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Ashlyn Chak

Pop music fans in Hong Kong have been dealt quite a few major blows this year.
Big international acts like Rod Stewart, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and The 1975 all chose to skip the city as they tour the world.
Most of those tours will instead visit Hong Kong’s neighbours, such as Japan, Singapore and Thailand. Meanwhile, critics have cited Hong Kong’s lack of a “suitable arena” and even Covid-19 restrictions (during the planning stages of these tours) as reasons it is being overlooked globally.
But some international entertainers still consider Hong Kong one of their key stops in Asia – here are five that did not get away.
1. Olivia Rodrigo
Known for her hit tracks about teenage angst and heartbreak, Olivia Rodrigo has been rising through the ranks at an unprecedented pace since her days as a Disney child star.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Olivia Rodrigo Updates 🦋 (@oliviarodrigoofan_)



The Filipino-American pop singer-songwriter’s first show in Hong Kong, it is part of her “Guts World Tour” is promoting her second studio album Guts, which was released in September 2023. It was nominated in two categories at the 66th Grammy Awards.
Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour AsiaWorld-Arena, Hong Kong International Airport. September 24. Visit livenation.hk for more details.

Hikaru Utada
Since her 1999 bestselling Japanese-language debut album First Love, Hikaru Utada has consistently been one of Japan and East Asia’s most well-loved singer-songwriters, with over 4.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Born in Manhattan, New York, her parents were a record producer and an enka singer. Utada had a musical upbringing and was encouraged her to write music from the age of 10. She travelled to Tokyo often because of her father’s work. At 15, she signed with Japanese record label Toshiba-EMI and quickly found countrywide success.
In 2022, Netflix released the Japanese series First Love, inspired by Utada’s song of the same name. She will be making her Hong Kong debut in August.
Hikaru Utada: Science Fiction Tour 2024 AsiaWorld-Arena, Hong Kong International Airport. August 17 and 18, 8pm. For more details visit hkticketing.com

Aespa
Established by K-pop label SM Entertainment, Aespa comprises Japanese-Korean rapper Giselle (Japanese name Aeri Uchinaga, Korean name Kim Ae-ri), Chinese singer Ningning (real name Ning Yizhuo), and Korean songstresses Karina (real name Yu Ji-min) and Winter (real name Kim Min-jeong).
Since the South Korean girl group’s debut at the end of 2020, they have swept the international K-pop scene with their metaverse-inspired concept. The name “Aespa” is a combination of the words “avatar”, “experience” and “aspect” to represent avatar encounters and new world experiences.
Their show, part of the group’s 2024 tour, will mark the quartet’s first full-scale performance in Hong Kong after a brief first appearance at KCON in March.
2024 Aespa Live Tour – SYNK: Parallel Line Hall 10, AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong International Airport. August 3, 7.30pm; August 4, 6pm. For more details visit fantopia

Conan Gray
Born in California to an Irish father and a Japanese mother, Conan Gray was raised mostly by his single mother in Georgetown, Texas, where he began to make YouTube videos at 15, including vlogs, music covers and original songs.
After that, he started to self-release music, mostly of the bedroom pop and synth-pop genres, and received much online attention. At age 19, he dropped out of UCLA after two months to sign with and tour under Republic Records.
Gray made his Coachella debut in 2022 and is known as a rising Gen Z star, singing soft, emotional, relatable ballads that have topped pop charts worldwide.
Conan Gray: Found Heaven On Tour Hall 10, AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong International Airport. August 27, 8pm. For more details, visit cityline.com


Atsuko Okatsuka
Fresh from a sold-out West Kowloon show in March, due to popular demand Atsuko Okatsuka will return to the city in July for a second Hong Kong show on her “Full Grown Tour”.
The Los Angeles-based American stand-up comedian was born to Japanese and Taiwanese parents in Taiwan and spent much of her childhood in Japan. At the age of eight, she moved to the United States, where she lived as an undocumented migrant for seven years.
As the tour name suggests, her comedy material is centred around Okatsuka’s childhood, family and life experiences, which she tells in her signature comic style of offbeat yet wide-eyed awkwardness.
Atsuko Okatsuka: International Full Grown Tour The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon District. July 20, 8pm. For more details, visit ticketflap.com


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Hong Kong gigs

From Olivia Rodrigo to Aespa and Conan Gray, 5 international acts coming to Hong Kong in summer 2024

Olivia Rodrigo performing during her Guts World Tour. Photo: Instagram/@oliviarodrigosp

Olivia Rodrigo performs during her Guts world tour, which is coming to Hong Kong in summer 2024. Hers is one of several shows by international acts in the city to look forward to. Photo: Instagram/@oliviarodrigosp

Japanese singer Hikaru Utada has more than 4.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Photo: utadahikaru4ever/ Instagram

K-pop girl group Aespa have taken the world by storm since their 2020 debut. Photo: SM Entertainment/ iMe Group

California-born singer-songwriter Conan Gray will perform in Hong Kong this summer. Photo: Wrenne Evans/ Live Nation Asia

Hong Kong post-punk rockers Nan Yang Pai Dui on their latest album, and playing live with 2 drummers

Nang Yang Pui Dui members (from left) Jon, Chau, Paul and Jack at Sunset Studios in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong. Members of the group, also known as NYPD, reveal the smoking inspiration behind their latest album and why they loved messing around with AI for their next release. Photo: Jonathan Wong

NYPD members (from left) Jack, Jon, Paul, and Chau at Sunset Studios in Kennedy Town. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The cover of Easy Lighter by Nan Yang Pai Dui. Photo: Subtrop Records

Hong Kong post-punk experimental band Nan Yang Pai Dui’s latest creative project G.A.I.G.A.I. is an AI-generated, human-curated album. Photo: Subtrop Records

A lobby card from Nan Yang Pai Dui’s Easy Lighter project features the band in a still from the music video. Photo: Subtrop Records

Nan Yang Pai Dui became a five-piece act soon after forming as a duo.

DJ records covers of Anita Mui song, other Cantopop hits to remind the world of Hong Kong’s musical influence

Techno DJ Olivia Dawn Mok, aka Xiaolin, is recording contemporary covers of Cantopop love songs by stars including Anita Mui to remind the world of Hong Kong’s musical influence in the 1980s and 90s. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

The front of the first release of Xiaolin’s Moods for Love three-part project. It is the DJ-producer’s adaptation of Anita Mui Yim-fong’s 1987 Xin Ai (Searching for Love). Photo: Sound Metaphors, Berlin

Mok has always been nostalgic for 1980s and early 90s Cantopop. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Mok, aka Xiaolin, is a Hong Kong-based techno DJ and producer.

The back of the first release under Xiaolin’s Moods for Love three-part project, covers of a 1987 Anita Mui song. Photo: Sound Metaphors, Berlin

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Hong Kong may have missed out on seeing Taylor Swift and Coldplay on their world tours, but other big-name acts will be performing in the city in summer 2024
Grammy-nominated pop star Olivia Rodrigo, YouTube phenomenon Conan Gray and K-pop stars Aespa will all be coming to Hong Kong


Hong Kong will be hosting some big names in the entertainment world in summer 2024, from Grammy nominee Olivia Rodrigo to K-pop stars Aespa, Japanese singer Hikaru Utada and comedian Atsuko Okatsuka.


Coldplay

From Olivia Rodrigo to Aespa and Conan Gray, 5 international acts coming to Hong Kong in summer 2024

Hong Kong may have missed out on seeing Taylor Swift and Coldplay on their world tours, but other big-name acts will be performing in the city in summer 2024 Grammy-nominated pop star Olivia Rodrigo, YouTube phenomenon Conan Gray and K-pop stars Aespa will all be coming to Hong Kong

1. Olivia Rodrigo

Hong Kong may have missed out on seeing Taylor Swift and Coldplay on their world tours, but other big-name acts will be performing in the city in summer 2024

Grammy-nominated pop star Olivia Rodrigo, YouTube phenomenon Conan Gray and K-pop stars Aespa will all be coming to Hong Kong