Hong Kong’s biggest pop music festival will bring together the city’s hottest names in Canto-pop, including Mirror members and Janice Vidal
If Clockenflap, Tone Music Festival and Freespace Jazz Fest aren’t enough for music buffs, West Kowloon Cultural District has another coming up that celebrates pop music—and it’s looking like it will be a big bash.
Taking place at Freespace, Wonderland and M+ from March 22 to April 2, Popfest has more than 70 ticketed and free daily performances by the city’s hottest names planned, including Edan Lui, Ian Chan, Keung To and Anson Lo from Canto-pop boyband Mirror, Ivana Wong, Charmaine Fong, Janice Vidal, Yoyo Sham and Juno Mak.
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One of the highlights will be Canto-pop singer Vidal’s collaboration with pianist and composer Daniel Chu and vocalist Walter Kwan on I Am What I Am—A Tribute to Leslie Cheung. The performance marks the 20th anniversary of Cheung’s passing, who was one of Hong Kong’s most legendary singers and a queer icon, through a multimedia tribute blending music and memories. Vidal says she expects to sing three solos and two duets with Kwan. The two, along with Chu, are known to be close friends and Vidal says the concert feels like a “family affair” to her.
“I’ve been researching more about Leslie Cheung for this performance and I admire him even more now. We’re going to give a freshness to the show”, she says. “I hope that people will [continue to] remember him through his songs.” The singer added that she is going to perform a few of her favourites from Cheung’s repertoire—but fans will have to find out which ones at the show.