.10pm. Tickets: HK$500
