Ahead of her release party at Mihn club, Hong Kong DJ and producer Xiaolin takes us through the creative process that led to her cover ‘Plastic Love’ by the late, great Madonna of the East
Despite having made a name for herself as a DJ, producer and a violinist, Xiaolin has always had a special place in her heart for the Canto-pop scene. For the Hong Kong artist, born Olivia Mok, absorbing the city’s culture and legacy while living abroad became a way to uphold her identity.
“Because [I spent 10 years abroad], I developed a bit of an identity crisis,” she tells Tatler. “I’ve been back for four years now, and reconnecting with my Hong Kong roots has really grounded me.”
Part of that grounding has come in the form of developing a new take on Hong Kong’s most beloved music genre. While Xiaolin grew up with Canto-pop, it took on new meaning for her in 2022, when she was invited to perform as a solo violinist for Janice Vidal’s Be Still concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum.
“I had this crazy moment in the basement of the Hong Kong Coliseum, when I was about to rise up through the stage, and come out to the biggest audience I’ve ever played to … It reminded me of Anita’s scene when Louise Wong [who was playing Anita Mui], rose out of the same hole. This made me feel nostalgic.”
Read more: The favourite songs of genre-defying DJ Xiaolin—from city-pop to reggae to acid house
Whether it’s because of the 2022 movie Anita, the nine-month-long exhibition honouring the singer at Hong Kong Heritage Museum, or the resurgence of retro 90s culture, the golden era of Canto-pop—and one of its queens—has found a new fanbase post-pandemic.
Xiaolin believes there may be an even deeper reason. “Music is never just about music,” she says. “It always carries context and culture with it. So, listening to a piece of great music will transport you back to a particular time or memory.”