Hong Kong singer-songwriter Khalil Fong has left a message for fans to hold on to their dreams. - Photo: Handout
HONG KONG: Hong Kong singer-songwriter Khalil Fong, who died from illness last month at the age of 41, continued to inspire at his funeral, where he left a note of inspiration for others to embrace life’s challenges and hold on to their dreams.
A message credited to Fong was included in a card distributed to attendees at a private memorial service held for the singer on Saturday (March 1), as reported by mainland China media Litchi News.
“Time waits for no one. As we age, we come to understand more deeply the duality of time – its reality and its illusion. Life presents us with countless twists and challenges, yet I believe one of our goals should be to navigate its path with grace and dignity,” Fong wrote.
“At this particular moment in my life, where everything seems to stand still, I am granted ample time to reflect on the past, contemplate the present with sincerity, and dream of the future.
“The name The Dreamer symbolises that even in the face of illness and life’s many trials, I remain here, filled with creative vision and boundless dreams,” he added, referring to his latest 10-track album, which carried a similar message.
“May you, in the days to come, continue to hold fast to your dreams, persevere in your efforts, grow, evolve and fully realise your potential at every stage of life.”
Fong’s shock death was confirmed by his music label Fu Music on Saturday, which said he “left the world peacefully” on February 21 after battling illness for five years with a positive attitude.
He gained recognition in the Chinese market for his R&B and soul-inflected style after releasing his debut album Soulboy in 2005 with the popular song “Spring Breeze”.
He also wrote songs for Taiwanese diva Sherry Chang Hui-mei, known as A-mei, as well as Cantopop star Eason Chan Yick-shun, among other pop figures.
After the release of his ninth album JTW in 2016, Fong remained mostly out of the public eye but released singles between 2018 and 2022.
In a video posted on his social media last September, Fong admitted that he had “avoided contact with the outside” or had been “shutting down” for a while due to illness but was on the path to recovery.
He also announced his comeback by releasing a new album, The Dreamer, in October, calling its creation “a special experience”.
In the introductory notes to the album, he mentioned that he initially drew up the plan in 2020 to release his full-length music album but began suffering from “serious health problems” at the beginning of 2021, while the world was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although his mobility was restricted, he still managed to record his inspirations and ideas through notes and voice memos.
He started feeling better in the middle of 2022 - “breaking through the feeling of being trapped”, as he described it - and began work on the album he called “memoirs of this journey.”
Most songs in The Dreamer were produced and arranged at his dining table with a handheld microphone.
“I wanted to turn my weakness into strength and create an album that I can be proud of,” Fong said.
“In recent years, amid all the chaos in the world, I have found peace by reflecting on life’s simple moments, memories of youth, and the passage of time, as well as those songs inspired by things that I find weird and funny.”
On February 13, a week before he died, Fong published his final social media post as he sent Lunar New Year greetings to his fans and promoted the music video for his song “Oasis” from his latest album.
Many fans expressed shock as they thought Fong was getting better and was perhaps preparing for his new concert.
“I was listening to his songs while seeing this news. I have to check various platforms to make sure it is real … It is so sad that he was so young,” one user wrote on the Chinese social media platform RedNote.
“He is part of my memory of youth. I didn’t have money to buy his concert ticket when I was still a student. Now I can afford a concert ticket, but he’s gone. It will be my permanent regret,” wrote another.
Some pop stars also expressed their condolences, posting their photos with Fong or sharing songs he had collaboratively written with them.
“He made me deeply realise a truth: the quality of your music depends on how good you are as a person. And Fong is just such an excellent person,” wrote Taiwanese-American singer, songwriter and actor Wang Leehom in a long eulogy.
“It is unbelievable. I haven’t fully processed [his death] yet. Many memories come to my mind. It feels unreal,” Hong Kong artist Gloria Tang Tze-kei said on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.
“Continue to be your own dreamer in another world,” said Chinese singer Bibi Zhou Bichang.
“Soul boy, gone too soon. You will be deeply missed. See you on the other side, dear friend,” said Singaporean singer JJ Lin. - South China Morning Post
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