Hong Kong singer admits he hasn’t taken a real vacation in seven years, reveals plans to release vinyl records and cassette tapes before going off-grid
Hong Kong singer-songwriter Terence Lam made a rare public appearance Thursday night at the “Shine On! Po Leung Kuk Charity Concert,” where he admitted his well-known tendency to “intermittently disappear” from the spotlight is by design — and that a much longer hiatus may be coming soon.
Lam, 33, told reporters backstage that despite staying home frequently, he has remained consistently busy with work for the past seven years. “I haven’t taken a long vacation in seven years — only sick leave,” he said. “Right now I’m working on producing a vinyl record, cassette tapes, and a Blu-ray disc. Releasing a vinyl has always been a goal of mine. Once I finish these projects, I want to take a proper long break. I’ll turn off my phone.”
With a laugh, Lam added that he would ideally take four or five years off and might impulsively buy a plane ticket to travel abroad whenever the mood strikes.
DSE Exam Song Raises Concerns
When asked about his song “April Story” being selected as part of this year’s Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) music examination, Lam expressed mixed feelings. Rather than gaining new student fans, he worried the move might create anxiety. “Students might associate me with exams — that’s not necessarily a happy thing,” he said.
Collaboration With Tyson Yoshi and Younger Artists
Lam addressed recent comments from friend and fellow musician Tyson Yoshi, who said he had difficulty reaching him. Lam clarified that phone communication works fine and physical meetings aren’t essential. Regarding a song he’s writing for Yoshi, Lam revealed it is only half-finished. “If I handle everything from composition to arrangement to production, the result feels too much like my own style,” he explained. “By leaving half for him to complete, we create a collaborative piece with more balance. He’s free to modify it however he wants.”
When asked about a potential invitation from young singer Chantel Yiu to appear as a guest at her concert, Lam said she was being too polite — but admitted his passive personality rarely leads him to initiate or accept collaborations with younger artists. Combined with his desire for a break, he hasn’t agreed to any invitations yet.
Jay Fung’s Playful Plea
Fellow artist Jay Fung, who was interviewed alongside Lam, joked that anyone hoping to invite Lam as a guest would have to get in line. Fung, who is working on new music projects but feeling drained creatively and mentally, said he would love Lam to write a song for him. “I want to try performing someone else’s work. But I hope I don’t have to wait four or five years for the song — ideally he finishes it before going on vacation.”
Lam retorted with a grin, demanding Fung compliment him as “handsome” before he would even consider the request.
Broader Implications
Lam’s candid remarks highlight a growing conversation in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry about artist burnout and the pressure to constantly produce. As streaming and physical formats coexist, artists like Lam are balancing nostalgia-driven projects — such as vinyl and cassette releases — with the relentless demands of modern fandom. His planned extended absence may signal a shift toward prioritizing mental health over visibility, a trend gaining traction among Asian pop stars.
For fans, the message is clear: Terence Lam will be around long enough to finish his physical media projects — but after that, don’t expect to hear from him for a while.
