The Weeknd releases his Faye Wong-sampling love letter ‘Hong Kong’ — listen

The Weeknd releases his Faye Wong-sampling love letter ‘Hong Kong’ — listen

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The Weeknd has released his musical love letter to Hong Kong.

Arriving on 31 October, ‘Hong Kong (feat. 王菲季候風)’ builds on the original music and Cantonese vocals of Faye Wong’s 1993 Cantopop classic ‘季候風 (Monsoon)’. The release coincided with the conclusion of his four-night run at Kai Tak Stadium.

The Canadian singer first unveiled the song during his opening Hong Kong concert on 24 October, accompanied by visuals celebrating the city’s landmarks and everyday life. Victoria Harbour, Mong Kok’s neon signs, red taxis, and dim sum restaurants featured in the montage. 

The tribute draws on The Weeknd’s longstanding appreciation for Cantopop and the films of Wong Kar-wai. That connection extends to the single’s artwork, which features a photograph of Hong Kong from cinematographer Christopher Doyle’s personal collection. Doyle worked on Chungking Express, which starred Wong alongside Tony Leung.

The live debut also renewed interest in Wong’s original recording. According to Chinese media reports cited in the release, ‘Monsoon’ reached No. 1 on the rising charts of QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music, climbed to No. 3 on Apple Music China on 28 October, and entered the Top 10 on Spotify Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, The Weeknd’s Instagram clip of the performance passed 18 million views and more than one million likes, carrying the tribute beyond the stadium.

 
 
 
 
 
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‘Hong Kong’ arrives as the After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour approaches its final shows. Having expanded from 11 to 17 stadium dates, its first Asian leg will conclude with two nights at TM Stadium National in Kuala Lumpur on 4 and 5 November.