[2023.12.31] ANITA MUI FANS CONTINUE THEIR IDOL'S SPIRIT

courtesy of singtao.com

Anita Mui

William So posts a photo of a tight embrace with Anita Mui and calls her final days

At the hospital Alan Tam stood in stunned silence while Eric Tsang broke down

Over 100 Anita Mui fans from everywhere pay their respect to her with a moment of silence then a rendition of DEAR LOVER

Eileen from Shanghai and one of the Anita Mui fan club planner Elsa hope to continue Anita Mui's charitable heart

The Grasshoppers perform BAD GIRL on their U.S. concert, leaving a microphone in the center for their mentor Anita Mui
courtesy of mingpao.com

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the late superstar Anita Mui Yim Fong's passing. TVB announced that starting last night for two Saturdays in a row special memorial programs would air, including the Kandi Wong narrated ANITA MUI: FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS and next Saturday's ANITA MUI FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS: BRAZILIAN HEAT WAVE CARNIVAL, for the audience to reminisce Sister Mui's past exciting performance, everyday life and philosophy. The BRAZILIAN HEAT WAVE CARNIVAL would also be the AI restoration version that processed the video and sound from years ago in detail in order to elevate the audience's visual and audio enjoyment.

Sister Mui in 1982 after winning the 1st New Talent Singing contest began to fully enter the music scene. Over the years she has written a lot of history in music. Her ever changing image has already been deeply ingrained into people's minds. In coordination with Sister Mui's ever changing diva image, the show opened with a lot of Sister Mui's classic looks. Something sentimental that Sister Mui said tightly followed. "I wish everyone would remember this person was here, Mui Yim Fong." The program had a lot of Sister Mui's past valuable interview footage, including her taking the audience to visit where she grew up and telling the joy of how the song girl grew up. In addition were countless past exciting performances, including the performance of IN THE LAZER with Roman Tam (Law Man), and WOMEN'S HEART with Sally Yeh (Yip Sin Man), Sandy Lam Yik Lin and Faye Wong.

Sister Mui admitted that the Bad Girl image had a special place in her heart. "However not too many accepted it, because the make up was rather exaggerated, deep purple eye shadow and thick eye brows. Some felt the look was very odd, but I thought to be able to drive a trend was very rare." Sister Mui even joked that the "Flaming Red Lips" busty costume was actually an accident. Her original intention was only to show off her arms. She did not expect everyone's eyes would fall on her chest.

Famous image designer Eddie Lau Pui Kei was a good friend of Sister Mui. 10 years ago he spoke of "two of Sister Mui's most important stage costumes in life". "Actually when she (at her final concert) rose up, everyone's applause and cheer was very important to her because she needed this strength and support. At the time she was actually very tired, so thank you to the audience of the 8 shows and the newspaper's praises and support of her. This love to her was very important." Finally Lau Pui Kei even sentimentally said that in his life, he has done only one image design. That was the ever changing Mui Yim Fong.

Another trademark of Sister Mui were her loyalty and her friends all over. The program edited together her friends Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing, Andy Lau Tak Wa, Anthony Lun Wai Leung, Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King), the Grasshoppers, Patrick Tam Yiu Man and others' opinions of Sister Mui. Cheung Kwok Wing's was the fastest, precise and accurate. "Slutty, pretty, hot, and cool, for Hong Kong she was quite the representative."

The program also had Sister Mui's personal explanation of the "importance of friends". "The year after New Talent was really pretty rough for me, because I just moved out, money wise I couldn't really take care of myself. I couldn't shop for grocery or cook, but my friends were good, getting me grocery and even cooking for me. Once a friend called to ask me to dinner, I said I didn't have enough money. I only had enough to go but not for the return trip." The host was wowed, Sister Mui immediately swore that she was not lying. Because when she first started she had to pay rent and other costs, the expense was enormous. Finally her friend not only treated her to dinner but gave her extra spending money. She said, "Why I like friends so much, because friends influenced me greatly."

The program in the end even visited loyal Sister Mui fans of many years. While getting an understanding of how Sister Mui in life brought beautiful influence on everyone, viewers also witnessed how the fans "passed on the forever legend" of Sister Mui and Sister Mui's selfless love to generation after generation.

So Wai Hong yesterday remembered Mui Yim Fong on the 20th anniversary of her passing on his social media platform, and shared Sister Mui's final moments. So Wing Hong posted, "On the morning of December 25th 03, I stepped into the room, 'Sister Mui, I am here...' That was my last eye contact with you. Half a hour later the medical team began to intubate you, Ms. So (Anita Mui International Fan Club president) began to scripture chants. Marianne (Mui Yim Fong's manager Wong Man Wi) and I knew at this moment finally arrived. Donny (Mui Yim Fong's assistant) again reminded me what the Master advised earlier, at this moment we must whisper by her ears, telling her not to worry about or miss us. We would be great. Go in peace, without any pain any more!" So Wing Hong said that he was reminded not to let Mui Yim Fong see anyone's tears. If anyone truly needed to cry the tears could not fall on her body. Later family and friends arrived, the first were (Eric) Tsang Chi Wai and "Principal" (Alan) Tam Wing Lun. Chi Wai finally succumbed to tears. "Seeing you intubated in bed, Principal stood stunned for awhile, Brother Chi Wai's tears immediately broke out. I pulled Brother Chi Wai to the side, say what you should say once. For those several days outside the room I repeated that once to each friend who went to see you..."

So Wai Hong praised Mui Yim Fong for being truly talented. Her influence in future generations would reach far, far beyond anyone's imagination. He also recalled that on one night in early 2003, Mui Yim Fong told him about her cancer in Happy Valley. "I told her, 'Sister Mui, take good care of yourself, you are our 'spiritual leader'......actually I am not the only one who believes that you are still that generation of people's 'spiritual leader'." Even though Sister Mui passed many years ago, So Wing Hong actually for a long period did not dare to listen to her songs. He said, "Because I definitely would shed tears, in recent years I seem to be able to because I am finally used to it. You are in another space, I still want to thank you for the bowtie you gave me on the night of the New Talent contest. Thank you for bringing me into 'Canton' on Canton Road. Thank you for sleeping on the floor in Suishaya, and analyze what image was with me! Thank you for telling me to wear glasses and teaching me how to draw my eyebrows! And for many, many more that I can't totally remember......we are still living well, don't worry."