Cover Watch out Hong Kong! Marf from Canto-pop girl band Collar is officially performing with Coldplay at Kai Tak in 2025 (Photo: Instagram / @_marifemarife_)
Watch out Hong Kong! Marf from Canto-pop girl band Collar is officially performing with Coldplay at Kai Tak in 2025 (Photo: Instagram / @_marifemarife_)
1 / 1
From Collar’s Marf who will perform alongside Coldplay to DJ Baby Diwata, Tatler talks to some of the city’s female musicians about their exciting plans for 2025
In 2024, musicians—especially women—have been injecting new narratives into Hong Kong’s music industry.
With new releases, collaborations and more live concerts: they have actively helped diversify the music scene and have built strong bases to make 2025 a really exciting musical year. To kickstart the new year, Tatler has selected several talented female musicians, who we have a feeling will leave a mark on the Hong Kong music scene in the coming months. From DJ Baby Diwata continuing to create safe spaces for queer ravers with her new collective Panic Library to Marf from Canto-pop girl band Collar performing with Coldplay at Kai Tak stadium, these musicians should take pride of place on your playlists.
Reggie the Leaf
Genre: neo-soul, alternative R&B, indie
Reggie the Leaf is a project led by singer and performer Reggie Yip and supported by Arizton Pamplona on guitar, Akira Mimasu on drums and Aldous Yu on keyboard. Well-established as a live project, Reggie the Leaf will release their first EP this year. We catch up with Yip ahead of that.
What did 2024 mean to you?
2024 was a year of lots of change and, ultimately, immense growth. I’ll always remember it as the year that the project Reggie the Leaf took off. Amid all the trials of creative and personal evolution, there were moments of profound learning and joy that will remain tremendously important to me.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
I think the continuous amalgamations between different music genres and the emergence of subgenres have been incredibly exciting to witness. As someone who feels connected to various musical influences, it’s comforting to know that music still thrives through cross-culture and exploration.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
I will release a new single titled Things To Do soon, followed by an EP released in the spring of 2025. I think it will be a really fun body of work, and I’m looking forward to sharing what my incredible collaborators and I have been cooking.
What track by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
Tara Lily released an album in 2024 titled Speak in the Dark, which is super beautiful. There’s a track on it called 6 Feet Down featuring Theo Croker that I really like. I also love Cehryl’s 2024 album Willow Tree—check out the track Burn Blister. And a blast from the past that I love is 輕輕嘆 by Deanie Ip 葉德嫻, which I love to cover (which is interesting as the track itself is a cover of Sexy Eyes by Dr Hook).
$alty Chick
Genre: R’n’B, dream-pop
$alty Chick found fame in the Cantonese scene after her song 今晚好想好想打俾你 went viral on social media. Sex-positive, edgy and sometimes controversial, $alty Chick released a more tranquil album, named 使人生change雞湯, in November 2024.
What did 2024 mean to you?
In 2024, I released the album I’m the most proud of. I tried different genres including dream pop, electro-pop and rock. This album was very introspective, I tried to understand who I was as $alty Chick, and tried to be positive as well. I hope I’m showing a way of combating the cruelty of society with my music, instead of making a joke out of my trauma. Also, I performed at Clockenflap, which is insane. It’s been my dream since I was a kid.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
Brat Summer was super influential on me, as Charli XCX was the artist I played the most this year. We saw a comeback of concept albums. There’s been much more story-telling, and I’m all for it.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
I just shot a music video which I’m super excited to show you all. I also have a dream pop band in England and I’m excited to perform more with them.
What song/track by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
x w x by Yeule
You might also like: Ahead of Clockenflap 2024, Tatler talks to 7 Hong Kong acts performing at the festival
Baby Diwata
Genre: Deconstructed club, baile funk, hard dance music
Baby Diwata is a DJ, model and multi-disciplinary creative. She’s half of the project Panic Library, which she created with her partner Loveless. Both of them were founding members of the queer collective Möth Agency.
What did 2024 mean to you?
I took many risks in 2024. I left my full-time job at the end of 2023 with an itch to pursue my creative ventures. I started playing my first few DJ gigs under the name Baby Diwata in the summer of 2023, and things just started picking up from there. At the beginning of 2024, I had no idea what was ahead of me, but I had this willingness to create something for myself and to bring something new to the city. What better way to do that than through music?
In 2024, I made my appearance in Hong Kong’s beloved underground music scene. I played at industrial warehouses, clubs, mall raves and a ricefield, and somehow also landed myself a gig at M+ Museum. I travelled to Vietnam for my first gig abroad and flew home to the Philippines for my first homecoming performance. It felt surreal performing for the people in my hometown whom I grew up with and who had known a younger, shyer version of me. At the root of it, what drives me is a yearning to create a safe space for women. Now at the tail end of the year, I launched my latest project Panic Library, an art/rave project with that very goal.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
I’m a hyperpop girly at heart. I’ve been swimming in that genre since I was in college, around 2017, and it feels like the world is just catching up. More specifically, artists like Charli XCX were underrated for the longest time. Her albums practically raised me in my early adulthood—True Romance, Pop 2, Vroom Vroom EP. I was enveloped in the hyperpop world, we’re talking A.G. Cook, Sophie, Arca, Namasenda, Planet 1999, Meat Computer, Dorian Electra, Shygirl, 100 gecs and most recently Rosaliaaa.
When it comes to club music, I’m attracted to sounds that have a similar quality to hyperpop—abrasive, experimental, catchy and melancholic. When I first began DJing, I came across some insane baile funk remixes of hyperpop tracks, and since then, deconstructed club and baile funk have become staples in my hour-long DJ sets. I feel like these genres are the sound of the future. Hyperpop was pioneered by trans-artist Sophie, and much like the music, these artists challenge the norm we live in.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
I’m looking forward to developing my latest project Panic Library. It’s a rave/art project I created with my partner Loveless (who is also a bangin’ hardcore DJ). You can expect hard-hitting, experimental and deconstructed club sounds at our parties.
One of my goals for the project is to [give a] platform to the femme and queer talents in the city–including my many talented friends who deserve a platform to showcase their talent. Being a female and queer artist is a feat on its own. We have it twice as hard as the guys and I want to support other artists like me as much as possible. I want our parties and events to be a safe space for women and queer women. I also want people to know that everyone is welcome here, no matter who you are, and I only have one cardinal rule: no assh*les allowed.
What song/track by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
This is my body by Teya Logos
Chanka
Genre: atmospheric, electronic, drum and bass
2024 was already a busy year for Chanka: she released Human Heart, a deeply personal album where she showed her vulnerability like never before. Her introspection will continue in 2025, as she announces a new album, and more live shows to come.
What did 2024 mean to you?
It’s been a very challenging year. I spent a lot of time living and feeling my life as myself, and not as Chanka. But as a singer-songwriter, I know that I need to rest and treat myself properly to have inspiration for my musical alter-ego.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
The music industry is cyclical. I can relate to this cycle of music trends a lot. In the 1990s, we got hit by the city-pop culture, in the 2000s by some disco and EDM, in the 2010s we loved K-pop, and now I can sense that the cycle is starting to change to something different again. I’m such a hyperpop fan and look forward to participating in this movement.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
I am releasing my second album next autumn. It’s gonna be a new me. Wait for it!
What song by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
These days, I listen a lot to Jasmine Sokko, a sci-fi artist I hope to collaborate with someday!
Anna hisbbuR
Genre: indie-pop, experimental lo-fi, R’n’B
With It’s Ok, U’re only 17, Anna hisbbuR made sure to end 2024 on a good note. The Hong Kong singer, who has also launched her production team 404 Is Found, is set to have an exciting 2025 year.
What did 2024 mean to you?
2024 was a transitional year. I have always been known as a very independent artist, not only because I didn’t sign with any label and invested myself, but also because I write, arrange and produce my own music. I became even more “independent” in 2024 because I started to direct and edit my music videos. I’ve assembled my own production team which is challenging but it’s the best thing ever.
So, I would say 2024 was hard since I had to adapt to a new working environment and take charge of more things but all these changes have helped me evolve into a better version of myself.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
I find it crazy that I tend to listen to hyperpop while doing morning workouts in the park with a bunch of elderly. The mismatch of visuals and audio is very funny. Creatively, though I’m used to having all my music done in a very clean arrangement with little instrumentation and clean sound design, be it ballad, funk or R’n’B. I’m very impressed by the sound texture of hyperpop. It’s the sound of the future to me.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
I will focus more on collaboration. I’ll collaborate with international artists, not just Hong Kong-based creatives. Also, since I’ve started my multimedia visual project called Now I See You this year, I’ll continue to create more interesting visual content. Stay tuned!
What song/track by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
Pretty bitch by Sogumm
Marf
Genre: Canto-pop, pop, R’n’B
Many know her as a core member of the Canto-pop band Collar, but Marf is also making her name for herself. With many successful solo releases in 2024, such as 心好細 <3, she will take over Kai Tak in April 2025 to perform with Coldplay.
What did 2024 mean to you?
I think 2024 for me was about re-learning. Even though I have matured mentally and physically, I still think that experiencing everything with a new mindset has made me want to re-learn and keep learning. It’s been a year of debuting again—with my new movie, music collaborations and new artistic choices. 2024 has allowed me to dream about my future with these discoveries.
How did your favourite 2024 music trends impact you personally and creatively?
I think the rise of Dance Hall has impacted me deeply. I’ve always enjoyed this kind of music, which is full of passion and movement. I want to do this genre, but I think it’s not the right timing for me yet. I’ve been inspired by Tyla, who has popularised a whole genre just with her music. I’m also listening to a lot of musicals. These two types of music have strengthened me in 2024.
Tell us about the exciting projects you’re cooking for 2025.
Of course, guest artist for Coldplay in Hong Kong! This is something I haven’t processed yet. I’m so nervous that reality hasn’t set in yet. I know that it won’t affect me on stage because I’m so in love with performing. I’m also very happy that they decided to choose Hong Kong as part of their tour. I’ve been talking to my team about potentially some new music to prepare for this. Hopefully, it will be memorable for Hong Kong and Coldplay fans.
What track by another female Asian artist would you recommend our readers to listen to?
I would recommend Winka Chan’s 說好的未來. I was chatting with her recently about her process of writing this song and I was moved by her courage and emotions. Winka is willing to share her emotions and this song is so powerful because of that. This song will remind you that you have things worth fighting for.
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
