Hong Kong singer and actor Keung To breaks Canto-pop records
- The 21-year-old is the youngest person to win the 'Favourite Male Singer' and 'Favourite Song' awards at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation
- His single 'Saying I Love You With My Mouth Covered' talks about the difficulties we face staying connected during the Covid-19 pandemic
Keung To received the “My Favourite Male Singer Award” and “My Favourite Song Award” at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation, becoming the youngest person to win the prizes. Photo: YouTubeOn the first day of 2021, a 21-year-old artist broke two amazing records in the Canto-pop industry.
Keung To, a rising Hong Kong male singer and actor, received the “My Favourite Male Singer Award” and “My Favourite Song Award” at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation, becoming the youngest person to win the coveted prizes.
The Ultimate Song Charts Awards Presentation is one of the most prestigious local music award ceremonies in Hong Kong. The event is hosted annually by Commercial Radio, with the first ceremony dating back more than 30 years. It consists of 43 awards in a range of categories. The winner is determined by votes from the audience.
Keung’s achievement came as a surprise to many, including the artist himself. As he accepted the Favourite Singer Award, astonishment was clearly etched on his face. Upon returning to his seat, he was soon ushered back to the stage, as his song, Saying I Love You With My Mouth Covered (蒙著嘴說愛你), was named favourite song.
After the ceremony, he wrote a heartfelt Instagram post thanking his fans, affectionately known as Keung Tongs, or “ginger candies”, a play on his surname.
Naturally, Keung’s success became a hot topic on the internet. However, not all reactions were positive. Some netizens criticised the young singer’s skills, doubting if he has accomplished enough to win the awards. He addressed this topic, promising to show his talents through his music and make his supporters proud.
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“I know that my qualifications are not enough to impress everyone,” he wrote in Cantonese on Instagram.
“But these two awards would not be possible without the dutiful voting by each and every one of my fans. I will not let the Keung Tongs down.”
Keung’s musical talent was first discovered on the Good Night Show in a competition called the King Maker. The show started airing in July 2018, on ViuTV, and ended after around three months. Keung started off a little shy, but quickly gained confidence as his fan base grew. He made it through to the finals and was named champion, and went on to join the boy band Mirror, alongside 11 other participants from the show.
Keung started his solo music career in 2019, with his first song, No. 1 Seed (一號種籽), winning the new artist gong in three major music awards in Hong Kong.
Saying I Love You With My Mouth Covered is about the difficulties faced by Hongkongers during the Covid-19 pandemic. It describes how masks and social distancing have separated us all.
The song reminds listeners of the love between family and friends, and encourages us all to stay optimistic despite the adversity we face.