HK singer-songwriter Miss Janni talks identity, inspiration, and the importance of teamwork and being true to yourself
The Instagram model and Australian International School alum found success with her debut single, Lucid Dreams
Miss Janni was told she couldn't get gigs unless she sang in Cantonese, but that's changed. When 26-year-old singer-songwriter Miss Janni released her debut single Lucid Dreams in May, it received critical acclaim for its intense, artistic music video, and its minimalistic electro pop approach. She recently caught up with Young Post to talk about her music, as well as her Hong Kong childhood.
The Hongkonger, who went to Australian International School Hong Kong and moved to Sydney for university, says much of her musical influence stems from her early childhood memories.
“On weekends, my brother and I would sing along to Andy Lau songs in the car,” Janni recalled.
International pop also had a huge impact on her. Before and after school every day, she says, she would watch MTV, learning all the dance moves from the music videos for her favourite artists – Britney Spears, Beyonce and Christina Aguilera – leading her, eventually, to add “professional dancer” to her CV.
After she finished her studies, the Instagram model (who boasts around 11,000 followers) moved back to Hong Kong to embark on a music career. But with her Australian accent and global upbringing, it wasn’t easy to get a foot in the door.
“It was very discouraging at first,” Janni said. “I was told by almost everyone that it would be impossible for me to ever book any gigs unless I sang in Cantonese, and changed the way I did my eyeliner.”
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Thankfully, things have changed, she said, and she’s glad she stuck to her principles. The local music scene has developed, and she sees “a lot more diversity brewing underneath the mainstream bubble”. She is also learning that one potentially negative aspect of Hong Kong’s industry can actually work to artists’ advantage.
“The music industry here is small,” Janni said. “So if you work at your craft and put your songs out there, people will hear about you eventually.”
Before carving out her own path as a solo artist, Janni wrote and performed with Gravity Alterstra, a Hong Kong-based electronic three-piece.
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“That experience allowed me to come out of my comfort zone, and I learned a lot about working with other musicians and experimenting with electronic styles of music,” she said.
She believes that it’s important for musicians, especially solo artists, to collaborate with others. “You are responsible for the direction of where your music is going, so that’s great when you’ve got a clear vision, but sometimes it feels like I need to force myself to head out and socialise a bit. It can be a bit isolating,” Janni said.
This sense of isolation was a big motivator for Lucid Dreams, where Janni reflects on feeling trapped in a relationship she knew wasn’t right from the beginning. “It was as if I was just stuck in a bad [dream] that I couldn’t wake up from.”
With no confirmed date for her next single or her upcoming EP, there is still plenty of mystery surrounding this artist. But if Lucid Dreams is anything to go by, we’ve only seen a glimpse of her artistic and stylistic potential.