Ivy So Unveils Classical Single With Cantonese Opera Touches
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
COLLAR member Ivy So (蘇雅琳) released her final solo single of the year, “Burial of Flowers” (“葬花辭”), on October 22, as both reports published on October 23 referred to the release as having happened “yesterday.” The song continues her run of self-written solo releases this year, but this time she worked with lyricist Cheng Man to shape a more demanding classical-style text for a minor-key composition. Ivy said the song centres on a painful love story about a strong woman who falls for someone she should not love, with the image of “burying flowers” used to carry the song’s sense of regret. The music video leans into elegant period-inspired looks and incorporates Cantonese opera motifs, which Ivy said brought back memories because she had studied the art form as a child.
Key Points
- Ivy’s new single “Burial of Flowers” is her third self-written solo release this year, following “A Big Kiss for You” and “Holding Hands in Place.”
- She said she again took part in writing the lyrics, but sought help from teacher Cheng Man because the classical, minor-key style was more difficult.
- Ivy described the song as a tragic unrequited-love story in which a strong woman loves the wrong person and ends in sorrow.
- She said the biggest challenge was not singing, but the styling, hair and wardrobe team’s effort to assemble classical looks in a short time.
- Ivy said she has already chosen demos for next year, and expects those songs to be lighter and more lively than this year’s three releases.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong pop audiences, the release shows how younger Cantopop artists are blending contemporary solo work with traditional local cultural references such as Cantonese opera. It also marks Ivy’s effort to define a personal musical identity outside COLLAR by using self-written lyrics and experimenting with genres the group has not emphasized in its faster dance tracks.