Canto-pop veterans from Coco Lee to George Lam take on younger idols Gigi Yim, Shan Yichun in reality TV competition Infinity and Beyond

//The resurgence of old Canto-pop hits is comparable to a similar trend in Britain and the US, according to Professor Anthony Fung Ying-him, who researches popular culture in the city and China at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong is slightly behind when it comes to this trend of nostalgia,” he says. “In other regions, people have long recognised this [phenomenon], as with the Beatles, Queen and Prince – these icons have been rediscovered and celebrated by the youth.”

While showcasing younger talents forms a vital part of Infinity and Beyond, other similar mainland Chinese productions focus primarily on Canto-pop’s golden era, Fung adds.

“Canto-pop had its largest influence on the mainland during the 1990s, therefore, the audience is more familiar with singers from that era,” he explains, adding acceptance of newcomers may vary in different market segments, “and the voices demanding new-school Canto-pop singers may be the minority.”

…The emergence of new networks has also allowed a variety of genres to flourish, Fung says. “Different platforms perceive ‘mainstream music’ differently … TVB’s productions focus on the significance of ’90s or even ’80s music, whereas ViuTV is the opposite and engages with the diversity in the present state of Canto-pop.”//