Missing Anita Mui

The irreplaceable diva
Dear Anita Mui,

Time flies, another 2 days and the world welcomes a new year.

Time really flies, it has been 6 years since you left us.

I still remember in 2003 when the day you announced your illness to the world, and then the series of farewell concerts, and then the end. Everything was just too fast. Time is extremely cruel to you, isn't? It didn't even allow you to live through the year. Well, it was a really sad year anyway, your good friend, our beloved "Big Brother" Leslie Cheung passed away in April, during when SARS terrified the world, especially your place, Hong Kong. 2003 didn't offer too much good memories to me, and with you leaving, I don't think I want to remember it too much.



It's so regrettable for me that I don't have enough time to know you well. When I was young, I listened to mostly Mandarin songs through local radio stations, so the world of Cantonese Pop was like a stranger to me. I only listened to your music when I have my own pocket money to buy cassette (not even CD ^^;) during my secondary school days.

I did get to read about you through newspapers and magazines. However, I can't say I liked what I read though, the media's usual news about you was the harping and bashing of your private life, family matters, rumors of rivalries with new singers and even your fashion. It's so sad that mentioning of your musical achievements and contribution to charity only surfaced when you were gone. Very typical of such entertainment section in the media anyway.

While you were well known for your rock-styled Cantonese pop songs, I like your sentimental songs more. "似是故人來" (loosely "Like the Return of a Dead Person") and "一生爱你千百回" ("Loving You Thousands of Times My Whole Life"). There is this sad tone in your deep voice in the performance of these songs, which I always find very amazing. There was a time when I would listen to "似是故人來" every night and fall asleep with it. The humming towards the end of the songs is like lullaby to me. ^^ Also, although you didn't sing many Mandarin songs, "一生爱你千百回", "床前明月光" ("Bright Moon Before the Bed"), "长藤挂铜铃" ("Brass Bell on a Garland") are some of my favorite songs as well.

You know, sometime I wish I could be born earlier so that I may live through and appreciate the golden era of artists like you, Leslie Cheung, Beyond, Teresa Teng, Faye Wong, Celion Dion, Malaysian artist Ella and many more. I listen to their music, and love them very much. No "idol" effect, no flashy marketing gimmick, just pure beautiful music. There were many times when I only know a certain really nice song from them, only in complication album featuring their previous releases. It would be so great if I could listen to them when they first came out.

Maybe if I was older, I could have gone to Hong Kong to watch your concert.

It's also amazing to me that I could listen and forget so many popular pop songs available today, while music from your days can be an instant hit to me, and it's just so heartbreaking for me to discover them so late. None of the artists above sing anymore now. Beyond is gone, and Celion Dion ceased her singing career. Thankfully, "the Queen of Malaysian Rock" Ella still has some new releases in recent years. Like many, I've been hoping that Faye Wong would make a comeback, but so far there are just false alarms and rumors.

Among your movies, I love "The Heroic Trio" (东方三侠) the most. I remember watching it as a kid, and often compared it with "Batman". ^^ I watched it again not long ago when I found the DVD in a local video store, and many of the nostalgic scenes came back to me again. Rubber darts, firing machine gun rounds with Qigong, the "Terminator" who possesses Michelle Yeoh near the end of the movie, and Anthony Wong Chausang as the monster. ^^ I don't suppose with his superstar status right now he would take on another of such roles XD, but the movie was really fun to watch.



Your friends in the movie, Michelle Yeoh doesn't do much fighting movies after "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; Maggie Cheung is never the same as she was in the movie, and she doesn't make any new movie anymore. As all three of you are of legendary status now, "The Heroic Trio" has got to be a real classic now. ^^

I watched many of your ghost and comedy movies as well, and liked them very much too. ^^

I'm sorry I don't know you well to say much, but stories about you have been great inspiration to me. I don't suppose many young artists nowadays need to go through all the hardship as you did for their talents to be discovered. Talent search competitions and reality programs are abundant, trainings are widely available, and there are a lot of channels to promote oneself as well. Then again, I never doubted their quality, but when everything seems so commercialized today, I just can't find much inspiration in today's music, just "appealing sound and sensation" to me I suppose.

But your music, yes, I listen to it and remember the good old days, and I could find the simplest form of happiness through that.

And your bold stage performance and image which earned you the title of "Madonna of Asia" must say a lot about your courage as well. When other female singers were singing bitter love songs (苦情歌), your decision to establish the opposite image in the conservative 80's was not easy I believe, but you did it. They say you revolutionized the Cantonese pop world, and listening to your music from the 80's, I really believed that to be true.

When you left, the lost is felt by not just the Cantonese pop world, but the entire Chinese music - we have lost a great icon. Many singers appear after you, but none of them really made any lasting impact in the industry as you did. Artists like Joey Yung (容祖儿) and Candy Lo (卢巧音) had some bold music trends in the past, but Joey sings mainly commercial pop songs nowadays, and I haven't heard from Candy Lo for quite a while already. Sandy Lam (林忆莲) doesn't sing much now as well. Among the young singers, I like Janice (卫兰) very much, but most of her songs are commercial pop rock as well.

The fact is, we couldn't find another singer like you after 6 years. You are an irreplaceable Diva indeed.

It pained me to read about how your family member disputed your will after you left. Why must there be a fight for it, I have no idea. I don't think I'm in any position to talk about your family matter, but news about it made me really sad. People need to learn more about your struggle and success, your contribution to the music industry and society, and your courage in fighting against your illness, not money issues, even though that seems to be the first prioritized topic when there is any news about you.

Thank you very much for all the good memories from your songs and movies, as well as the inspiration you bring to this world. You will always be one of my most favorite artists. May peace be upon you.

Your fan (one among the millions),
Ngee Khiong

一生爱你千百回 (Mandarin) - Music Video
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.


似是故人來 (Cantonese), from Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival (南宁国际民歌艺术节) in 1999.
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.


相爱很难 Duet with Jacky Cheung (Cantonese) - Music Video
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.


夕阳之歌 (Cantonese), from Anita Classic Moment Live (梅艷芳經典金曲演唱會) in 2003
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.