Classically trained Corey Koh ( 高雍䖍 ) had his first taste of Mandopop earlier this year with the release of The Right Time (对的时候), his first Mandarin release, which was well received. Not only did the release earn him new fans and followers, but it also brought his unique vocal style to the attention of local music producers.

One of them is maestro Li SiSong ( 李偲菘), who has written and produced hits for many big stars in Asia like Stefanie Sun (孙燕姿), Jacky Cheung (张学), Sandy Lam (林忆莲) Jem Hsiao (萧敬腾) and Gigi Leong (梁咏琪). Corey was honored when Li agreed to produce his follow-up release in Mandarin. Sisong was interested in exploring the tenor quality of his vocals and was keen to explore ways to incorporate that unique sound into a pop arrangement.

At the discussion during the song selection, Li suggested a rearrangement of 听说爱情回来过, his 1994 composition for Sandy Lam. He wanted to present a more dramatic interpretation and feature the well-loved song from the POV of a young male singer.

The song is about a painful yearning for a lost, unrequited love affair. Sisong has heard Corey’s last release Only Love, and was impressed by the fact that Corey adapted his classical singing technique to deliver a sincere and unembellished performance rather than relying on too many pop music singing techniques. He found this interesting and refreshing. So, in this collaboration, he wanted to capture that raw sincerity in the delivery.

Corey had heard the song before from his mother’s playlist, but once the choice was made, he had to study the song in detail with Li to capture the nuances of the song and to create a backstory for the interpretation of the song.

Corey says, ‘The experience was really interesting because the sentiments in the song itself are quite mature, and I tried hard to relate to it. I really love this song and want to present a different version from what has been done before. So there was a lot of thinking and experimenting to find the best way to deliver the song."

But nothing prepared him for the very meticulous style of a Li Sisong production. It took him four intense recording sessions to capture the right mood and deliver what Sisong wanted. It was indeed an eye-opening experience for him ‘working with maestro Sisong was a wonderful experience. He was exacting and demanding, but it’s all for a better product, and that’s what I also want. I really learned a lot from him about delivering the emotions for something as complex as this song."

Sisong also has his views on the final result of the song. ‘I like the challenge of infusing a classical touch to a classic pop song and feels that Corey has worked hard and done a good job in delivering a song that would touch people with his sincerity. Corey has tried his best to deliver something interesting, and I like his focused attitude towards music. I think that he will have a good career in the pop music arena with new challenges in the future. I hope people will like the song and Corey’s vocal style."

It’s certainly exciting to take on new challenges and showcase them to audiences worldwide. Feedback from audiences will help Corey plan his future career, especially now that he has started his studies in the USA and will be more mindful of his musical choices and direction in the near future.

The totally new dramatic interpretation of 听说爱情回来过 has just been released on all streaming platforms. The music video will be released shortly with a special tie-in with karaoke clubs where audiences can try this song in a new and dramatic light.

听说爱情回来过 (The Return) is now available on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, and leading music streaming services!

Apple Music
https://tr.ee/HIETBl_gfh
Spotify
https://tr.ee/D9TfAi-480