Anita Mui

Anita Mui

Anita Mui Yim-fong (10 October 1963 – 30 December 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actress. During her prime years she made major contributions to the cantopop music scene, while receiving numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout most of her career, and was generally regarded as a cantopop diva. Mui once held a sold-out concert at Hammersmith, London, England, where she was dubbed the "Madonna of Asia" and brought her to further international fame. That title has stayed with her throughout her career, and has been used as a comparison for both Eastern and Western media.

In the 1980s the gangtai style of music was revolutionised by Mui's wild dancing and on stage femininity. She was famed for her outrageous costumes and high-power performances in combination with contralto vocals, which are rare in female artists. Her fanbase reached far beyond Hong Kong into much of Asia, such as Taiwan, Mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as the overseas market. In the Hong Kong entertainment industry, where stars often rise to fall quickly, Mui remained in the spotlight for nearly 20 years. Her career was only halted in 2003 by the surprising diagnosis that Mui had cervical cancer. She died at the early age of 40. Mui left considerable music and film legacies and her involvement in charitable work and humanitarian causes whilst alive give continuing reason for her commemoration by the Hong Kong entertainment industry.