Anita Mui (Mui Ying Fong 梅艷芳) is remembered as one of the
greatest artists in the Asian Pop industry. She died from cervical cancer on
December 30 2003 at the age of only 40.
Anita is often considered the “Queen” of Cantonese Pop (Canto Pop). In the 1980s, in an industry that was predominantly
dominated by male artists, she became one of the first female artists in Hong Kong to sell more than 10 million records. Together with
Alan Tam and Leslie Cheung (another popular Hong Kong pop star, often
considered to be the first “Heavenly King” of Canto Pop, committed suicide in
April 2003), they introduce an idol craze that was never seen before in the
traditionally more demure and conservative Asian Pop Culture, thus creating the
Canto Pop Culture.
The death of Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung was not only a great loss to the Hong Kong entertainment industry, but also to the Canto
Pop Culture which began to wane soon after their death due to poor quality of
the newcomers.
Anita started to sing at a very young age of four years old and turned professional
at the age of only seven. And
until her death more than thirty years later, she had released over 40
albums and won numerous singing awards.
Anita is also well-know for her acting careers, casting in over 40 films and
winning a number of awards in acting.
Anita’s great passion for the stage won great admiration among fellow
artists and the hearts of many fans throughout Asia
and among the overseas Asian communities. Her first concert held in 1985 lasted
for 15 nights. Her 28 consecutive concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum in late 1987 through early
1988 established a world record at that time. In 1990, Anita decided to make
ways to newcomers and held farewell concerts for 33 consecutive nights before
retiring. She was only 28 years old. However, due to her popularity, she returned
to the stage in 1994.
In September 2003, Anita announced that she had been fighting cervical
cancer. Despite her illness, Anita chose to end her life in the same way as her
life begins, on the stage. Enduring great pain and fatigue, she continued on
with her singing and acting until her body could endure no more.
In her final days, Anita held eight concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. She
was also cast for Zhang Yi Mou's 2004 movie House of Flying Daggers and retired only
two weeks before her death. The filming was already 80% completed when she
died. Zhang didn't replace Anita's role with another actress. Instead the
screenplay was changed and the leader of the "House of Flying
Daggers" never appears in the movie as it was Anita's role. The film is
dedicated in her memory.
Anita’s funeral was one of the biggest ever held in Hong
Kong, rivaling that of Bruce Lee’s.
