Eurovision 2014 Final Review

Ok, I'm going to cut to the chase and just give my overall thoughts on my favourites, the show and the results.

I sadly missed Ukraine but based on her semifinal performance I would say she'd probably make my Top 10 because of the classic Eurovision-esque vibes I get from it, despite wavy vocals.

Azerbaijan yet again was a major disappointment. I wanted to like it but it just lacks the oomph. Norway nearly landed into this category as well if not for the much stronger song and good staging.

Romania was classic all out Eurovision and I'm always up for some Paula Seling!

Poland's act was definitely worth a "look".

Conchita is an ok winner, I'm not a huge fan of the song but I think her win has more of a point to prove rather than being a winner based solely on music, since there were no frontrunners.

Sweden further made an impact on me, it's rather catchy.

I really wanted to like Germany and Italy more but P!nk lookalike/soundalike just didn't have a good enough song whilst Italy's MV had much more impact.

Whilst I liked Spain I was still waiting for that big impact which I didn't quite get.

Netherlands was definitely my favourite of the night. I'm so happy they did so well having been shunned early on.

Very disappointed for Molly (UK). Her performance was decent, I was expected a bigger vocal impact, but overall it was a solid performance that deserved to be in the Top 10.

My Top 10 prediction after performances were (not in order)

Austria - Expected it to do ok but not that well

Netherlands - Knew that their sudden surge would propel them

Sweden - She was my safe bet to win

Hungary - Whilst I'm still not convinced I knew it would do well

Ukraine - It has the Eurovision glamour to do well

Norway - A soft man-ballad would have to do well

Denmark - It's catchy and a Scandinavian choice so should do well

Spain - Power diva had to make it after a decent performance

United Kingdom - With betting and a decent song I thought it would at least make Top 10

Greece - Greece always do well and it was distinctive so I thought it would do ok.

Other predictions;

Armenia - Thought it would disappoint because of its early billing as the favourite

Romania - Wanted them to do well but had a feeling they would just miss the Top 10

Azerbaijan - Would probably get their worst placement since their inception

So besides the disappointing result for the UK and rather unexpectedly low placement of Greece I did quite well!

The final ranking was rather interesting. At the middle stages it became apparent that there were 5 that stood out being Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, Armenia and Hungary and towards the final stages the Top 3 and finally Austria had pulled away. It's interesting that only 6 countries passed 100 points which seems rather low.

Ukraine came a solid 6th after a tussle with Russia. In general I'm quite happy with the Top 12.

My personal Top 10 would be (in order)

1. Netherlands

2. Sweden

3. Romania

4. UK - Patriotism, but still decent anyway

5. Spain

6. Denmark

7. Norway

8. Ukraine

9. Finland

10. Austria

5 Others

Armenia

Hungary

Greece

Italy

Azerbaijan

And on a side note. Semifinal 1 was won by Netherlands, which is rather interesting with such a strong semifinal with Sweden, HUngary and Armenia in the list. Portugal just missed the Top 10 by 1 point. Estonia also missed out slightly and came 12th.

In Semifinal 2 Austria won by a landslide. Romania came a solid 2nd and then the others were rather spread. There's also a huge part of potential procrastination with the split votes and the individual votes from each country but I'll not go into that for the sake of my own sanity.

Anyway final words, congratulations to Conchita Wurst. It was definitely an interesting Eurovision. See you guys in Vienna next year!

Eurovision 2014 Semifinal 2 Review

I missed most of this semifinal so I had to rewatch it today on youtube so the performance might not have made as much impact. Here are my thoughts on it.

MALTA

Firelight - Coming Home

I know it's quite a toned down track but I really think they could have made more use of the stage since it's so good. It's an ok, watered down Mumford and Sons esque, track but doesn't really stand out.

7.25/10

ISRAEL

Mei Finegold - Same Heart

The staging was quite nice and I thought this would attract the diehard Eurovision voters but I guess the somewhat lackluster performance sealed the deal for this.

7/10

NORWAY

Carl Espen - Silent Storm

I loved how he got the audience to hold the lights, it was a beautiful staging. However realistically I was kind of disappointed with this. This was possibly my pre semi-final favourite but Carl doesn't have a strong enough vocal to really bring this song to life because it is a very low key song. Saying that, I still like the performance and I hope it does well.

8/10

GEORGIA

The Shin and Mariko - Three Minutes To Earth

This is just sadly really messed up. It sounds like so many songs being merged into one another. Unfortunately sounds really amateurish.

5/10

Poland

Donatan & Cleo - My Słowianie - We Are Slavic

This sounded slightly crazy to be honest but the craziness worked for it. It's one of those Eurovision moments that only works at Eurovision. I'm sure the suggestive Slavic girls scored it many votes as well.

7.25/10

AUSTRIA

Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix

Personally I'm not too keen on Conchita's voice but she does a decent job of the song which sounds a bit Bond-wannabe. It just feels a bit too old school for me and never really has any moment despite all the grand gestures.

7.25/10

LITHUANIA

Vilija Matačiūnaitė - Attention

This is as messy as I remembered it to be. It's not as messy as Georgia but just doesn't work and doesn't have any hook to it.

5.75/10

Finland

Softengine - Something Better

This is a nice rock pop song but the lead singer could be stronger in all honesty, he is too shaky on some of the high notes. But it's a decent track. If the falsetto was on track this would have scored higher for me but sadly those notes just stuck out like a sore thumb.

7.5/10

IRELAND

Can-Linn feat. Kasey Smith - Heartbeat

As I said before this is a bit too generic to make enough of an impact though the performance was better than I expected and realistically should have gone through over Belarus.

7/10

BELARUS

Teo - Cheesecake

There's an obvious hook that people could buy into but this just doesn't work for me, it just feels to me like Eurovision in the early 00s. And also the tune sounds very very familiar, or maybe it's just too simple that it can literally be overlaid onto any other song.

5.75/10

MACEDONIA

Tijana - To the Sky

This is another rather bland performance that is just too low key and doesn't bring much to the table. It doesn't leave any lasting impression sadly. 

6.25/10

SWITZERLAND

Sebalter - Hunter of Stars

The whistling in this track makes you remember it and the flair keeps it in your mind but in all honesty it's a rather bland track with a lot of stage tricks.

6.75/10

GREECE

Freaky Fortune ft. RiskyKidd - Rise Up

This is ok, it will obviously get its voters especially since it's Greece, they always do well. But I would have liked to hear a bit more Greek flair in it rather than a rather generic pop/rap track.

7/10

SLOVENIA

Tinkara Kovac - Round and round

The song doesn't stand out at all and there are parts which don't work that well but it's a solid track but will probably be forgotten in the finals.

7/10

ROMANIA

Paula Seling & OVI - Miracle

I love the circular piano! Whilst this doesn't pack as much punch as their previous attempt it's still a decent track that easily beat all their opponents in this semifinal and is a good closer to the semifinals

8.5/10

Not really any shocks to be honest, I would probably not have predicted Malta to go through and instead predicted Ireland or Israel. I think Israel's early running cost it as I think it was between her, Ireland and Slovenia for that spot.

So after semifinal 2 this is my updated list

FAVOURITES: Netherlands, Sweden, Romania

Waiting to hear more: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Norway, Finland

In it for the ride: Russia, Montenegro, Iceland, Malta, Austria, Poland, Greece, Switzerland

Toilet Break: San Marino, Belarus

From the remaining 6 I'm excited for Denmark, Italy, UK to some extent Spain, I'm hoping she'll blow me away and remove my doubts with her live performance.

Just a quick analysis of the running order:

Ukraine starts the show, is it a blessing or a curse?

Belarus and Iceland will probably be forgotten due to their early running order

Will Azerbaijan make it into the Top 10? It isn't garnering much favour from the sounds of it.

Sweden is just before the break, will it be a good end to Part 1?

Netherlands are in prime position at 24th, will it really manage to rise up the ranks?

The UK close the show, this could be interesting!

I think on the finals watch out for Sweden, Netherlands, UK to possibly take it all.

Ukraine and Greece will probably do well.

Austria will get a respectable placement.

Montenegro will probably do better than I expected.

Armenia and Azerbaijan might fall from grace

It's interesting that Austria is now second for the bookies and Armenia has been pushed to 4th. Good job Molly for staying in the Top 5.

See you tomorrow!

Eurovision 2014 Semifinal 1 Review

Sorry, my posts this year on Eurovision will be brief as I'm currently working on my final project for my undergraduate degree. But here goes anyway.

Having spent two hours watching the first semifinals, my heart dropped. Supposedly the stronger of the two semi-finals I failed to find many songs that I could truly cheer for. Here's a short review on each song. On a side note I love the stage.

ARMENIA

I have no problem with Armenia, it's a decent song. But I call into question when it's being billed as the favourite. There really isn't much in this for it to be labelled as the favourite and it seems like the bookies have caught onto this as Sweden have now overtaken it to the top.

I liked the staging and it's a solid performance but it lacks the "hook" which arguably Sweden had. I'm comparing them as their style of performance and song are actually quite similar.

7.75/10

LATVIA

Aarzemnieki - Cake to Bake

Eurovision has been taking on a more serious tone for the past few years so a song like this just doesn't draw sympathy votes as much as it once did. It's a simple track which might have benefited from the absurd lyrics but next to the more serious contenders it feels like too much of a joke.

P.S. I absolutely hate the shaggy haired singer who sings "A piece of cake".

5.75/10

ESTONIA

Tanja - Amazing

I came to like this performance on the night because of its eurodance sound, uplifting beat and the simple staging. I was impressed that the lead singer sang and danced quite well (though it did effect her vocals slightly).

I was disappointed that it failed to make the finals. I thought they did a decent job but I expect the early, slightly low key, performance might have lost it some votes.

8.25/10

SWEDEN

Sanna Nielsen - Undo

In such a short span of time we have already seen the two favourites but don't you think they are awfully similar? However I prefer Sweden as it's more catchy though I feel the vocals are a bit rough, but by the finals I might have had sufficient listens to this to be truly captured. The staging was also quite nice, actually I liked the staging for quite a few performances tonight. I can see this winning, sending Eurovision back to Sweden again.

8.5/10

ICELAND

Pollapönk - No Prejudice

I wouldn't call myself a fan but there is something in this craziness to like and it was a dark horse for me to make it to the finals. If you remove the gimmicks from this track there are some solid moments and I guess it is this that managed to see them through to the finals. 

6.5/10

ALBANIA

Hersi - One Night's Anger

Sadly for me this was one of the weakest of the night. The song didn't capture my attention and the vocals were off, on top of that the singer made some very odd expressions throughout the performance.

5.5/10

RUSSIA

Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine

I'm not keen on the Russian entry and its gimmicks. It's also rather "low-key" for a Russian entry. However they did ok and deserved to make the finals, it's a shame that the audience felt the need to boo them when they made it through.

7/10

AZERBAIJAN

Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire

I was slightly disappointed as the singer didn't have enough power in her vocals to truly deliver this moving ballad to its true potential. However I still love the track, the staging was quite strong and, on a side note, she looked beautiful. Though Dilara might find it hard to maintain Azerbaijan's stellar track record.

8/10

UKRAINE

Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock

I'm not a huge fan of this though I can definitely see it doing well with its Eurovisionness! The hamster wheel definitely added much needed drama and slightly diverts the attention away from her somewhat wavering vocals. Either way it deserved its placement.

7.5/10

BELGIUM

Axel Hirsoux - Mother

I'm sorry to say but I never saw the love for this and correctly predicted that it would be one of the supposedly safer bets not to make the cut. He has a good voice but that's just not enough when the song is bland and he never really truly shows his potential in this track.

5.75/10

MOLDOVA

Cristina Scarlat - Wild Soul

I can't really conjure up any musical recognition for Moldova besides the rather odd staging. All I remember was it being rather messy with the random pulling of hair.

5.25/10

SAN MARINO

Valentina Monetta - Maybe

Whilst I congratulate her for making the finals, finally, I wouldn't say this left a lasting impression. I preferred her track last year over this.

6/10

PORTUGAL

Suzy - Quero Ser Tua

I knew this had very little chance of making it through but I enjoyed the change of pace and the performance was more entertaining than some others. Either way I hope Portugal continue to send acts to Eurovision as they sometimes come up with some beautiful songstresses.

7.5/10

NETHERLANDS

The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm

My favourite of the night, it might be slightly low key and country but it's a beautifully simple track with good vocals and beautiful staging. What more can you ask for? I'm glad the bookies are finally seeing its true worth as it has slowly climbed the odds. However I hope it manages to maintain its charm for the finals as many of these types of tracks get lost within the big performances.

9/10

MONTENEGRO

Sergej Cetkovic - Moj Svijet

I was somewhat distracted from this performance. It never really captured me though his vocals were good enough and I guess there weren't any major quips from me that it made the finals.

7/10

HUNGARY

Andras Kallay-Saunders - Running

Andras was surprisingly not as strong vocally as I expected, especially towards the end. It's an ok track though a bit overhyped I think. There are some catchy bits to it though and it deserves a spot in the Top 10.

7.5/10

Overall a rather predictable Top 10 though I was disappointed that Estonia didn't make it.

Besides San Marino I predicted that the other 9 would make the finals.

For tonight this is what I found out!

FAVOURITES - Netherlands, Sweden

Waiting to hear more - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary

In it for the ride - Russia, Montenegro, Iceland 

Toilet Break - San Marino

I won't be able to watch the 2nd semifinals live so there'll probably be a delay with my post on Thursday.

My top 2 there are Norway and Romania.

See you on Thursday

Hong Kong Music: Best of 2013

Another year and another round of music awards. I have to admit there has not been a standout song for me this year but there have been many on my radar. Yet again sorry for the mega late posting of this.

For these posts in the past couple of years click on 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Best Music Video

I admit I haven't watched every single MV but these were the ones that made an impression.

BONUS
Sugar Club - 世界也能夠感受
I'm just impressed they made a whole cartoon for this! It's quite cute.




5
Alfred Hui - 時光
There have been a few videos like this in 2013 but none can beat one featuring Law Lan! There is a simple beauty with videos like this even if they might not offer much new.

4

Fiona Sit - 周末畫報
Fiona's MVs are well produced and the colours in this one just pop added with Fiona's usual sass and style. It's a visual treat.




3

Charmaine Fong - TMD
I think the MV matches the song very well, it's random and quirky. I love it!

2

Wilfred Lau - 我信的故事
I'm a sucker for heartwarming old couple MVs. If you are not, you might find this a bit boring or you just don't have a heart! I'm just kidding.

1

Ivana Wong - 皇后餐廳
I love the cinematic atmosphere, it fits perfectly with the song. Actually a lot of Ivana's MVs this year have a similar quality which I love.

15 Artistes to Watch out for in 2014

Each of the artistes below have given me reason to believe they could really shine in 2014.

Sherman Chung

After years of toiling since 給自己的信 Sherman released Everlasting. It didn't make an impact on the charts but it reminded everyone of Sherman's distinctive vocals. If there's anyone I want to see make it big it's Sherman.


Mag Lam

Mag's career hit a roadblock earlier this year when she lost her voice and negative news was abundant. With a new year means new beginnings, Mag being one of the stars of her generation it seems difficult not to watch out for her 2014.


Shiga Lin

Shiga is a youtube sensation. She has millions of views with her youtube videos, more than any other HK artiste I can think of. She does her genre well and for the foreseeable future she should be able to capitalise on this success.


Pong Nan

I have never been a Pong Nan fan but this year things changed a bit. He released some interesting tracks such as 你倫敦‧我紐約 and 離開拉斯維加斯 as well as writing interesting lyrics for Sammi, Kary and Alfred.


Vincy Chan

 













With Vincy working with 人山人海 her sound is really expanding. She now has a distinctive niche to her music that was not evident since her debut. If EEG can give her more promotions Vincy might start to get back into the limelight.


Gin Lee

If there is one singer who should make it big it's Gin. She has a beautiful voice that, in my opinion, has yet to be fully realised in a track. 2012 was Gin's best year since her debut, 2013 was good but didn't manage to capitalise on that. Hopefully 2014 will be her breakthrough.


Hubert Wu

I really think Hubert has potential. His voice hasn't fully developed yet but he has a very workable sound in my opinion. Give him a few more years and he should grow into his voice.


Kelvin Kwan

Kelvin is really growing as an artiste, he just needs one breakout song to put him back into centre of attention. In my opinion he hasn't found the same success in his music as he did just when he came back.


Justin Lo

It looks like Justin is poised to take back what he left behind but this time with a bit more swagger and a bit more fun. He easily has one of the best Cantopop voices so lets celebrate it.


Siufay

His voice is slowly being recognised. I remember when he debuted his swooning voice and falsetto already caught my attention but it's only recently that Siufay seems to be getting the recognition he deserves.


Stephanie Cheng

She released potentially her most successful track this year and a few other commendable hits. If she can capitalise on this success we might have another Fiona on our hands.


Alex Fung

His tracks have been polarising but he adds some interesting variations to the Hong Kong music scene.


JW

I have long been a detractor of JW but this year she turned things around. She is slowly finding her own sound, stepping out of Janice's shadow. If Leon give his artistes a bit more freedom and promotion JW could come into her own soon.


Joyce Cheng

Joyce seems to always be forgotten but she has carved out her own path as a somewhat retro sounding Cantopop artiste. She does what she does well.


Lesley Chiang

Breaking out with Wingman, Lesley is proving that she is more than just a flash in the pan.

Best Newcomer

I no longer understand what defines a newcomer in HK awards standards so I'm going to keep it to what I always thought and limit it to those who have released an album unless they have been nominated or awarded a newcomer award by one of the four stations. On my count there are 25 artistes up for this and whilst there aren't that many breakout stars there are many decent contenders for a Top 10 spot. Before I disclose my Final 10 here are a few that just missed the cut.

Mason Ma, Lori Chow, Corinna Chamberlain

PS. There's no mention of Ivan Lee, Fred Cheung or Sammy Sum because I don't think they are 2013 newcomers, despite each being awarded this year I believe. MastaMic I think released something in 2011 and Lesley I'm sure has released something before.

10

Regen Cheung

I don't know how legitimate it is to call Regen a 2013 newcomer but I guess this is the year she went solo. She obviously has a musical style which she wants to develop and I'm happy to hear more from her in the future years, she provides some very easy to listen to tracks.

Recommended Songs: 莞爾, Get Back

9

BOX

I want to give

I want to give BOX a chance. They haven't done much this year but Hong Kong is missing a good male group. However from buzz and performance it looks like BOX might be quite a short lived group.

Recommended Songs: 大笨鐘

8

Lilian Wong

OLilian was one of the many newcomers this year but she managed to make a stronger impact than many others. She has a beautiful voice and shows her musical talent but I just need to hear a bit more from her.

Recommended Songs: 牆外之音, Cause My Music Comes Along

7

Cliff Chan

Cliff didn't get much exposure this year besides a brief appearance on TVB's Jade Solid Gold Chart but his track is quite interesting. Would like to hear more from him.

Recommended Songs: You Are the Only One


6
Carlson Cheng

I still don't know where Carlson sits in Cantopop, he didn't chart at all and is considered a foreign import? So I really don't know how to place him. But with a few interesting tracks in the bag Carlson sits comfortably as the Best Male Newcomer of 2013.

Recommended Songs: 天亮之前我愛你


5

Shandy Gan 

Shandy could have easily climbed higher on this list with her lovely bossa nova vibe if only she was a bit more prolific. It's difficult to push her much higher having only heard one song from her but I love it! Lets get more Shandy!

Recommended Songs: I Remember The


4

Vivian Chan

In all honesty I never expected to like Vivian Chan's music and I was honestly quite shocked when out of some of the Voice alumni she managed to get a contract and release an album but her music actually works and she has found her own sound. I congratulate her on successfully transitioning from a music competition wannabe to a fully fledged artiste.

Recommended Songs: 自救


3
Fabel

They are effortlessly cool, they have a very interesting, alternative sound in which is missing in mainstream Hong Kong music. I wish them more success in the future as their progression could be amazing.

Recommended Songs: 鹽花, 風吹草動


2

AGA

It has been a tough battle between AGA and the newcomer just above her with AGA really only making her mark on me in 2014. However the coming months, years will be interesting. She has spent a long time in training and is obviously multi-talented so I'm expecting great things to come.

Recommended Songs: 問好, 一釐米


1
J.Arie

J.Arie was the newcomer to look forward to, she was everywhere when I was back in Hong Kong and deservedly so. She successfully continues the lineage of strong female newcomers Shiga, Mag, Sita and now her, that's quite a group to be associated with. Lets see how her career pans out because she definitely has something new to bring to the table

Recommended Songs: 第一志願, 我就是主角, 每一次都是你

Best Group/Band

5

Kolor

Kolor sneaked into my Top 5 over some other established bands in the Hong Kong scene because of a more standout track. This years' Top 5 is going to look interesting!

Recommended Songs: 雲圖


4
goldEN

goldEN are really under appreciated, they have the sound which could make very simple tracks work. They just need more publicity, support and music!

Recommended Songs: 戀循環



3
C Allstar

C Allstar continue to deliver decent songs and many that have captured the heart of diehard Cantopop fans. However if I'm to be honest I'm still waiting for the track which I really fall in love with for them.

Recommended Songs: 薄情歌, 大同


2

KillerSoap


I only recently discovered KillerSoap and already they make it so high on my list (this is however a combination of a rather weaker year for bands/groups in 2013). I find their sound quite distinct in the Cantopop market which has really helped them carve their own identity within a quickly saturating scene.

Recommended Songs: 愛上晨光的禍, 不知不覺


1

Supper Moment

From making my newcomers list before Supper Moment has really blossomed and now can call themselves the Top Band of 2013 (for me of course). Two of their tracks have really left an impact on me this year and really show the ability of Supper Moment to make it big.

Recommended Songs: 無盡, 世界變了樣

Best Female

5
Ella Koon

After many years of hard graft it seems like Ella's pain is paying off. She finally enters my Top 5 with a number of well received tracks. She is on the rise, she just needs to find a truly successful style and not sit too comfortably on what has proven to work for others.

Recommended Songs: 你都不懂, 乾脆俐落, 謝謝你離開


4

Ivana Wong


Ivana had a relatively quiet year, choosing to focus on rearranging older songs and her bubbling TV/Film career. However she is fully aware of the music she wants to produce and this year was no exception. Every track she comes out with has equal amounts of Ivana's own style and substance.

Recommended Songs:皇后餐廳, 哥歌, 如果這是情


3
GEM

With G.E.M.'s innate ability it was only a matter of time when she makes it big. Whilst this year has been relatively quiet for her it has really been a beautiful year full of diversity in her music. She is still young and very much developing her vocals. If there is any young singer that can really change the face of Cantopop, it is her.

Recommended Songs: 你把我灌醉, 下一秒 (我們就要死掉), 偶爾, 潛意式的殘酷


2
Fiona Sit

Fiona is very much becoming the girl to take it, for the past year or two she has carved out a niche for herself and really managed to challenge the concrete Kings and Queens of Cantopop. This year she furthers her campaign and is within touching distance, bring on 2014.

Recommended Songs: 周末畫報, 告別我, 小小癡纏


1

Joey Yung

Joey still sits comfortably on top of her Cantopop throne because she simply provides the most versatility whilst not withholding on quality. There will be a day when Joey needs to step down but Joey is still very much at the peak of her career.

Recommended Songs: 另眼相看, 天窗, 小日子, 我杯茶

Best Male

5
Khalil Fong

Despite being virtually absent for most of the year Khalil's tracks have still managed to find a presence this year which has maintained his spot in this "prestigious" list. Khalil please come back in full force next year.

Recommended Songs: 關於愛的定義, I Want You Back


4
Jason Chan

Jason really came back with a bang for me this year. He has been toiling around for the last few years without much success and weighed down by a rather unsupportive label but this year he really surprised me with the tracks he released. I just hope the year ahead will be equally as successful and he finally finds back his feet and challenges the status quo.

Recommended Songs: 身邊人, Baby Don't Cry


3
Eason Chan

Eason is third this year because simply put there hasn't been a "hit song" for me. Eason has continued to churn out decent tracks but some of his choices this year have just not worked. Mind you there are still some beautiful Eason songs this year, it's just that he's not No.1 as shocking as that might be to some.

Recommended Songs: 床頭床尾, 同舟之情, Let it Out


2
Alfred Hui

Since being on the Voice Alfred has really been on a high ever since, he's one of the fastest growing singers out there and in such a short career has already made it further than many would have in double or even triple the time. So it seems apt that Alfred is at this spot, a real whirlwind to the top.

Recommended Songs: 青春頌, 魂遊太虛, 時光


1

Pakho Chau

Pakho has done it, it has been a long time coming and I don't think I ever expected this model-turned-singer to ever really capture my No.1 spot but this year Pakho has shown his versatility and ability to dominate in every facet and truly become an artiste who I would listen to.

Recommended Songs: 我的宣言, Imperfect, 摔角

Best Song

20

難為自己 - Janice Vidal
Lyricist - Lin Xi
Composer - Bryan Yeung
Arranger - Bryan Yeung
Producer - Mark Lui

It was a tough one between 難為自己 and You Go I Go but 難為自己 tipped it because it was more "listenable". You Go I Go made Janice somewhat relevant again but in 難為自己 Janice does what she does best without sounding like she's done it all before. Is Janice finally making her move back into the spotlight?

Recommended Songs - You Go I Go


19

紙牌屋 - Hacken Lee
Lyricist - Wyman Wong
Composer - Eric Kwok
Arranger - Isaac Chong
Producer - Eric Kwok

I rarely like Hacken songs but for some reason 紙牌屋 stood out. Hacken said he wanted to produce a catchy song this year and here it is! I think it has a lot to do with the Wyman/Eric duo why I like this song so much. It's classic Cantopop.

18

白光 (live) - Ellen Loo
Lyricist - Lin Xi (Original)
Composer - Kay Huang (Original)

Recommended Songs - 囂張, 圓滑

Ellen performs 白光, a Candy Lo song, with so much emotion and delicacy it's a beautiful performance.



17

最好的時刻 - Kay Tse
Lyricist - Adrian Chow
Composer - Cousin Fung@goldEN
Arranger - Cousin Fung@goldEN
Producer - Adrian Chow

Kay holds on to her line of Top 20 songs, just, with 最好的時刻. There's something about it that reminds me of her pre 囍帖街 years when she started to become generic.

Recommended Songs - 兩雙, I Have A Dream

16

I Want You Back - Khalil Fong
Lyricist - C君
Composer - Khalil Fong

Khalil, I Want You Back. You were simply too quiet this year. But I Want You Back gave me at least enough Khalil cool to go around for the year. As usual it brings Khalil's soul and jazz vibes to the best light whilst still being a catchy pop track.

Recommended Songs - 關於愛的定義

15

好得很 - Keeva Mak
Lyricist - Lin Xi
Composer - Christopher Chak
Arranger - Gary Tong
Producer - Alvin Leong

Keeva was floating around the music scene for what seems like years until she suddenly released this! I was not expecting it at all. 好得很 is a simple Cantopop track but it works well for it.

Recommended Songs - 病入膏肓

14

乾脆俐落 - Ella Koon
Lyricist - Riley Lam
Composer - AGA@Public Zoo
Arranger - Larry Wong@Public Zoo
Producer - Schumann

Ella's move to Warner has really helped her promote her music more. Whilst 乾脆俐落 might not be her most successful track this year it really shows Ella's voice well and how she can really bring emotion into any track.

Recommended Songs - 病入膏肓, 謝謝你離開

13

偶爾 - G.E.M.
Lyricist - G.E.M.
Composer - G.E.M.
Arranger - G.E.M.
Producer - Lupo Groinig

G.E.M.'s performance of this song is beautiful, I especially love that it's very stripped down and just about her and her piano. There's a delicate yet powerful tone in this track, something which truly shows how talented G.E.M. can really be. I hope the year ahead G.E.M. can continue to develop along these lines showing a more acoustic sensibility.

Recommended Songs - 你把我灌醉, 下一秒 (我們就要死掉), 潛意式的殘酷

12

錯過 - Charlene Choi 
Lyricist - C君 @the island
Composer - Terry Ho@the island
Arranger - Randy Chow@the island
Producer - Randy Chow@the island, Terry Ho@the island

Charlene had a quiet year but 錯過 really stayed in my memory from the beginning of the year to the end. The chorus is very catchy and this should be enough for people to finally realise that Charlene is very much a singer in her own right.

11

不知不覺 - KillerSoap
Lyricist - KillerSoap
Composer - KillerSoap
Arranger - KillerSoap
Producer - Anton Wong/KillerSoap

This is the song which brought me into KillerSoap's music so it just seems apt that this is what represents their inclusion into the Top 20. It is a soulful rock track that really displays KillerSoap's range and versatility. As KillerSoap starts to get slightly more mainstream lets hope they continue their distinct bandsound.

Recommended Songs - 愛上晨光的禍


10

炊煙 - Jinny Ng
Lyricist - Claudia Tsang
Composer - Claudia Tsang
Arranger - Joseph Wei
Producer - Herman Ho, Joseph Wei

Very few might expect this but Jinny Ng really did "blow up" for me with this track. For me, for some reason, all of Jinny's flaws just seem to work and especially so in this track. The haunting chorus and quirks that have followed her since her debut have really defined this track and left me wanting more since the start of the year.


9

今夜煙花燦爛 - Kary Ng
Lyricist - Pong Nan
Composer - Kary Ng, Gareth Chan(Spring Wo), Fergus Chow
Arranger - Fergus Chow, Gareth Chan (Spring Wo)
Producer - Kary Ng, Gareth Chan (Spring Wo), Fergus Chow

Kary has been targeted by many, saying she is selling out, losing her style and becoming generic but you can't deny there is something very sensual about 今夜煙花燦爛 that defies any critique and really is a song that captures Kary's voice very well. The chorus is one of the most beautiful and catchy of the year and really extends her 我本人 style for that much longer. 


8

天窗 - Joey Yung
Lyricist - Wyman Wong
Composer - Pakho Chau
Arranger - Alex Fung
Producer - Alex Fung

A beautiful Cantopop track performed none other than by Joey. Simplicity is key in this and Joey totally rocks it. The nuances within this track totally fits the Cantopop mold. This is what Cantopop sounds like to me but without Joey's moving vocals the song would literally not find its voice.

Recommended Songs - 另眼相看, 小日子, 我杯茶, 快樂最快

7

身邊人 - Jason Chan
Lyricist - Kenny So
Composer - Jun Kung@MoFo
Arranger - Fergus Chow
Producer - Jun Kung, Kelvin Avon@MoFo

This song is so underrated it's unbelievable. There's something so haunting about Jason's vocal in this and really detaches him from his usual lovelorn pop track. Jason really stepped it up this year after years of strolling around. There is such emotion and angst in this vocal, it is quite simply breathtaking. 

Recommended Songs - Baby Don't Cry

6

後備 - Sita Chan
Lyricist - 火火
Composer - Sita Chan
Arranger - Alan Wong, Janet Yung
Producer - Alan Wong, Janet Yung

We lost an amazing artiste this year with huge potential. It pains me everytime I hear this track, there's a mellowness that resonates within this track that seems so ironically apt. It is beautifully sung by Sita with a very solemn Cantopop tone that is where Sita fits best. I will miss you Sita, RIP.


5

周末畫報 - Fiona Sit
Lyricist - Abrahim Chan
Composer - Fergus Chow
Arranger - Fergus Chow
Producer - Fergus Chow


Fiona has gone down many a route this year and has found success in many of them but for me this is quite simply her best effort. It has the usual Fiona style whilst being a very catchy and danceable track. This is Fiona's bread and butter.


4

同舟之情 - Eason Chan/Jacky Cheung
Lyricist - Abrahim Chan, James Wong
Composer - Eric Kwok, Joseph Koo

Hong Kong is in a predicament, there are many problems and whilst 獅子山下 might simply not be the same lets leave away politics and truly appreciate a rather beautiful yet underrated song. Eason and Jacky's voice lend very well to an emotional duet that really sings out what the spirit of Hong Kong really should be. This is a song (even in this version) that defines Hong Kong and when I was back in Hong Kong this year this was very much a song that I listened to over and over again without getting bored.

Recommended Songs - 床頭床尾

3

青春頌 - Alfred Hui
Lyricist - Pong Nan
Composer - Pong Nan
Arranger - Johnny Yim
Producer - Johnny Yim

This is quite simply Alfred's best attempt at a anthem. Since his debut he has been carving out his own Cantopop style, treading on well trodden paths, but it is with 青春頌 that we finally realise that this is what he does best and 青春頌 is a beautifully apt track to be his crowning piece despite what some people might think of it as a rather simple track.

Recommended Songs - 魂遊太虛, 時光


2

摔角 - Pakho Chau
Lyricist - Abrahim Chan
Composer - Carl Wong
Arranger - Carl Wong
Producer - Carl Wong

On one level you might say this exacerbates Pakho's musical flaws but I just find myself tapping along to this song everytime I hear it. It's just a super catchy dance track which I didn't expect Cantopop to produce. It shows Pakho's versatility and real drive to be Cantopop's next King. Mind the slightly Blurred Line's-esque MV.

Recommended Songs - 我的宣言, Imperfect

1

無盡 - Supper Moment
Lyricist - Supper Moment
Composer - Supper Moment
Arranger - Supper Moment, Adrian Chan
Producer - Supper Moment, Adrian Chan

The lyrics and emotions conveyed through 無盡 are one of the few Cantopop songs that have managed to make me teary. In the rawest sense music should bring about emotion, whilst 無盡 might not be as catchy or as well produced as some other Cantopop songs in 2013 it really brings out a very pure emotion within and that is why it makes my No.1 of 2013.

Recommended Songs - 世界變了樣, 機械人

Best Lyricist - Abrahim Chan
selected 2013 works - 無可避免 Dear Jane, 我的宣言 Pakho Chau, 摔角 Pakho Chau, 爽 Justin Lo, 說一句 Shiga Lin, 同舟之情 Jacky Cheung/Eason Chan, 非凡人生 Stephanie Cheng, 周末畫報 Fiona Sit, 手刃情人 Kelvin Kwan

Best Composer - Eric Kwok
selected 2013 works - 紙牌屋 Hacken Lee, 同舟之情 Jacky Cheung/Eason Chan, MMM~十三件唔知好過知的事 Edmond Leung, 手刃情人 Kelvin Kwan

Best Arranger - Fergus Chow

Best Producer - Fergus Chow