Six years ago, when singer-songwriter Serrini posted her first original song online, her gentle voice and bubblegum melodies felt like a breath of fresh air to the Hong Kong music scene. Now, with darker lyrics and sultry vocals in her latest album Don’t Text Him, some say she has changed, and is no longer the quirky, innocent singer that everyone knew her to be. Brushing these comments aside, the musician says she is still herself; “Serrini” is merely a catch-all for her multiple mould-breaking personae.
Serrini, real name Serruria Leung, entered the Cantopop scene as a necessary revelation. Her wry and candid lyrics — which occasionally includes swear words — provided an alternative to mainstream radio-friendly pop. Music aside, the self-proclaimed queen has earned a cult-like following for her outspoken personality; it rarely exists in an industry dominated by major label singers, whose actions and words are always within close watch of their record companies.
In 2011, Serrini wrote one of her first songs in Spain, where a waiter asked her out for a meal and she rejected him. The waiter then told his colleagues that she was playing hard to get. Irritated by his disrespect, she wrote in the lyrics: “Please be a good citizen / and use a bin bag to wrap around your body.” 「請你做個好市民／用垃圾袋包住個身」
“The song is essentially about saying a big ‘fuck-you’ to all the unwanted people in my life,” she says.
At a time when women are looking to be empowered under the influence of the #MeToo movement, it is not a surprise that Serrini’s brutally frank lyrics strike a chord with many. Her latest album Don’t Text Him topped the iTunes album chart in Hong Kong immediately after its release. In March, she held four solo concerts across various cities in Mainland China. Even so, she has remained independent and unapproached by record companies. “It seems like strong woman characters don’t sell, and only sad ones can,” she says.
This is perhaps why musicians like Serrini are often unheard of in the local music scene. “They [music labels] like signing people that no one has heard about, and mould them, rather than discovering musicians with strong characters,” Serrini says. “In the past, I did find Cantopop songs that I liked. But when I looked at the artists [who sang them], I asked myself whether I could see them as my spiritual leaders, and I realised that I can’t.”
Instead, Serrini decided to become her own spiritual leader. In one of her most popular songs “Kowloon Blondie Ling” 《油尖旺金毛玲》, Serrini narrates the story of karaoke hostess Blondie Ling’s blossoming yet bitter romance. Her relatable lyrics distill the sense of urban isolation prevalent in Hong Kong, and allow the audience to re-encounter these feelings. In the video description, she writes: “You’re also Blondie Ling. You once buried your thoughts deep inside your heart.” At the heart of her music, it is about being true to oneself and free to honour one’s emotions.
To Serrini, Don’t Text Him is first and foremost an honest album about Hong Kong. Currently pursuing a doctorate in Hong Kong studies at the University of Hong Kong, Serrini says it is important for musicians to have the duality of not only having self-introspection, but also responding to the developments of the world.
When the Umbrella Movement happened in 2014, Serrini was a Master’s student. Feeling hopeless, she applied for the PhD program. Her thesis is about the emotive power of music to rebel in social movements. “Whether it’s academic readings or my students [at the university], they always say there’s no hope in this city. But it seems to be easier to find hope in a hopeless place.” she says.
“The less hope we have for the city, the harder we should be working to write our own texts. That’s why I tell my students: Don’t do Hong Kong studies, be Hong Kong studies,” she adds.
This is the spirit encapsulated in Don’t Text Him. “Abandoned Youth”《青春荒廢》, for example, is about letting go of repressed emotions. It starts off with a dreamy soundscape that seamlessly blends Serrini’s whispering voice and atmospheric post-rock meanderings. The intensity builds as the track introduces a monologue that eventually dissolves into a swirling vortex of powerlessness—something ubiquitously felt by youths in Hong Kong after the Umbrella Movement.
Serrini’s music is not overtly political; but it embodies a pop aesthetic that looks towards the political. “I think music should be a cohesion force to bring people together, more than to narrate a political event because that’s journalism,” she says. “That’s why my recent creations have been quite emotional. Since the world is logical, I should respond to the society in an emotional way.”
In August, Serrini will be dropping an EDM album based on disturbing originals of children’s fairytales. Surely to some, this signals the end of Serrini’s quirky bubblegum era. But while there are claims that “the old Serrini” expires, it seems that her most cherished persona—as an outspoken and politically-aware musician—is never gone.
