[Exclusive] Gigi Leung Turns Storyteller For Her New Album, Preludio

After signing on to Universal Music Group last year, Hong Kong singer Gigi Leung has put out a brand new 10-track Cantonese album Preludio. Three singles from the album were separately released since last year, including the chart-topping tear-jerking love song ‘Goodbye Cinderella’ that debuted a year ago.

But it seems like Gigi is making a deliberate move away from the sad songs she’s known for, and instead of singing a more hopeful and optimistic tune with her latest releases.

The reason for the change? To create different memories with fans, Gigi avers.

“Everything I do in music is for me to reach out more to my fans. From ‘Goodbye Cinderella’ last year to ‘Silent Night’ and ‘100 Floors’ this year, I am like a storyteller who has has a story or message to convey. This is a very interesting stage in my life — I am telling stories every day [to my daughter]! So, I hope to translate these stories into an album to share with my fans.”

《PRELUDIO》

Fans will notice that Gigi’s recent works are steeped in greater meaning and optimism. Like her 2016 hit song ‘B-Side Song One’, of which she had written the melody for, Gigi is also using her music to bring her fans through to the B-side of their lives. ‘B-Side Song One’ from her 2016 album BeSide Me is about welcoming the second part of our lives, inspired by Gigi’s marriage to her Spanish food engineer husband in 2011 and the birth of her daughter in 2015.

The word ‘preludio’ means an introduction or introductory piece. In the context of a book, it that usually comes right before the main story and right as you flip open a book. To complement the concept of a storyteller, the 10-track album is made up of six bedside stories as well as the three aforementioned songs. “You can read them to your children before they sleep to comfort them as they fall asleep.” The lyrics are beautifully written, like those in ‘Silent Night’: “When you’re tired, relax and lie down on your bed’, words especially needed during this period of time.

Gigi’s ‘Goodbye Cinderella’ was inspired by her previous works many years ago, but the style of singing as well as intonation were distinctively different. This was a result of working with record producer Schumann Lee. “I have been told that many couldn’t recognise my voice when they first heard the song. At first, I wondered if that was a good thing or bad. But at least I can showcase a different side or voice to others!” The music industry veteran humbly wisecracked that having an opportunity to learn is always a good thing, no matter the number of albums she has put out or her experience.

Gigi also worked with several new songwriters on this album. Of the three new songs, two were written by novices: ‘Silent Night’ by Terence Lam and Eye Fung’s ‘100 Floors’. “Perhaps because they are new, I felt that the songs were very refreshing. It didn’t cross my mind whether they were newbies or veterans when I was listening to the demos. I was paying attention to the melodies. Take ‘100 Floors’ for instance. Even though it is by someone completely new, it felt very different. I could imagine myself singing it.” Interestingly, record producer Eric Kwok felt the same way when he heard the ‘100 Floors’ demo and had felt that it was written with Gigi in mind.

Now that there is a ‘prelude’, will there be a body text and an epilogue in future album plans? “Everything you do is a process. Regardless of which stage you are at, you can always start afresh. I love the concept of beginnings. They bring so much hope and are so refreshing. I suppose the concept of embracing the second part of our lives is a continuation of my old song ‘B-Side’.” Gigi laughingly added that she wishes the epilogue does not come so soon.

Gigi has long ventured into both Mandopop and Cantopop terrains but she feels a strong sense of responsibility towards the latter. “Cantopop still has its value. Everyone says that we should preserve the language. I believe that Cantopop is a good medium to do so, as well as to promote the speaking of Cantonese. Of course, both Cantonese and Mandarin music are important and should be promoted. But I will keep singing in Cantonese!”

Listen now to《PRELUDIO》and have a feel of Gigi's B-Side