The Weeknd drops new single ‘Hong Kong’ sampling Faye Wong’s ‘Monsoon’
After debuting it at Kai Tak Stadium on October 24, the track is now on streaming platforms across East & Southeast Asia
The Weeknd has released his new track ‘Hong Kong’ on streaming platforms on October 31, available across East and Southeast Asia.
The song was first played on October 24, when he opened a four-night run at Kai Tak Stadium for more than 40,000 fans.
It’s also been reported that he’s written new tracks for other stops on his After Hours Til Dawn tour, namely Japan and Brazil, per The Straits Times.
He’s previously shown his interest in the city and its music. In late September, The Weeknd shared Faye Wong’s 1996 album ‘Fuzao’ on social media, and more than a week before opening night in Hong Kong, he had dinner with actor Tony Leung and actress Carina Lau.
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‘Hong Kong’ samples Wong’s 1993 Cantonese ballad ‘Monsoon (季候風)’ from the album ‘No Regrets’, keeping the original recording’s music and Cantonese vocals.
His Instagram video of the performance, posted on October 25, now has more than 1 million likes, and Wong’s original video saw a spike in views on YouTube.
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Hypebeast also reports chart gains for ‘Monsoon’, including No. 1 on the rising charts at QQ Music, No. 3 on Apple Music China and a place in the Top 10 on Spotify Hong Kong.
The photograph on the single’s artwork comes from the personal collection of cinematographer Christopher Doyle, best known for his work on Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express, which starred Faye Wong and Tony Leung.
Listen to ‘Hong Kong’ by The Weeknd below.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
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