Research on Post-1997 Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics - Revised Edition I & II | Hong Kong & Macau Exclusive

Authors: Chu Yiu-wai, Leung Wai-sze Publisher: Bright Light Publishing Size: 150mm x 210mm Pages: 296+280 pages ISBN: 978-988-8820-08-5 Publication Date: July 2022 [Synopsis] This book is a revised edition of "Research on Post-1997 Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics," a sequel to "Research on Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics: Mid-1970s to Mid-1990s." It includes a new "Postscript to the Reprint" by Professor Chu Yiu-wai, which briefly discusses the evolution of Hong Kong Cantonese pop music from 2015 to the present. He notes, "In the past two years, the Hong Kong music scene has shown renewed vitality and resonance, with the rise of Mirror and a new generation of artists, suggesting that a turnaround is finally happening. Whether Cantonese pop music can regain its peak in Asia remains to be seen." However, Professor Chu also points out, "In terms of lyrics alone, while many new talents have emerged in the past decade, it's debatable whether this can be called a 'dynastic change' like in the pop music scene." Nevertheless, the author "has always believed that looking back at the glorious era of Cantonese pop songs is not mere nostalgic reminiscing, nor should today's lyrics be measured by yesterday's standards. Instead, it's about aspiring to different possibilities. Rather than clinging to the past and demanding that existing models replicate old glories (which would truly be nostalgia?), why not look to the future and usher in a new order with boundless imagination." This book follows the research framework established in "Research on Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics: Mid-1970s to Mid-1990s," further tracing the trajectory of changes in "Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics" before and after 1997. It posits 1997 as a watershed moment for the transformation of Hong Kong pop lyrics—reviewing the subsequent developments and stylistic shifts of "veteran lyricists" (those who debuted before 1997). Simultaneously, it examines the emergence and stylistic trends of "post-1997 lyricists" (those who debuted in or after 1997), aiming to provide a comprehensive analysis of the landscape and dynamics of the Hong Kong pop lyric scene from 1997 to the present. In his preface to the 2015 edition, Professor Chu stated, "This generation of Hong Kong pop lyricists tells us that as long as there is unwavering dedication, like them carrying a torch for ten years and then another ten, the horizon will eventually move for us... The sentiment and stance of carrying a torch, the belief that persistence will lead to a response, speaks of inheritance. We understand." [About the Authors] Chu Yiu-wai Professor at the School of Chinese, The University of Hong Kong, and Director of the Hong Kong Studies Programme. His research interests include Hong Kong culture, globalization, and postcolonial discourse. He has authored over thirty books, with recent works including *Lost in Transition: Hong Kong Culture in the Age of China*, *Hong Kong Studies as Method* (editor), *Hong Kong Culture and Society in the New Millennium: Hong Kong as Method* (editor), *Hong Kong Cantopop: A Concise History*, *Found in Transition: Hong Kong Studies in the Age of China*, *Keywords of Hong Kong: Imagining a New Future* (editor), *The (Post)Youthful Years of Hong Kong Pop Culture*, and *Main Melody Films: Hong Kong Directors in Mainland China*. Leung Wai-sze Cultural critic and theatre critic. She has taught at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts School of Drama and the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing at Hong Kong Baptist University. She has published over 500 critical articles covering Hong Kong pop culture, Hong Kong theatre, visual arts, and new media projects. In 2015, she received the "Hong Kong Arts Development Council – Asian Cultural Council Fellowship" to study alternative performance art spaces in New York. In 2019, she was funded by the second edition of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council's "Overseas Attachment Programme for Arts Administrators" to visit the Theatertreffen in Berlin, Festival d'Avignon, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to observe the concepts and operations of international arts festivals. Her publications include *Fiery Red and Theatrical Art: An Initial Exploration of the HKUSU Drama Festival* (2011), *Research on Post-1997 Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics* (co-authored with Chu Yiu-wai, 2011), *Lyric Arena: Discourse on Post-1997 Hong Kong Pop Lyrics* (2016), and *The Humanistic Landscape of Wyman Wong* (2021).