Hong Kong’s highly anticipated annual music celebration, the 2025 Commercial Radio Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation (also known as the Chill Fai Awards), solidified its lineup on Wednesday, unveiling the coveted “My Favorite” nominees. Commercial Radio announced the final five contenders across the categories of Male Artist, Female Artist, and Group, as determined by popular vote leading up to the midday deadline. The official ceremony is set to mark the new year on January 1st at the AsiaWorld-Expo’s Arena, showcasing the local industry’s highest-achieving and most beloved talent.
The fiercely competitive nominations for the My Favorite Male Artist category boiled down to five top performers: MC Cheung, Terence Lam, Keung To, Hins Cheung, and Anson Lo. Notably, the nominations highlighted the dominant popularity of Canto-pop powerhouse boyband MIRROR, with two of its most prominent members—Keung To and Anson Lo—securing their spots among the finalists.
Diverse Talent Dominates Female and Group Categories
The final roster for the My Favorite Female Artist award encompasses a mix of established voices and emerging stars. The five finalists are: Gin Lee, Marf Qiu, Panther Chan, Stephy Tang, and Janice Vidal. This group demonstrates the breadth of female talent currently shaping the region’s music landscape, spanning sophisticated ballads to energetic pop anthems.
Equally compelling is the list of nominees for My Favorite Group. Securing spots among the top five are the popular girl group COLLAR, rock stalwarts Dear Jane, the ubiquitous boyband MIRROR, and the rising acts Pandora and LILLY & SLEEP. The inclusion of groups like Pandora and LILLY & SLEEP alongside titans such as MIRROR signals a vibrant scene where independent and fresh voices are breaking through into the mainstream consciousness.
Context and Implications
The “My Favorite” categories are unique in the Hong Kong music awards ecosystem as they are solely decided by the public, representing the ultimate measure of an artist’s current mass appeal and influence. Unlike technical awards, which are determined by industry experts, these accolades reflect listener engagement and chart success over the past year.
The presence of both Keung To and Anson Lo, alongside veteran star Hins Cheung, underscores the generational shift and enduring popularity of idol culture within Canto-pop. Conversely, the strong showing by acts outside major label structures in the group category suggests that audience tastes are diversifying, rewarding authenticity and varied musical styles.
With the nominees now set, fans will eagerly anticipate the final rounds of voting, which will ultimately decide who lifts the coveted trophies at the January 1st televised event, officially kicking off the Canto-pop year. The final results will serve as a crucial barometer for the year’s musical trends and the trajectory of Hong Kong’s celebrated artists.