Pop star Eason Chan reimagines 'King of Karaoke' with London orchestra

Pop star Eason Chan has released an orchestral version of his classic "King of Karaoke," recorded with the Heritage Orchestra in London.

Pop star Eason Chan poses for a photo with the Heritage Orchestra musicians at Lyndhurst Hall, AIR Studios in London.[Photo courtesy of Universal Music China Greater Bay Area]

Nearly 25 years after releasing his era-defining anthem "King of Karaoke," Chan recorded "King of Karaoke - AIR" with 60 musicians at Lyndhurst Hall, a 140-year-old recording space at AIR Studios in London.

The project began when Xiaomi's Redmi smartphone brand requested the Mandarin version of "King of Karaoke" for a promotional campaign. But Chan had a bigger vision: to re-record the song in both Mandarin and Cantonese with an orchestra, turning what started as a simple plan into an ever-expanding endeavor.

Without rehearsals or warm-ups, Chan entered Lyndhurst Hall and was overwhelmed as the Heritage Orchestra played the song's familiar melody. Tears streamed down his face. He recorded the Cantonese version in three takes and Mandarin in four, calling the collaboration a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"King of Karaoke" was initially released in 2000. Looking back, Chan praised the depth of the original creators, noting the song is not just a love ballad but also a cultural reflection on karaoke's golden age.

The song became a generational touchstone for its portrayal of unappreciated sincerity, expressed in the lyric "the harder I try to love you, the more you think I'm just singing karaoke."

Despite the song's eventual success, Chan recalled its lukewarm reception when he first performed it at a mall event years ago.

"I fully felt the irony in the lyrics, the sorrow of trying my hardest but you never knowing how much heart I put in," Chan said. "The first two times I performed this song in my life were just like a baby tasting the true flavor of food for the first time; it was amazing! After the song became a smash hit, the crowd would erupt as soon as the intro started, and that pure feeling was lost."

In London, working with an orchestra for the first time, he rediscovered that original emotion.

"That's why I couldn't help but shed tears again," he said. "Just hearing them play a few notes made my whole body tremble. Their tone and texture are truly beautiful. Even though the musicians don't understand Chinese, the pure power of music is enough to transcend language; it's really touching."

Chan admitted the production exceeded both expectations and budget. As a result, he personally funded a video crew to record the session for a music video. "The emotion I gained this time truly exceeded expectations; it's totally worth it," he said. 

Pop star Eason Chan becomes emotional during a session to re-record "King of Karaoke" with the Heritage Orchestra at Lyndhurst Hall, AIR Studios in London. [Photo courtesy of Universal Music China Greater Bay Area]

Composer Chan Fai-young, who served as executive producer for the re-recording, envisioned the project as "giving a seasoned soul a new face." The arrangement features nine solo instrumental passages, performed by musicians known for contributing to Hans Zimmer scores and "James Bond" movie soundtracks.

Chan Fai-young reflected: "Hearing Eason sing this song 25 years later, his voice is more three-dimensional and profound. The delicacy accumulated over the years can only be interpreted this way through life experience."

The Cantonese "Day Version" and Mandarin "Night Version" music videos are now available on streaming platforms.