KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Canadian singer The Weeknd has paid tribute to Hong Kong with a new song featuring a sample of Cantopop singer Faye Wong’s 1993 ballad Monsoon, surprising thousands of fans during his concert at Kai Tak Stadium.

According to Singapore’s The Straits Times, the 36-year-old singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, premiered the track, titled Hong Kong, on October 24 during the opening night of his four-show run in the city.

The song incorporates elements of Wong’s Cantonese hit, also known as Seasonal Wind, which appeared on her 1993 album No Regrets.

Its accompanying music video, screened during the concert, features footage filmed around Hong Kong, including Central, The Peak and the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The visuals draw on the atmosphere of Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai’s works, particularly Chungking Express (1994) and Fallen Angels (1995).

The surprise debut drew widespread attention online, with fans revisiting Wong’s original recording and leaving comments on her official YouTube channel.

The Weeknd also shared footage of the performance on Instagram on October 25, with the video attracting more than 950,000 likes by 4pm today.

His opening concert, attended by more than 40,000 fans, featured over 30 songs, including The Hills, Starboy, Die For You and Blinding Lights, Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao Daily News reported.

The Weeknd had previously expressed his appreciation for Wong’s music, sharing her 1996 album Fuzao on social media in September.

Ahead of his Hong Kong concerts, he also met actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai and his wife, actress Carina Lau, for dinner, later sharing a photograph of their meeting accompanied by Wong’s 1994 song Dream Lover.

The track was featured in Chungking Express, which starred Leung and Wong alongside Takeshi Kaneshiro.

The singer, who previously performed two sold-out concerts in Singapore on October 2 and 3 as part of his After Hours Til Dawn world tour, has two remaining Hong Kong shows scheduled for October 30 and 31.

He has also introduced location-inspired songs during the tour, including tracks associated with Brazil and Japan.

The Weeknd is set to perform at TM Stadium Nasional in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on November 4 and 5 as part of the final leg of his After Hours Til Dawn world tour.