Keung TO
A blog about the artist Keung To
Keung To
Keung To is a Hong Kong artist, born April 30, 1999, member of the Hong Kong boy band "Mirror", very popular in Hong Kong which was selected in 2024 as "Future 25" by Rolling Stone.
Keung To has, beyond “Mirror”, a solo career. He stands out for his incredible versatility as a solo artist.
Keung To's story is like that of the ugly duckling who initially wanted to become a dance-pop singer and then took the path to become a committed artist.
As a committed singer, he is very involved in the creation of his songs which convey strong messages: how he perceives society and the world and how he connects to his audience through his songs by expressing his point of view and his emotions. Why do we love it? Read and you will understand.
The fabulous destiny of Keung To
His music
A text, a voice and a melody, the emotional power of Keung To
Despite a distinguished physique, a gentle and reserved character, Keung To is in reality a person who knows exactly what he wants and who perseveres to create his songs which are not produced just to sell. Initially, Keung To didn't quite see the direction of his musical career yet. At 18, he loved R&B and wanted to become a dance-pop artist. During ViuTV's reality competition "Good Night Show – King Maker", Keung To was clear on one point: "I don't want to be a joker. I would like to do a different stage performance for my audience each time." However, he quickly evolved into a career as a committed singer. Indeed, Keung To actively participates in the creation of his works: he chooses a melody and himself writes a text to the lyricist on the message and the emotion that he would like to express through the song. His songs are his babies, he says. Through his songs, he reveals and denounces reality and makes the spectator act. It conveys a message of hope. It warns against forgetting and conveys a message of love and peace.
As Keung To expresses himself through his songs according to the social context and his state of mind at the time of their release. It is therefore strongly recommended to discover them in chronological order for its evolution.
In 2019 Keung To debuted as a solo artist, in addition to being a member of the Boys Band "Mirror", in June 2019. His first solo song released in June 2019 is called: “No. 1 Seed (一號種籽)” The song tells the story of a young person who had to give up a romantic relationship to pursue his passion for basketball . Keung To also had to make waivers to participate in ViuTV's reality competition "Good Night Show – King Maker" and to become a young idol of the new generation. Indeed, in exchange for his notoriety, he had to give up his freedom. He doesn't have much free time for himself, his friends and his family. He doesn't know how to walk freely in the street without being photographed, have a romantic relationship or express himself freely without being on the front page of the newspapers. He also has to give up his passion for food since his weight is the subject of excessive media attention.
The 2nd song released in September 2019 is called: “Atlantis (亞特蘭提斯)” by which Keung To compares perfect love to the legend of Atlantis, a Kingdom destroyed by Zeus, according to Greek mythology, which Drowned under a deluge of water. Keung To wonders if perfect love really exists or is it just a legend like Atlantis?
His 3rd song released in December 2019 is called: “A Little More A Day (一天多一點)”. It's all a light and tender R&B love song that fans love with a Korean phrase that simply says "I love you" (Salanghaeyo). This song is melodiously performed by Keung To who was young, innocent and dreamy.
In 2020 Keung To's career took a leap forward in 2020 during Covid with his 4th song: “The Love Without Words, also known as Saying I Love You With My Mouth Covered 蒙着嘴說愛你” in response to the pandemic. She highlights the harmful consequences of the pandemic on the way of life of Hong Kongers. Through this song, Keung To encourages Hong Kong people and the medical profession: "we persevere thanks to love and your good care", a lyric from the song. This single won the Most Popular Song award at the 2020 Ultimate Song Chart Awards ceremony and Keung To also won the Most Popular Male Singer award at the same ceremony.
His 5th single “Disease of Loneliness (孤獨病)” released on September 2, 2020 is a completely different style whose lyrics express a deep sadness linked to Keung To's experience and his relationship with loneliness. Keung To is an only child and did not have many friends growing up. Loneliness gradually became a habit for him. At the beginning of his career in the showbiz industry, he felt even more hesitant and uncomfortable around a strange environment and haters and he was not good at expressing himself. But Keung To is very lucky to have the support and encouragement of his fans for the pursuit of his dreams. He is no longer alone! With this 5th single, Keung To sincerely invites you to come out of loneliness together. Even though this song is about loneliness and seems sad, Keung To actually uses it to encourage people who feel lonely or are depressed because the song says: "Is it by crying that you will find a solution? Is it by ending your life that someone will regret you? The victory is to stay alive Don't forget that I overcame this loneliness as well as the mockery of others. You are not alone, I accompany you in this solitude.
« Disease of Loneliness (孤獨病) mv directed by Keung To
Keung To's 6th single "Love Visa Application (愛情簽證申請)" was released on November 15, 2020. Keung To actively participated in writing the lyrics for it and the story of the music video. The song and music video were recorded and shot during his trip to Taiwan. Even a rising canton-pop star dreams of love like any young man. In the mv, during his work trip, in his free time, while exploring this city, Keung To meets the perfect woman of his dreams. They go on an urban adventure together to enjoy the present moment. However, reality catches up with them and it is not possible for a young idol to maintain a romantic relationship, due to lack of time or quite simply he is supposed to be emotionally available to his fans. He sighs at this situation: an impossible love. This brief, heartfelt moment of heartbeat will remain in the young man's heart forever. And the end of the story also foreshadows that the unfinished spell of destiny will continue...(the rest of the story can be found in his 13th single《岩巉》(Irregular) was released on November 27, 2023)
In 2021 On March 19, 2021, Keung released his 7th single "Master Class", an RnB song through which Keung To, on the one hand facing praise and on the other hand criticism, expresses his desire to break social codes and explore courageously go his own way. Keung To is undoubtedly lucky. He got his start through a talent competition, and in just two or three years, he went from an ordinary person to a supernova. However, his success brought him not only encouragement and praise, but also a lot of criticism. When the outside world had more and more demands and expectations on him, he began to think about how to truly be himself and become an idol of the new generation with his own style and personality. own attitude.
His 8th single "Dear My Friend" released on August 5, 2021 is actually a letter from Keung To for his best friend Kin Lam, who died suddenly in March 2021 of cardiac arrest. Through this song, Keung To expresses his grief due to the loss of his childhood friend and commemorates their deep friendship. According to Keung To, his deceased best friend turns into a star like a guardian angel watching over him up there. He feels protected by this subtle and invisible presence. This song also won the Most Popular Song award at the 2021 Ultimate Song Chart Awards, making the artist the only winner to win both Most Popular Song and Most Popular Male Vocalist during 2 consecutive years.
In 2022 His 9th solo single, "Spiegel im Spiegel (鏡中鏡)" was released on January 2, 2022 through which Keung To lets it be known that he realizes that, faced with the voice of the outside world which has been going against him since he was became famous, the biggest enemy in his life has always been Not others, but himself. To create this song, Keung To uses his own history and experience as context: in the face of criticism, to be freed from mental overload, he went through resistance, the desire to refute, introspection and finally, understanding. Only when we learn to courageously face our true fears, understand and accept ourselves can we finally conquer our inner demons to become mentally stronger.
While his early works focused primarily on social issues and introspection, this later evolved into something bigger, like humanity. Released on April 30, 2022, his 10th single "What The Work Says" (作品的說話)" is a song inspired by the global context, with its deepest message of love and peace.
This song makes us think about the issues fundamental: Why do we feed hatred? And why do we take up arms? Each person has the choice to do good or evil. If every work of art were to be born from love, shouldn't we take a camera to photograph instead of waving our sword; write a song with an instrument rather than shooting a gun; write a novel instead of playing with a bullet? Would you trade your highest military decorations for a portrait of a child whose innocent face radiates love? With this song “What The Work Says”, Keung To launches a call for world peace. This single won the Most Popular Song award at the 2022 Ultimate Song Chart Awards.
What The Work Says » (作品的說話)" mv directed by Keung To
In 2023 "Dummy" (dummy in French) Keung To's 11th solo single was released in 2023 in reaction to the attacks he received following his performance "Spiegel im Sipegel" at the "Ultimate Song Chart Awards" ceremony deemed overplayed while the singer just took advantage of the stage to express his strong emotions of the very moment. Indeed, Keung To went through a difficult period following the accident during the "Mirror" concert in July 2021 and his ankle injury in November 2022.
Through this song, Keung To makes it known that he is not a puppet but a person who has a soul even if the showbiz industry is supposed to produce idols from the same mold.
He wants to stay true to himself and refuses to show the public a distorted image of him. He wants a certain autonomy in the creation of his songs and his stage performance. However, some find him weird because he is different. Massively attacked by haters for everything he does. Keung To often questions himself and accepts comments whether good or bad.
《濤》"Waves" is the 12th single released on August 24, 2023 specially for his 1st solo concert "KEUNG TO "WAVES" IN MY SIGHT SOLO CONCERT 2023. 《濤》"Waves", this term is nothing other than the meaning of the singer's first name "To" and is the theme of his first solo concert. This song goes perfectly with Keung To's presence on stage, particularly thanks to the choir at the beginning of it. The metaphor of water (fluidity, flexibility and naturalness vs. strength and power) used in this song is a perfect metaphor for personal development and self-fulfillment.
A Chinese proverb says that “The water that carries the boat is the same that swallows it.” We would only benefit from the power of water if we could control it. Otherwise, the power of water can be destructive.
Aware of his popularity and influence in the media, Keung To, as the most popular idol of the new generation in Hong Kong, understood that this fame is a powerful power and it is up to him to decide to carry the boat or to sink it, to use this power wisely or to abuse it.
Keung To seeks to preserve his essential self and applies this metaphor to overcome obstacles (the singer compares massive online attacks to a tsunami) and find his way. This single won the Most Popular Song award at the 2023 Ultimate Song Chart Awards.
The 13th single《岩巉》(Irregular) was released on November 27, 2023 and is the sequel to his 6th single “Love Visa Application (愛情簽證申請)” released on November 15, 2020. Still looking for love, Keung To believes that each person is a precious stone in the rough, meant to shine one day when they find love. He finds himself imperfect while hoping to meet the right imperfect person too. Together, two imperfect beings will become jewels that shine together. I'll let you discover the end of the love story in the mv for yourselves.
In 2024 With his 14th single 《黑月》(Dark Moon) released on January 18, 2024, Keung To raises a question. He compares the dark side of a person to the dark side of the moon. We all have our dark side, our impulses which are sometimes quite wild, such as the impulses for life, sex, death, aggression. They are unconscious and if we allowed them to express themselves as they are, these impulses would be destructive. We repress them in our unconscious and we develop a superego which sets rules and limits. But it is not because they are repressed that they no longer exist. Should we accept “the dark side” that we all carry within us and which we don’t really like? How to develop your well-being? How to reconnect with your deeper self? How to do good with ease? How to find self-love? These are questions that Keung To often asks himself. He constantly tries to preserve his essential self.
The 15th single 《好得太過份》 (You're out of this world) released on April 30, 2024 on the occasion of Keung To's 25th birthday, a gift in appreciation of his fans for their unconditional love and support. Keung To encourages his fans to write to him instead of giving him gifts and he reads them carefully when he has time to do so. It's a very moving song. He really becomes aware of everything around him, of his fans who have brought him all the love since the beginning of his career. He simply thanks them by reading their letters and giving them this song. This song is dedicated to the love he has for his fans in response to their love. He and his fans are like a puzzle, a symbiosis.
Keung To on stage: an artist with incredible stage talent.
In daily life, Keung To is gentle, smiling, spontaneous, humble and courteous. On stage, Keung To transforms into another person, each time capable of giving his best performance with charisma. To be honest, he's not the best at singing and dancing. You have to look at his performance as a whole. He uses different expression techniques (look, attitude, gesture, movement, etc.), appropriates the sung work, develops his artistic singularity, transmits his emotions and takes into account the reactions of the audience and surprises them. Each time, he presents an impressive show bringing together different talents such as dancers and musicians. And, he gives them the opportunity to make themselves known to the public, which is very generous of him.
姜濤 - 黑月＋DUMMY - MIRROR FEEL THE PASSION CONCERT TOUR 2024.1.24