ISSUE 9 | SEPT 2017
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur mattis magna aliquet bibendum consequat. Proin rutrum neque in leo elementum sollicitudin. Nulla congue nec eros nec vestibulum. Pellentesque eu leo tincidunt, fringilla nulla in, mollis arcu. Ut convallis enim ac elit iaculis, eget imperdiet libero dapibus. Vestibulum finibus euismod est, sed consectetur risus elementum ut. Quisque neque turpis, blandit eu rhoncus at, interdum et ante. Nulla eleifend viverra tellus eu posuere. Maecenas ac porttitor neque, ut ultrices augue. Sed ut luctus ante, ac suscipit lacus. Etiam vestibulum diam eu hendrerit fermentum. Fusce viverra nunc nec elit placerat, a mollis neque ultrices. Quisque viverra, dui a lobortis pellentesque, nunc ligula egestas tortor, vitae eleifend orci odio eget tellus. Nam lacinia tempor quam eget fringilla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Quisque a metus et neque pulvinar commodo. Nulla ut vehicula lacus. Integer egestas metus vitae tellus lacinia dapibus. Praesent ac tincidunt velit, a bibendum nunc. Curabitur sed purus sodales, sollicitudin metus sed, consequat est. Fusce gravida, lectus id commodo pellentesque, augue magna dignissim lorem, ac luctus est mauris vitae massa. Maecenas pharetra augue lorem, ac ornare mi accumsan eu. Pellentesque at justo auctor, porttitor ex id, dapibus justo. Fusce auctor ultrices velit at rutrum. Sed sodales eros tortor. Donec hendrerit nulla in hendrerit auctor. Quisque ut aliquet elit. Morbi varius cursus lobortis. Nulla facilisi. Maecenas elementum purus eu risus dictum, ac interdum orci posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur mattis magna aliquet bibendum consequat. Proin rutrum neque in leo elementum sollicitudin. Nulla congue nec eros nec vestibulum. Pellentesque eu leo tincidunt, fringilla nulla in, mollis arcu. Ut convallis enim ac elit iaculis, eget imperdiet libero dapibus. Vestibulum finibus euismod est, sed consectetur risus elementum ut. Quisque neque turpis, blandit eu rhoncus at, interdum et ante. Nulla eleifend viverra tellus eu posuere. Maecenas ac porttitor neque, ut ultrices augue. Sed ut luctus ante, ac suscipit lacus. Etiam vestibulum diam eu hendrerit fermentum. Fusce viverra nunc nec elit placerat, a mollis neque ultrices. Quisque viverra, dui a lobortis pellentesque, nunc ligula egestas tortor, vitae eleifend orci odio eget tellus. Nam lacinia tempor quam eget fringilla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Quisque a metus et neque pulvinar commodo. Nulla ut vehicula lacus. Integer egestas metus vitae tellus lacinia dapibus. Praesent ac tincidunt velit, a bibendum nunc. Curabitur sed purus sodales, sollicitudin metus sed, consequat est. Fusce gravida, lectus id commodo pellentesque, augue magna dignissim lorem, ac luctus est mauris vitae massa. Maecenas pharetra augue lorem, ac ornare mi accumsan eu. Pellentesque at justo auctor, porttitor ex id, dapibus justo. Fusce auctor ultrices velit at rutrum. Sed sodales eros tortor. Donec hendrerit nulla in hendrerit auctor. Quisque ut aliquet elit. Morbi varius cursus lobortis. Nulla facilisi. Maecenas elementum purus eu risus dictum, ac interdum orci posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur mattis magna aliquet bibendum consequat. Proin rutrum neque in leo elementum sollicitudin. Nulla congue nec eros nec vestibulum. Pellentesque eu leo tincidunt, fringilla nulla in, mollis arcu. Ut convallis enim ac elit iaculis, eget imperdiet libero dapibus. Vestibulum finibus euismod est, sed consectetur risus elementum ut. Quisque neque turpis, blandit eu rhoncus at, interdum et ante. Nulla eleifend viverra tellus eu posuere. Maecenas ac porttitor neque, ut ultrices augue. Sed ut luctus ante, ac suscipit lacus. Etiam vestibulum diam eu hendrerit fermentum. Fusce viverra nunc nec elit placerat, a mollis neque ultrices. Quisque viverra, dui a lobortis pellentesque, nunc ligula egestas tortor, vitae eleifend orci odio eget tellus. Nam lacinia tempor quam eget fringilla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Quisque a metus et neque pulvinar commodo. Nulla ut vehicula lacus. Integer egestas metus vitae tellus lacinia dapibus. Praesent ac tincidunt velit, a bibendum nunc. Curabitur sed purus sodales, sollicitudin metus sed, consequat est. Fusce gravida, lectus id commodo pellentesque, augue magna dignissim lorem, ac luctus est mauris vitae massa. Maecenas pharetra augue lorem, ac ornare mi accumsan eu. Pellentesque at justo auctor, porttitor ex id, dapibus justo. Fusce auctor ultrices velit at rutrum. Sed sodales eros tortor. Donec hendrerit nulla in hendrerit auctor. Quisque ut aliquet elit. Morbi varius cursus lobortis. Nulla facilisi. Maecenas elementum purus eu risus dictum, ac interdum orci posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. PraesentW sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur mattis magna aliquet bibendum consequat. Proin rutrum neque in leo elementum sollicitudin. Nulla congue nec eros nec vestibulum. Pellentesque eu leo tincidunt, fringilla nulla in, mollis arcu. Ut convallis enim ac elit iaculis, eget imperdiet libero dapibus. Vestibulum finibus euismod est, sed consectetur risus elementum ut. Quisque neque turpis, blandit eu rhoncus at, interdum et ante. Nulla eleifend viverra tellus eu posuere. Maecenas ac porttitor neque, ut ultrices augue. Sed ut luctus ante, ac suscipit lacus. Etiam vestibulum diam eu hendrerit fermentum. Fusce viverra nunc nec elit placerat, a mollis neque ultrices. Quisque viverra, dui a lobortis pellentesque, nunc ligula egestas tortor, vitae eleifend orci odio eget tellus. Nam lacinia tempor quam eget fringilla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Quisque a metus et neque pulvinar commodo. Nulla ut vehicula lacus. Integer egestas metus vitae tellus lacinia dapibus. Praesent ac tincidunt velit, a bibendum nunc. Curabitur sed purus sodales, sollicitudin metus sed, consequat est. Fusce gravida, lectus id commodo pellentesque, augue magna dignissim lorem, ac luctus est mauris vitae massa. Maecenas pharetra augue lorem, ac ornare mi accumsan eu. Pellentesque at justo auctor, porttitor ex id, dapibus justo. Fusce auctor ultrices velit at rutrum. Sed sodales eros tortor. Donec hendrerit nulla in hendrerit auctor. Quisque ut aliquet elit. Morbi varius cursus lobortis. Nulla facilisi. Maecenas elementum purus eu risus dictum, ac interdum orci posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultrici Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur mattis magna aliquet bibendum consequat. Proin rutrum neque in leo elementum sollicitudin. Nulla congue nec eros nec vestibulum. Pellentesque eu leo tincidunt, fringilla nulla in, mollis arcu. Ut convallis enim ac elit iaculis, eget imperdiet libero dapibus. Vestibulum finibus euismod est, sed consectetur risus elementum ut. Quisque neque turpis, blandit eu rhoncus at, interdum et ante. Nulla eleifend viverra tellus eu posuere. Maecenas ac porttitor neque, ut ultrices augue. Sed ut luctus ante, ac suscipit lacus. Etiam vestibulum diam eu hendrerit fermentum. Fusce viverra nunc nec elit placerat, a mollis neque ultrices. Quisque viverra, dui a lobortis pellentesque, nunc ligula egestas tortor, vitae eleifend orci odio eget tellus. Nam lacinia tempor quam eget fringilla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Quisque a metus et neque pulvinar commodo. Nulla ut vehicula lacus. Integer egestas metus vitae tellus lacinia dapibus. Praesent ac tincidunt velit, a bibendum nunc. Curabitur sed purus sodales, sollicitudin metus sed, consequat est. Fusce gravida, lectus id commodo pellentesque, augue magna dignissim lorem, ac luctus est mauris vitae massa. Maecenas pharetra augue lorem, ac ornare mi accumsan eu. Pellentesque at justo auctor, porttitor ex id, dapibus justo. Fusce auctor ultrices velit at rutrum. Sed sodales eros tortor. Donec hendrerit nulla in hendrerit auctor. Quisque ut aliquet elit. Morbi varius cursus lobortis. Nulla facilisi. Maecenas elementum purus eu risus dictum, ac interdum orci posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec eu volutpat turpis. Cras eu purus quis dui facilisis cursus et sed felis. Morbi vel commodo lacus. Praesent sed nulla non sapien feugiat consectetur. Donec non velit imperdiet, varius mauris in, aliquam erat. Nullam at commodo erat, quis luctus diam. Nulla erat tellus, congue quis erat vitae, luctus dictum ipsum. Quisque porttitor ultricies felis id elementum. Aliquam quis ex at ex semper bibendum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Pellentesque ac consectetur magna. Duis mollis vitae tortor ut venenatis. Vivamus non turpis euismod, convallis purus sit amet, bibendum purus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse in lacinia ligula, non laoreet magna. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vel sodales dolor. Vestibulum ornare, tortor at vehicula rhoncus, lectus tortor tincidunt mi, in blandit ante mi sit amet ex. Mauris cursus venenatis vehicula. Mauris accumsan nisi ut enim efficitur, id dictum augue tempor. Nullam pellentesque nec nisl in auctor. Nulla laoreet, justo et lobortis interdum, mauris lorem dapibus ipsum, non pharetra lectus lacus sit amet tortor. Praesent consectetur tristique ullamcorper. Nullam viverra, dui vel sollicitudin sollicitudin, dolor orci bibendum risus, a mollis elit metus ac diam. Fusce sagittis erat diam, in pretium magna fringilla eu. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent
ADVERTISE WITH ETHOS CONTACT US AT ETHOSWIS@GMAIL.COM
MAGAZINE
EDITOR IN CHIEF Nishtha Banavalikar
COVER Nishtha Banavalikar
EDITORS Lily Lu Saima Abidi Nishtha Banavalikar
CONTRIBUTORS Samantha Ng Jingyi Xie Megha Datta Gayathri Eyunni Shivika Adukia
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Lu CREATIVE Stephanie Choi Glen To Dominic Shen PROMOTIONS Ranae Choi
WRITERS Minerva Cheng Nishtha Banavalikar Navya Kapoor Andrew Mcnaughton SUPERVISOR Ms. Sara Ellison
WISETHOS.WEEBLY.COM ETHOSWIS@GMAIL.COM WEST ISLAND SCHOOL’S LITERARY AND ARTS MAGAZINE
CONTENTS
5
03
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Nishtha Banavalikar
18 16
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL Minerva Cheng
20
MELODRAMA Nishtha Banavalikar
Z CITY LIFE 10 GENERATION Nishtha Banavalikar 33 Minerva Cheng MONSOON FASHION IS 12 Nishtha Banavalikar 38 WHERE Shivika Adukia DIAMANTE POEMS FLEETING MOMENTS 14 Samantha Ng 40 Minerva Cheng NAMES IDENTITY 41 Danya Bhasin 15 Jingyi Xie
42 POLCO. Navya Kapoor 43 ACQUAINTED WITH THE LAKE Megha Datta
IS A SCENE. 44 THIS Andrew McNaughton
46 PERSPECTIVES WITH MS. HANNAFORD
the identity issue
07 STARDUST WHO AM I? Nishtha Banavalikar 22 Minerva Cheng THE BIRD OF TIME 08 Gayathri Eyunni 24 URBANISM
36
letter from the editor Ethos is a magazine of change. As each year goes by and a new team takes hold of the reins, the essence of the magazine changes to reflect their resolve. In taking over the leadership for Ehos this year, our team has been encouraged to reflect on the past issues of this magazine and consider what the Ethos editorial represents in our community. As adolescents growing up in the digital age, we are thwarted and bombarded with information from various cultures and perspectives, to the point that our individual identity can feel confined. Who are we in this sea of screaming colours? There are millions from our country, millions in our career paths, millions who listen to the same music or read the same books as us. In a world with so many, repetition is inevitable. In a world of clashing and contrasting views, ever changing morality, and mainstream oppression, our individualism becomes more precious. We persevere after something to hold onto, something to isolate us from the hords, an inkling of our identity. This issue explores ‘Identity’ in its purest and simplest form: the state of being. Identity is simply who one is, the meaning in the concrete aspects of our lives that have shaped us. The beauty in ‘Identity’ is that it manifests in the eye of the beholder; it is what you want it to be. Your identity and your very being is however you define it to be and because of this, it is precious and individual and unique. For our ninth issue, we wanted to emphasise this definition and emphasize identity as both essential and auxiliary, all encompassing and arbitrary. As a state of being, identity is as blanketing as existence itself, and as discrete as a fingerprint. Number Nine also comes with a new feature installed, a photography spread titled “Urbanism”. Here in Hong Kong, surrounded by the concrete jungle we call home, we’ve been conditioned into the bustle of this starving metropolis. It encouraged us to wonder how this defined us and how it isolated us. The photos, paired with Minerva Cheng’s narrative, tell a tall tale of city life. Looking through the pages, I hope you are able to feel the indisputable strength within acknowledging your identity that all of our contributors surely have. Whether it be within the evolution of fashion, the accession of Urbanism, or the inauguration of a new generation. Our state of being is one that encompasses the rational and the emotional and our identity is our essence of character, both who we are and who we wish to be.
I hope that, if you wish to, you may find power in your identity.
Sincerely,
ethos | 3
monsoon,
12 | ethos
She was born in the monsoon, raging war and hunger. There was a spark in her eyes, a misplaced ember, A part of her that would will to fight. She was born in the monsoon, the thunders; her cries. Each retort a jolt of lightning, an attack in light, a part of her that would will to fly. She was born in the monsoon, but she was a fire, burning, burning, burning -- that was her first mistake. Her blood was liquid heat which, they drove to drown out. Her eyes sparked fury which, they thrived to water down. Her very essence was numbed by the reminder of her birth. But like a fire in the storm, she would never learn. Each remark a fuel to the flame. Each criticism, bark to her bite. it drove her. They made her: the woman as tolerant as fire, as relentless as the rain. She was born in the monsoon, a raging heart beat cracking at dawn. Her cries thundered and her tears flashed. She was dangerous, she must be shunned. They had seen the power in her, the rains and the floods. The sheer force behind her tongue. She was dangerous, she must be feared. With the rains came a cold, the fear soaked ice on her tongue. A lethal coiling, war and hunger. She was dangerous; she must be stopped. And so we arrive at the age old question; who is to blame? Frankenstein or his monster? The victim or it’s creator? Who was it that shaped her? The rains that beat her? Or the blood that weighed her down.
Written by Nishtha Banavalikar
ethos | 13
WHO AM I?
MINERVA CHENG
If you were to ask me now, I cannot answer. Je n’ai sais pas. I am constantly changing, learning, growing. Experiences and memories shift and sculpt my mould. What makes up this entity I refer to as “me”? I do not know who I am or who I will be… All I know is who I was and who I want to become. An ephemeral road stop is my goal in the long winding path That most call life. On this road trip of an adventure, there will be challenges And I will have to face them, At the end and only at the end, will I truly understand the notion of myself. So… Who am I?
22 | ethos
ethos | 23
THE FLUX AND EFFERVESCEN
24 | ethos
NCE OF A CONVULSING AGE
Sreejony Sengupta
ethos | 25
this is a scene. O
ur city is well known for a variety of reasons. Yet, whenever Hong Kong is mentioned in conversation, its music scene is unfairly looked over. This could be due to a lack of Hong Kong locals in the mainstream music market - however, the underground scene and rising student acts are anything but quiet. Often laced with heavy bass and catchy leads or slow ballads accompanied with strong vocals, Hong Kong’s local musicians have always made their presence known around the city. Its abundance of alternative rock groups and aspiring solo acts are, without a doubt, an integral part of Hong Kong’s modern culture. Walking down the streets of Mong Kok, there is an unmistakable energy that can be felt through every corner. It is the place for bands and musicians to gather, with a wide range of practice rooms and recording studios to offer. These areas are where Hong Kong’s most talented musicians refine their craft. Among these artists, many young groups are practicing for festivals and events organized by schools across the city. “These shows are a great opportunity for new bands to gain experience and exposure,” one student musician, Tiffany, suggests. She has participated as a performer in KGV’s student-organised “Lion Rock” music festival, as well as West Island School’s very own “Amplified” festival, which was also organised by students. “Not only does it give aspiring musicians a chance to show off their talent, it provides the youth in Hong Kong a taste of concert promotion and opportunities for music journalism,” Tiffany adds. As an independent musician myself, I can agree. The amount of talent that can be found in the youth here is something I’ve always admired. Many artists, especially those who are underground, are willing to collaborate on a project or idea simply through the motivation of creating music and nothing else. It’s so ridiculously easy to find others around you who will share your passion and drive. However, independent music here often gets overlooked, due to it not being heavily covered by mainstream media. Nevertheless, I’ve noticed that the underground scene still offers a place for everyone due to its raw and authentic atmosphere. Everything you see from independent acts here are put together by talented individuals who aren’t likely to come from overproduced, sugary entertainment companies. In other words, everything you see is simply the way it is. These artists are not a gimmick, nor are they in it for cash.
44 | ethos
WITH MS. HANNAFORD
perspectives
46 | ethos
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