Cover Meet the emerging Hong Kong artists making their mark on the local music scene (Photo: (from left) Tyson Yoshi, MC Cheung, Jeannie Ng)

These are the rising homegrown talents poised to make waves in Hong Kong’s music scene in 2022—including Tyson Yoshi, Jeannie Ng, new girl group Collar and more

From releasing hit tracks to winning major awards at festivals and becoming new darlings of luxury brands, 2021 was undoubtedly Mirror’s biggest year in its career yet. The boy band has taken the city by storm and shows no signs of stopping—and thanks to their meteoric rise, last year it felt like the world of Canto-pop music had finally sprung back to life after years of stagnation, despite the cancellation of concerts and events.

But aside from Mirror’s phenomenal breakthrough, we’ve also seen a fresh batch of talented musicians entered the local music scene over the past few years, making their way to the top with exceptional vocals and charismatic performances.

With a whole new year ahead of us, we’ve curated a roundup of the top up-and-coming Hong Kong artists to keep on your radar in 2022. From solo artists to rappers and a new girl group, these are the blossoming Hong Kong artists who deserve a slot in your streaming queue. 

Read more: Introducing The Rising Hong Kong Boy Band: Mirror

1. Terence Lam

Starting out as an independent songwriter who has worked with some of the biggest names in the Canto-pop scene including Joey Yung, Eason Chan and Hins Cheung, Terence Lam was already a force to be reckoned with back in 2014 since joining the music scene.

After winning a major composer award at The Ultimate Song Chart Awards 2019, Lam officially launched his career as a singer with his stunning debut single Next (下一位前度) in the same year. Since then, the young talent has amassed millions of streams across different platforms and earned accolades at Hong Kong’s most prestigious music awards.

Key tracks: Next (下一位前度), Solitude (一人之境), Time Travel (時光倒流一句話)

Follow Terence Lam on Instagram and watch his music videos on YouTube

2. Tyson Yoshi

Tyson Yoshi had a whirlwind of a year in 2021 and he’s definitely on his way to make it big. Known for his powerful vocals and rap verses in both English and Mandarin, as well as talent in combining hip-hop and R&B melodies in his work, the singer-songwriter was shot to viral fame last year after taking part in a concert with Keung To and Jer Lau from Mirror, as well as Terence Lam.

Unafraid to speak his mind with candid, situational songwriting that floats through themes of love relationships, self-worth and personal growth, Tyson is indeed a welcome addition to the scene who deserves to be watched by a wider audience.

Key tracks: Christy, That Guy, I Don't Give A, Pt. 2

Follow Tyson Yoshi on Instagram and watch his music videos on YouTube 

Don't miss: Hong Kong Boy Band Mirror’s Biggest Moments of 2021

3. MC

Michael Cheung, who goes by his stage name MC, started his music venture at the young age of 24 when he was discovered by Warner Music Hong Kong after winning the first runner-up in ViuTV’s reality competition in 2019. While he made himself a household name following the release of his debut single Good Time in March last year—which is the kind of R&B track that gets better with each listen—the rising young star is just getting started. In the months following, his other songs had become instant hits and even won him the Best New Male Artist Gold Award at the 2021 Ultimate Song Chart Awards. 

With his unique voice and a portfolio of love songs that feature emotionally raw lyrics and soft vocals backed by sweet, melancholic R&B melodies, MC proves that he has all the potential to take over the music scene.

Key tracks: Good TimeOverruled (反對無效), Pillow Talk (記憶棉) 

Follow Michael Cheung on Instagram and watch his music videos on Youtube

4. Jeannie Ng (aka kayan9896)

Modelling, acting, singing—is there anything this young star can’t do? Just a year into her career, Jeannie Ng, who is better known by her stage name kayan9896, has already gained massive public attention after her first public appearance on the popular local YouTube channel Trial & Error in 2020.

With her good looks, down-to-earth personality, and soothing vocals, Jeannie’s success should come as no surprise to those who have been following her for a while—after all, she has become one of the most talked-about young female artists in Hong Kong after featuring on rap duo MC $oHo & KidNey’s Goodbye (係咁先啦) and releasing her debut single Be Around, which was written by herself. With an ever-growing fan base of 255k on Instagram, Jeannie is ready to take her career to new heights.

Key tracks: Goodbye (係咁先啦), Be Around 

Follow Jeannie Ng on Instagram and watch her debut music video on YouTube

5. MC $oHo & KidNey

There’s no other rap duo in the game right now who’s rising with the same pace as MC $oHo & KidNey. Quickly amassing fans with their knack for blending hip hop, trap with a touch of R&B-inspired beats, the duo—So Chi-ho and Hui Yin—have the attitude and cool stage presence of a veteran artist despite they were started out as content creators of YouTube channel Trial & Error, who only started their career in the music industry for one year.

Their songs are characterised by vibrant melodies featuring conversational, sarcastic, and almost comedic lyrics revolving around Hongkonger’s daily lives, which offer a refreshing twist on the traditional themes of love and lust we often see in music.

Key tracks: Goodbye (係咁先啦), 跌嘢唔好搵, Black Mirror

Follow MC $oHo & KidNey’s So Chi-ho and Hui Yin on Instagram and watch their music video on YouTube 

Don't miss: Introducing The Next Generation of Hong Kong Rappers: JB, Dough-Boy, Txmiyama and More

6. Gareth.T

Touted as one of the most talented Hong Kong singer-songwriters of his generation, Gareth.T already has quite the fanbase since he started releasing music in 2018, also counting the likes of Hins Cheung and Alfred Hui among admirers of his distinctive voice, and refreshing approach to producing music that masterfully blends R&B, hip-hop and alternative styles. For the unacquainted, the 22-year-old star is also the mastermind behind some of today’s most popular Canto-pop songs, including Keung To’s solo song Masterclass and Mirror’s Christmas single 12.

And if that’s not enough to convince you to give Gareth a listen, let us tempt you with his debut single, Boyfriend Material which now has 1.5 million views, and his collab with Tyson Yoshi, December.

Key tracks: Boyfriend Material, Honest, 勁浪漫 超溫馨

Follow Gareth.T on Instagram and watch his music videos on YouTube

Read more: Meet Gareth.T, Hong Kong’s Up-And-Coming Indie Pop Artist

7. Mike Tsang

Another outstanding solo act with an increasingly devoted fanbase—Mike Tsang has been hotly tipped as a rising star thanks to his deeply emotional tracks and a great voice that’s rich in soul. His talent was discovered by Universal Music Hong Kong in 2021 after participating in ViuTV’s reality competition series, who then made his debut with a beautifully written song I’m Not Good Enough (我不如) that features melancholy melodies and raw lyrics. He released the single in January last year, and immediately bagged the number one spot on the Commercial Radio Hong Kong’s 903 Ultimate Song Chart as well as at the other prestigious music awards. That’s not all, he also won the Best New Male Artist Bronze Award at the 2021 Ultimate Song Chart Awards. 

Since then, Mike has garnered millions of streams across YouTube and other music platforms, and has only continued to prove why he deserves all those titles. Passionate and talented, he doesn’t need gimmicks to captivate an audience; his vocals alone are enough to reel you in.

Key tracks: I'm Not Good Enough (我不如),  I'm Not Cupid (我不是邱比特)

Follow Mike Tsang on Instagram and watch his music videos on Youtube

8. Jace Chan

Jace Chan knew she always wanted to be on stage, who grew up learning dancing, singing and had a keen interest in performing and experimenting with fashion from a young age. She made a name for herself busking and singing cover songs before joining Universal Music Hong Kong in 2019. In the same year, she released a debut album Processing with three songs encompassing genres from R&B to pop music, which earned platinum sales in Hong Kong in 2021.

After the debut album, Jace dropped a new single (天生二品) in 2020. Featuring uplifting melodies with a theme of self-worth, the song quickly became a hit track and cemented Jace’s status as one of the hottest talents on the scene in Hong Kong. She recently released an infectious hip-hop song (收聲多謝) with strong beats and striking dance choreography that brought her natural charisma even more to the fore. Her versatility and prowess as a singer shine through on every track, and with new music on the way, the singer’s star power is only going to reach new heights this year.

Key tracks: 天生二品, 隔離, I Wish

Follow Jace Chan on Instagram and watch her music videos on YouTube 

9. Collar

Rounding up our list is Collar, a new girl group that was formed by ViuTV through King Maker IV—the fourth season of the reality show that gave birth to Mirror in the first series. Featuring winners and outstanding contestants of the show, the eight-member group comprises Marf Yau, Gao Shum, Day Hui, So Ching, Ivy So, Candy Wong, Sumling Li, and Winka Chan—each is a talent in her own right and possesses excellent singing and dancing skills.

The group made their much-awaited debut performance yesterday (January 12) with their first single Call My Name!—a pop dance song that showcases the versatility and charms of the members. Despite having just released one track so far, the girls are already causing a stir across the music industry with several eyes on them in anticipation of what they will deliver in 2022. The music video of their debut song will be released 8pm HKT on YouTube today (January 13)—stay tuned!

Follow Collar on Instagram

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