Soulful sister: Mara Measor
Mara Measor adds a dash of Canto-pop to her urban folk sound, writes Rachel Mok
"If Jason Mraz and Regina Spektor raised a child in Chinatown, that would be Mara."
This description of 24-year-old singer-songwriter Mara Measor in her PR bio couldn't be more accurate. She delivers an urban folk sound with an acoustic guitar (and occasionally a piano or a ukulele), a warm voice and heartfelt lyrics.
But the up-and-coming Eurasian star isn't the product of a musical family. Instead, she is the youngest daughter of Hong Kong-based stock guru Tony Measor. As someone who "enjoyed school almost a bit too much", Measor's parents were confused when she chose the artistic path and enrolled in the prestigious performing arts school the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
When asked if there is a downside to being Tony Measor's daughter, she replies: "I suspect he's convinced the best music was written around Frank Sinatra's time, and my style is a little different."
Still, the Measor clan are a loving and content bunch, and the recent launch concert for Measor's debut album at Backstage in Central felt like a school reunion party more than anything. Measor looked as though she was enjoying every second, and during the encore she dedicated Stand By Me to her mother.
But it would be a shame if Measor's background - or looks - overshadowed her musical talent: her bilingual song I Want to Love You was named best performance of 2012 by RTHK's The Works, and she has also won praise from the Indie Music Reviewer website.
Measor is influenced by Bob Dylan, and is a big fan of soul music from the 1960s and '70s. "When I listen to soul music, I always kind of squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, just to get closer to the sound. I hope that I can give that feeling to people as well," she says.