https://www.scmp.com/rss/318255/feed Music news, album reviews, band interviews, festival coverage. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Mongolia and heavy metal are rarely mentioned in the same sentence, but folk metal band Uuhai are here to prove the music genre fuses surprisingly well with the nomadic culture’s distinctive vocal and instrumental traditions. Founded in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar in 2020 by drummer and producer Otgonbaatar “Ombo” Damba, the band’s current line-up features Damba, Khurtsgerel Damiranjav (horsehead fiddler and vocalist), Zorigoo Battsooj (horsehead fiddler and throat singer), Saruul... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu What advantage does a left-handed conductor have? Before answering that, it is worth looking at another of Holly Hyun Choe’s strengths. In keeping with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s tradition, the guest conductor opened the concert with an introductory speech, immediately establishing herself as an excellent communicator. She recalled her excitement upon discovering that the orchestra had long been led by a female music director. Enthusiastic applause followed when Choe acknowledged music director... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:15:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Celine Dion wept tears of joy on Saturday as she fulfilled her dream of returning to the stage after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with a sell-out concert in Paris. The 58-year-old French-Canadian singer appeared visibly moved as she opened her first full concert in six years with her 1990s French-language ballad “On ne change pas” (“One Doesn’t Change”), singing to a crowd of 30,000 enthralled fans that one newspaper said included US former first lady Michelle Obama. “These are,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367327/celine-dion-makes-long-awaited-return-stage-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367327/celine-dion-makes-long-awaited-return-stage-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:05:19 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given their proportions and lack of upright agility on their hind paws, the very notion of giant pandas dancing a waltz sounds, dare I say, absurd. So going by its title alone, any chance of a cheeky lilt in 3/4 time or a nostalgic nod to the Strauss clan in Yao Chen’s panda-themed Waltz of the Rolling Giants, the opening piece in the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s “Chengdu Pre-Tour Concert: Eric Lu Plays Chopin”, seemed slim. Thankfully, though, Chen’s waltz – an HK Phil world premiere written... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:15:06 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung This is the 85th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. For lovers of Cantopop music, Wyman Wong Wai-man is a pre-eminent architect of modern Hong Kong’s emotional landscape. Through the classic songs he has written for top singers from Eason Chan Yick-shun to Miriam Yeung Chin-wah, the 57-year-old has chronicled the loves and heartbreaks of a generation. Yet to define him strictly as a lyricist is to ignore a sprawling, multi-hyphenate... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366866/how-cantopop-lyricist-wyman-wong-pushed-hong-kongs-lgbtq-style-and-emotional-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366866/how-cantopop-lyricist-wyman-wong-pushed-hong-kongs-lgbtq-style-and-emotional-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Elaine Wong Elaine Wong The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong (CCOHK) has never been one to stick to the classical canon. After Wild (2022) and Shark Symphony (2024), the orchestra continues its run of original family musicals with Space Fantasy, created by founder and artistic director Leanne Nicholls. The premiere took a bold, if slightly wobbly, leap into the cosmos. And while the narrative didn’t always land, the sheer visual spectacle was hard to resist. The story is simple enough: 10-year-old Astrid, practising... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365793/ccohks-space-fantasy-visual-spectacle-great-whole-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365793/ccohks-space-fantasy-visual-spectacle-great-whole-family?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu At the tender age of 18, Zhang Aozhe, the 2025 winner of the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition’s top prize, has just made his Hong Kong debut. This should have been a major attraction, but from my observation, the seats at the City Hall Concert Hall were about half empty. Was the low attendance due to the summer holidays, or was it a case of insufficient publicity? It was difficult to tell, but the truth is that many people, including frequent concertgoers, missed a show that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365530/chinese-violin-virtuoso-zhang-aozhe-18-makes-magical-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365530/chinese-violin-virtuoso-zhang-aozhe-18-makes-magical-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu This is the 84th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Josie Ho Chiu-yee has spent her career dismantling assumptions and forging her own identity through unbridled creativity. When it came to pursuing a music career, the daughter of the late Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho Hung-sun rejected the easy path of Cantopop ballads and blockbuster fluff, instead favouring 1980s-inspired punk rock and genre movies. Today, at age 51, Josie Ho is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365132/how-josie-ho-rejected-her-billionaire-heiress-destiny-punk-rock-and-indie-filmmaking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365132/how-josie-ho-rejected-her-billionaire-heiress-destiny-punk-rock-and-indie-filmmaking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Joe Hisaishi, a Japanese composer and conductor known globally for his scores for Studio Ghibli animated films, has been recognised this month for setting three world records, including one achieved during his recent week-long residency at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. During the seventh and final night of his “Cinema Music Concert” show on August 17, Hisaishi was honoured by Guinness World Records for the longest consecutive run of performances by a classical composer at the iconic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3364751/ghibli-film-composer-joe-hisaishi-sets-3-guinness-world-records-live-performances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3364751/ghibli-film-composer-joe-hisaishi-sets-3-guinness-world-records-live-performances?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Emma White Emma White This Sunday, Hong Kong is buzzing with sizzling barbecues, lively music celebrations and bustling handicrafts bazaars. Whether you want to dive into Ukrainian culture, challenge yourself with a sporting event or treat yourself to some live music, there is a wide range of activities to choose from this weekend. 1. Music All The Wai This Saturday marks the final performance from Music All The Wai, a summer event celebrating music from around the globe. The performance at The Wai, a shopping centre... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3364638/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-august-21-23?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3364638/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-august-21-23?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:19:04 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam This is the 83rd instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Long before he packed out the Hong Kong Coliseum for his 40th-anniversary Get Up concerts last October, Alex To Tak-wai was busy changing the fundamental rhythm of the city’s pop music. Emerging from the nightclub circuit in the mid-1980s with a kinetic, Michael Jackson-inspired stage presence, To eschewed the standard ballads of his contemporaries to introduce R&B and Western funk... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3363724/alex-tos-40-year-cantopop-career-rb-origins-defiant-comebacks-acting-triumphs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3363724/alex-tos-40-year-cantopop-career-rb-origins-defiant-comebacks-acting-triumphs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) has increasingly been pushing audiences to embrace the unfamiliar, and its 55th edition is certainly breaking new ground. On August 6, the first batch of confirmed highlights in the 2027 festival reveals that the finale will be performed by the State Ballet Company of the Astana Opera (Kazakhstan). Furthermore, while HKAF once brought over the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company for classical renditions of the Bard’s works, this edition really leans into the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363281/what-not-miss-2027-hong-kong-arts-festival-classical-music-shakespeare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363281/what-not-miss-2027-hong-kong-arts-festival-classical-music-shakespeare?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:25:13 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu From the annual French May Arts Festival to public contemporary circus performances at Tai Kwun heritage arts centre and electronic music events by Victoria Harbour, the French have an outsized cultural footprint in Hong Kong. French May and the Alliance Francaise de Hong Kong (AFHK) – a non-profit cultural centre that provides language classes and runs the city’s annual French Film Festival – each hosts between 100 and 120 programmes a year. Combined with other organisations’ initiatives,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362328/why-are-french-such-cultural-force-hong-kong-its-do-art-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362328/why-are-french-such-cultural-force-hong-kong-its-do-art-living?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu This is the 82nd instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Eight years after her sudden death shook music fans across Hong Kong, Taiwan and beyond, Ellen Joyce Loo Hoi-tung’s legacy as a cultural trailblazer continues to grow. Shifting effortlessly between vulnerable lyricism and distorted power chords, the fierce guitarist lived boldly in an industry demanding conformity. An outspoken advocate for mental health and LGBTQ visibility, she... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3362246/legacy-ellen-joyce-loo-trailblazing-hong-kong-guitarist-who-spoke-her-truth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3362246/legacy-ellen-joyce-loo-trailblazing-hong-kong-guitarist-who-spoke-her-truth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Global K-pop sensation BTS said on Wednesday they will not submit their music for next year’s Grammy Awards, following the Recording Academy’s introduction of new categories that include the Best Asian Pop Music Performance. The South Korean megastars had been widely tipped to be in the running for several of the Grammys’ top honours, including Album of the Year, after their comeback album, Arirang, became one of this year’s bestselling hits. “We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362312/bts-pulls-out-grammys-after-asian-pop-category-introduction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362312/bts-pulls-out-grammys-after-asian-pop-category-introduction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:20:36 +0000 Robin Zebaida Robin Zebaida In the opinion of many, J.S. Bach is the greatest composer bar none. Just one of the manifestations of his pre-eminence was his seamless blend of musical tradition and innovation. He was remarkably ahead of his time. An inveterate and unapologetic recycler, he still astounds us with his ability to arrange and reuse materials. Bach was never one to let a good tune go to waste – neither his own, nor those of his great contemporaries. As I well remember from the 1960s Ladybird Books’ series Lives... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362119/hong-kong-pianist-colleen-lee-dazzles-celebration-bach-keyboard-concertos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362119/hong-kong-pianist-colleen-lee-dazzles-celebration-bach-keyboard-concertos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:15:06 +0000 Elaine Wong Elaine Wong Speaking from Poland on a video call, Lyu Tianyao seems like any other teenager, albeit a disarmingly warm and polite one with a radiant smile. But when she performs on stage, a quiet intensity takes over. At the 2025 International Chopin Piano Competition – founded in 1927 and held every five years – the then 16-year-old was one of the youngest ever finalists, captivating audiences with playing that was introspective, luminous and, at times, infectiously energetic. Her uncontrived chemistry... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3360874/young-chinese-pianist-sensation-lyu-tianyao-17-her-love-chopin-and-new-album-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3360874/young-chinese-pianist-sensation-lyu-tianyao-17-her-love-chopin-and-new-album-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jul 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service By Mary Carole McCauley American jazz icon Herbie Hancock remains exactly where he always has been – at the forefront of his field, observing, innovating and asking unnerving questions of himself and everyone he encounters. At 86, Hancock has been performing music and composing it for a very, very long time. Seventy-four years to be exact, if you count the former child prodigy’s debut playing piano with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1952. Along the way, he has won numerous accolades,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3360902/duet-ai-jazz-icon-herbie-hancock-86-talks-tech-getting-older-and-miles-davis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3360902/duet-ai-jazz-icon-herbie-hancock-86-talks-tech-getting-older-and-miles-davis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu This is the 81st instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Celebrities who reach their mid-nineties have usually long since traded the spotlight for a rocking chair, but not Bowie Woo Fung, who, at 94 years old, is likely still practising his footwork. On June 7, 2026, he took the stage for his sixth concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum, and in doing so set the Guinness World Record as the oldest Chinese artist to hold a solo concert. It is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3360737/how-bowie-woo-94-became-hong-kongs-ultimate-evergreen-entertainer-over-7-decade-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3360737/how-bowie-woo-94-became-hong-kongs-ultimate-evergreen-entertainer-over-7-decade-career?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Closing the season with scale and grandeur on July 3, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra launched the audience onto the high seas with a programme anchored by Ralph Vaughan Williams’ rarely performed A Sea Symphony. The sprawling work has not been aired by the orchestra since the 1980s and it is a cantata, song cycle and oratorio rolled into one, each of its four movements set to American poet Walt Whitman’s lines on exploration and humanity. With Tarmo Peltokoski at the helm, it was a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3359523/tarmo-peltokoski-and-hong-kong-philharmonic-absent-jing-wang-take-thrilling-sea-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3359523/tarmo-peltokoski-and-hong-kong-philharmonic-absent-jing-wang-take-thrilling-sea-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:15:05 +0000 Alex Howlett Alex Howlett Camille Banzon’s journey to becoming a pioneer of the underground music scene in the Philippines was defined by necessity from the outset. A decade ago, when running a hostel on the island of Siargao, she learned the basics of DJing so she could play music at the parties she hosted. By the time she was forced to relocate to Manila in 2021 after a devastating typhoon, she was already developing her own sound. She was heavily influenced by the fast-paced energetic bass and jungle music that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3359103/how-asias-women-djs-are-turning-tables-male-dominated-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3359103/how-asias-women-djs-are-turning-tables-male-dominated-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This is the 80th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Surviving Hong Kong’s ruthless entertainment industry is a rare feat; doing so while wholly redefining your public image is nearly unprecedented. Yet, Charlene “Ah Sa” Choi Cheuk-yin has managed to do both. Debuting in 2001 as one half of the Cantopop duo Twins alongside Gillian Chung Yan-tung, Choi became a household name overnight. But her journey from teenage pop idol to respected... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3358840/how-twins-charlene-choi-went-cantopop-teen-idol-top-hong-kong-actress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3358840/how-twins-charlene-choi-went-cantopop-teen-idol-top-hong-kong-actress?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Elaine Wong Elaine Wong The Hong Kong Sinfonietta was not playing it safe when it commissioned Alice Yeung’s double concerto for chromatic harmonica and jazz piano – a combination that may be a world first. Performed by the orchestra’s two new artist associates, the multi-genre mavericks Daniel Chu and CY Leo (real name Ho Cheuk-yin), Time (in-)Linear’s June 27 premiere was the highlight of an evening that also included traditional symphonies by Haydn and Beethoven, and was governed by the ethos of “surprises”,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3358975/hong-kong-sinfonietta-daniel-chu-and-cy-leo-deliver-alice-yeungs-new-concerto-style?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3358975/hong-kong-sinfonietta-daniel-chu-and-cy-leo-deliver-alice-yeungs-new-concerto-style?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Emma White Emma White It’s summer and the hills are alive with the sound of musicals. Never before have there been so many productions – from originals to tried and true favourites – being staged in Hong Kong in close succession. Here are nine that fans of this popular theatre genre should not miss. 1. Jesus Christ Superstar More than 55 years after it opened on Broadway, Jesus Christ Superstar is finally making its Hong Kong debut. With glittery make-up and a rock opera soundtrack, the musical is a modern twist on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3358125/9-musicals-you-must-see-hong-kong-2026-cats-jesus-christ-superstar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3358125/9-musicals-you-must-see-hong-kong-2026-cats-jesus-christ-superstar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Alice Yeung Hoi-ching does not just write music for listening; she writes music that is meant to be seen. The Switzerland-based, Hong Kong-born composer with a first degree in composition and electronic music from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) creates dramatic, visceral experiences that transform concert halls into theatres – and her inventiveness is getting noticed. She has won a wide range of commissions in her home city, from the Hong Kong Sinfonietta (HKS) to the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3357859/how-hong-kong-composer-alice-yeung-overcame-knifepoint-mugging-debut-most-daring-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3357859/how-hong-kong-composer-alice-yeung-overcame-knifepoint-mugging-debut-most-daring-work?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Clive Davis, a former corporate lawyer who became one of the most influential figures in American rock and pop music as he fostered the careers of Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen and other stars, died ⁠on Monday at the age of 94. Davis, who was known as “the man with the golden ear” for his ability to identify potential hit ⁠songs, died at his home in Manhattan, The New York Times reported, having recently been hospitalised with respiratory... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357969/clive-davis-towering-music-executive-who-reshaped-american-sound-dies-94?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357969/clive-davis-towering-music-executive-who-reshaped-american-sound-dies-94?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:24:44 +0000 dpa dpa Few items of clothing have sparked more debate in the music industry in recent months than the babydoll. The short, floaty nightgown has long been seen on female performers. Still, it has become a hot topic on social media thanks to the feminine aesthetic of singers like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. Critics accuse the singers of deliberately styling themselves as childlike and giving off Lolita vibes. A closer look shows that the debate is about more than just fashion. It is about how... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3357513/why-babydoll-dresses-worn-olivia-rodrigo-and-sabrina-carpenter-are-sparking-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3357513/why-babydoll-dresses-worn-olivia-rodrigo-and-sabrina-carpenter-are-sparking-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu This is the 79th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. “Are Hongkongers forgetful? Not when there’s a scandal,” Andy Hui Chi-on told HK Magazine in 2006. It was a casual, tongue-in-cheek observation at the time, but the Hong Kong pop singer could not have known that those words would come to define the darkest chapter of his life 13 years later. With a career spanning four decades, 58-year-old Hui has survived the entire spectrum of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3357364/how-andy-hui-went-hong-kong-cantopop-star-bombshell-cheating-scandal-redemption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3357364/how-andy-hui-went-hong-kong-cantopop-star-bombshell-cheating-scandal-redemption?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press What makes a memorable World Cup anthem? Is it a song that best reflects the host countries? Is it a global banger, incorporating multiple languages and genres? Or should it simply value a chant-along chorus above all? There is an argument to make for each – or perhaps all. With the 2026 Fifa World Cup now upon us, performers behind World Cup songs past and present share their thoughts on the burning question. The list includes Shakira – who, alongside Afrobeats star Burna Boy, is responsible... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3356747/how-make-great-world-cup-song-shakira-j-balvin-nora-fatehi-and-more-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3356747/how-make-great-world-cup-song-shakira-j-balvin-nora-fatehi-and-more-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jun 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Lachlan Wong,Enid Tsui Lachlan Wong,Enid Tsui From international stars to highly anticipated premieres by local talent, Hong Kong’s diverse arts scene has plenty to offer in the second half of 2026. Here is our list of must-see cultural performances and events. 1. Dog Rising “Mind-bending” and “hypnotic” are some of the words used to describe the work of Montreal-based polymath choreographer-musician-actor Clara Furey. As the grand finale of this year’s French May Arts Festival, her electrifying contemporary dance piece Dog Rising explores... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3356838/12-must-see-hong-kong-shows-and-arts-events-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3356838/12-must-see-hong-kong-shows-and-arts-events-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:15:04 +0000 Paul Kay Paul Kay While Shenzhen is rightly famed for low-cost shopping, dining and family attractions, it is rarely talked about as a hotbed for live music. That could be about to change, thanks to a clutch of ambitious livehouses that have started luring international touring acts to the city – and away from Hong Kong. B10 Live in the OCT Loft cultural district is attracting a range of respected acts this year, including 2024 Mercury Prize winners English Teacher on April 30, US singer-songwriter Appleby on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3356440/why-international-music-acts-are-choosing-shenzhen-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3356440/why-international-music-acts-are-choosing-shenzhen-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jun 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls The question of what makes an orchestra great is a constant source of discussion in classical music. Distinct, cultivated “bodies of sound” or Klangkörper – to use the German word – are what define the top, tradition-rich ensembles performing today. One of them, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, blessed Hong Kong with back-to-back concerts in the first week of June, featuring four pillars of the classical repertoire. Under the baton of their music director Andris Nelsons, the German ensemble,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3356086/leipzig-gewandhaus-orchestra-deliver-triumphant-back-back-hong-kong-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3356086/leipzig-gewandhaus-orchestra-deliver-triumphant-back-back-hong-kong-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:15:05 +0000 Paul Kay Paul Kay As he prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday on June 10, it is fair to say that Anders Nelsson has witnessed more of Hong Kong’s evolution than most. Since arriving in the city in 1950 aged four, the California-born son of Swedish missionaries has found fame as a musician, singer-songwriter, composer, concert promoter, record producer and actor, all against the backdrop of a city emerging from post-World War II gloom to become a vibrant global metropolis. Along the way, he has helped shape Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3355632/fascinating-life-hong-kong-musician/actor-anders-nelsson-who-once-fought-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3355632/fascinating-life-hong-kong-musician/actor-anders-nelsson-who-once-fought-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service On the second weekend of May, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel gave the New York Philharmonic a salsa shock. He gleefully brought the startled players together with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, an uptown salsa and jazz band, for concerts at the city’s Lincoln Centre and United Palace. New York’s classical music fans treated it as a cultural breakthrough; Dudamel is expected to transform the orchestra as a cultural institution when he returns in autumn as its music and artistic director. A... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354975/gustavo-dudamel-his-enduring-love-los-angeles-he-prepares-lead-ny-phil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354975/gustavo-dudamel-his-enduring-love-los-angeles-he-prepares-lead-ny-phil?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 07:15:05 +0000 Associated Press,Enid Tsui Associated Press,Enid Tsui Looking to take off into a new era after nearly two decades under the charismatic Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced on May 26 that it had hired Daniel Harding, a British conductor who is also an Air France pilot, as its next music director. Harding, a 50-year-old who is known mostly for his work with European orchestras and is highly sought-after in Asia, agreed to a six-year contract starting with the 2027-28 season. His first appointment by an American orchestra is with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355147/meet-daniel-harding-new-la-phil-music-director-deep-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355147/meet-daniel-harding-new-la-phil-music-director-deep-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 09:23:09 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar’s latest work, Chapters – a deeply personal trilogy written and released between January 2023 and March 2025 – was born from an intense post-pandemic creative block. “I had this notion that after the pandemic I needed to make the most significant work of my life,” Shankar says. “So, of course, as a result, I had nothing.” The paralysis broke on a New Year’s morning in India. Staring at the ocean with her journal, she decided to strip away the pressure of a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354982/how-sitarist-anoushka-shankar-broke-her-creative-block-after-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354982/how-sitarist-anoushka-shankar-broke-her-creative-block-after-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min Three years after their first full-length record, K-pop girl group Le Sserafim are ready to tell a different story about fear. The five-member group dropped Pureflow Pt.1, their second studio album, on May 22, built around a premise that inverts the group’s debut message. While the group’s first record declared strength through fearlessness, this one argues the opposite – that fear, faced directly, is what makes you stronger. “When we first debuted, the message was that we were... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354760/new-album-pureflow-pt1-le-sserafim-are-facing-their-fears-and-are-stronger-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354760/new-album-pureflow-pt1-le-sserafim-are-facing-their-fears-and-are-stronger-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 04:15:04 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan has just made headlines as the first woman to be named music director designate of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS). Many in the classical music world had expected her to succeed Gustavo Dudamel at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As Chan herself acknowledged in an interview with the South China Morning Post on May 22, that was also what she expected, but – using a dating and marriage analogy – the courtship with the LA Phil went on for too long without the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354519/i-am-hungry-elim-chan-taking-lead-san-francisco-symphony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354519/i-am-hungry-elim-chan-taking-lead-san-francisco-symphony?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 04:45:04 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times From an early age, Ahn Hyo-seop has had a burning passion for music. After school, he would talk about music and even produce tracks with his friends for fun. This passion led him to train under JYP Entertainment with the hopes of becoming a K-pop idol. However, Ahn decided to follow a different career path as an actor, becoming a household name in South Korea with performances in Dr Romantic (2016) and Business Proposal (2022). After starring in films and shows for over 10 years, Ahn recently... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354461/k-drama-actor-ahn-hyo-seop-something-special-his-new-single-us-rb-star-khalid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354461/k-drama-actor-ahn-hyo-seop-something-special-his-new-single-us-rb-star-khalid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung This is the 77th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. If your radar picked up even a blip of K-pop in the mid-2010s, you probably encountered Jackson Wang Ka-yee long before you realised he was a Hong Kong native. To overseas fans, he was first known as the magnetic, mischievous rapper of Got7, a boy band that debuted under JYP Entertainment in 2014 and quickly amassed a loyal international following. Among the seven members, Wang was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354172/how-got7s-jackson-wang-went-hong-kong-fencing-prodigy-global-music-icon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3354172/how-got7s-jackson-wang-went-hong-kong-fencing-prodigy-global-music-icon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan has been named music director designate of the San Francisco Symphony, capping months of intense industry speculation over her next permanent posting. The orchestra announced on May 21 that Chan will officially begin her tenure in September 2027. She will serve an initial six-year term, becoming the first woman and 13th music director in the institution’s 115-year history. The announcement marks a significant milestone for the conductor and places one of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354429/hong-kong-born-conductor-elim-chan-becomes-first-woman-lead-san-francisco-symphony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354429/hong-kong-born-conductor-elim-chan-becomes-first-woman-lead-san-francisco-symphony?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 17:54:00 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu The pipe organ, with its thousands of whistles and massive wooden lungs, is the quintessential voice of Western sacred music. Yet for Hong Kong organist Eric Chan’s latest cross-cultural project, he shares the stage with the piercing cries of the suona – a traditional Chinese woodwind whose melodies have echoed through rural villages for centuries. Played in this project by Guo Yazhi and Chrysoberyl Chan – Eric Chan’s partner in life and music – the suona bridges a vast cultural divide, showing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353717/east-meets-west-melodic-concert-hong-kong-musician-eric-chan-blends-suona-organ?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353717/east-meets-west-melodic-concert-hong-kong-musician-eric-chan-blends-suona-organ?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 11:15:06 +0000 Robin Zebaida Robin Zebaida Ever tried that children’s game of trying to pat your head while rubbing your stomach? Or drawing a circle with one hand and simultaneously a triangle with the other? The key is coordination, of course, and plenty of that is required if you are playing the piano and singing at the same time. Born in the UK, raised in Canada and based in Germany, pianist-soprano Rachel Fenlon is renowned for her self-accompanied concerts. On May 12, she made her Hong Kong debut with a performance of Franz... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353677/soprano-pianist-rachel-fenlon-blends-intensity-and-innovation-dexterous-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353677/soprano-pianist-rachel-fenlon-blends-intensity-and-innovation-dexterous-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Maya Hawke sits at a picnic table in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, with an iced tea and a small notebook and happily reports that she still likes her new record. “Every other album cycle I’ve done, by the time I got to the point where the album came out, I hated it,” the 27-year-old singer and actor says. “I was just exhausted by the internet and by being public, and I wouldn’t want to post about it. So I kind of tried to build this roll-out where it could be enjoyable. And it seems to be... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3353506/why-stranger-things-star-maya-hawke-actually-likes-her-new-album-once?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3353506/why-stranger-things-star-maya-hawke-actually-likes-her-new-album-once?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Madeleine Fitzpatrick Madeleine Fitzpatrick The last time I sat down with Lucas “Skibs the Kid” Scibetta, in the summer of 2013, he was an 18-year-old, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing rapper and fresh Hong Kong International School graduate, still riding high on the success of his viral 2012 hit, “Hong Kong Kids”. His G.O.D. clothing line had just launched, and his local notoriety was such that in December, he would open for Pharrell Williams at the inaugural Blohk Party music festival in West Kowloon. Our catch-up nearly 13 years later... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3353240/where-skibs-kid-now-hong-kong-kids-rapper-viral-hit-school-and-asian-vibe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3353240/where-skibs-kid-now-hong-kong-kids-rapper-viral-hit-school-and-asian-vibe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This is the 76th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Over the past decade, many Hong Kong entertainers have ventured across the border into the lucrative mainland Chinese market. Kay Tse On-kay, however, remains anchored in her hometown. The Cantopop singer launched her “Tidal” world tour in late 2025 to mark her 20th anniversary in the industry, and there are plans to bring the celebrations back to Hong Kong in the near... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3352712/why-cantopop-star-kay-tse-chose-hong-kong-over-lucrative-mainland-chinese-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3352712/why-cantopop-star-kay-tse-chose-hong-kong-over-lucrative-mainland-chinese-market?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Paul Thompson grew up in the UK during the “two-tone” wave, a musical movement born in the late 1970s that saw the fusion of English punk and Jamaican genres such as ska – the fast-paced, brass-heavy music often said to be the precursor to the slower, more bass-heavy reggae. Thompson developed a fascination for reggae and ska music, which followed him into adulthood. Now, the bassist for the 10-piece ska band The Red Stripes is organising the 10th edition of the Hong Kong International Reggae... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3352557/hong-kong-reggae-and-ska-festival-organiser-bringing-voice-freedom-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3352557/hong-kong-reggae-and-ska-festival-organiser-bringing-voice-freedom-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times There is a particular kind of calm that comes from having already been through it. Walking into a room with Naze, the seven-member K-pop boy band whose official Korean debut was released on May 4, that sense of calm is the first thing one notices. These are not nervous trainees – they are young men who have already stood on stages in Japan, filmed a prime-time TBS drama, recorded four original soundtracks and gone on a showcase tour before most Korean fans even knew their names. “We’ve already... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3352348/how-k-pop-boy-band-nazes-multinational-members-found-natural-chemistry-debut-album?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3352348/how-k-pop-boy-band-nazes-multinational-members-found-natural-chemistry-debut-album?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 09:15:04 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jonnie Park has always gone by many names. The most google-able is his hip-hop moniker “Dumbfoundead”, which he has gone by for decades as a battle rapper and a multi-album artist while becoming one of the kings of Project Blowed – a hip-hop crew, record label and open-mic workshop. As a resident of Los Angeles’ Koreatown since childhood, he is still known as “The Mayor of K-town”. To his friends, he is just “Dumb”. Of all the aliases and titles he has fought for, “author” might seem to be the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351829/korean-american-rapper-jonnie-park-aka-dumbfoundead-family-struggles-music-and-beef?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351829/korean-american-rapper-jonnie-park-aka-dumbfoundead-family-struggles-music-and-beef?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Dianjiang, a small county tucked away in southwestern China’s Chongqing, was transformed into a bustling live music hub in April as fans flocked to a concert headlined by Mandopop stars, including Jeff Chang. Such scenes are no longer unusual. Once the preserve of megacities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, high-profile concerts are now breathing life into lesser-known venues. As China endeavours to make consumption its main growth driver and targets untapped markets, entertainment spending... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352052/chinas-live-music-boom-spreads-smaller-cities-consumption-drive-expands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352052/chinas-live-music-boom-spreads-smaller-cities-consumption-drive-expands?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 09:00:08 +0000