In an era that prioritizes efficiency and recognition, we have become so accustomed to defining a person through simple symbols—a four-letter name, a zodiac sign, a hashtag—as if these alone are enough to capture the essence of a soul.
But can we really understand a person solely through these means?
The M+ Night is different series, themed around There is hope for everyone. this June, invites Hong Kong independent musician Serrini (Leung Ka-Yin) to embark on a nocturnal journey exploring the realms of language, music, and personal boundaries. Before the performance, we engaged in a profound conversation with this PhD in philosophy from the music scene, delving into topics of labels, identity, and redemption—filled with laughter, depth, chaos, and liberation.
For Tag, this double-edged sword, how do we break free from the confines of stereotypes and truly be ourselves?
Labels are just a ticket to entry.
Whether you’re familiar with Serrini or not, you’ve probably heard one or two of her unique nicknames. She’s a vibrant presence on stage as Shu Nina, and in the online world, she embodies Queen of the Throne, Dr. Liang, and sometimes even the sweet sounds of That girl, 茵茵, or Mami. Her creative style is incredibly diverse, spanning catchy pop, electronic dance music, and upbeat love songs, often sprinkled with absurd yet intriguing lyrics.
When we first met Serrini, we asked her to introduce herself using three words. After a moment of thought, she slowly responded with: Quiet, reserved, sweet. To be honest, when I heard introverted, I doubted my ears. This adjective contrasts amusingly with her bold and independent image, yet it illustrates that labels are just a way of categorizing; your classification and mine won’t ever fully align.
The appearance of those labels is because I want to make it easier for everyone, especially journalists, to do their work. If I asked them to come up with a word to describe me, it would be a real headache for everyone. But if I think of it first and then share it with them, not only does it save everyone effort, but it also allows me to define myself in my own way. For example, ‘singer-songwriter socialite’—people would find it intriguing and then start talking about it themselves.
Thus, Serrini has a variety of labels, and what’s more interesting is that she reemerges with new ones from time to time. She mentioned that she can create even more nicknames in the future, like Rock ‘n’ Roll Cat, Tough on the outside, soft on the inside, or even Rich women, Art and cultural enthusiasts, MPlus Patron, Art Collector, and so on.
Seeing her so enthusiastic and unreservedly labeling herself with various tags is quite a sight. If she’s covered in stickers, she’s already mastered an art: gracefully peeling them off, swapping them for new ones, or even inventing her own set.
Serrini openly stated that she believes labels are a good thing. To help a wide audience understand what kind of person this artist is, they will need some anchor points. She then slowly elaborated, If the tags are too complicated, like 『摇滚喵咪』 (Rock Cat), people won’t understand what it means. So, I need simple, easy-to-grasp tags that help everyone get who I am, like 『Art Buff』, 『Indie Musician』, or 『Really Outgoing』 hashtags. But once folks understand these tags, the next move is to rip them off and slap on new ones—kind of like seasons, constantly refreshing how others see you..
So, this time the different themes of M+ Night really suit me, because these labels aren’t for everyone, and I don’t really stick to any fixed tags myself.Serrini stated seriously.
The label reflects which side you see, and it also depends on the angle from which you’re observing her.
Self-Definition and Self-Salvation
Never let the world tell you to dominate. Think of labels as mere signs rather than prisons—you’re free to tear them off and put new ones on whenever you want.
From the test results of ENFJ written into song titles, to self-labeling as Singer-songwriter socialite and Rocking Cat, Serrini has become a walking encyclopedia of self-narration; she’s unafraid of being categorized, instead inviting you to flip through the pages, each one revealing a hidden tension and a gentle foreshadowing.
When we discuss the entrapment of anxiety and labels, Serrini laughs lightly and says, I don’t have much anxiety., then turns to look at those around her. Everyone gently shakes their heads, as if sharing a silent understanding. When the people around you share similar values and hope for a better world, those labels or anxieties simply don’t affect you. Whether it’s about age, sexual orientation, body image, or income worries, anxiety ends up being pretty useless anyway.
This is a choice and a kind of strength. So, she decided to first take care of herself before saving others, just as the theme of this M+There is hope for everyone. suggests. Serrini also has a unique understanding: I would say it’s ‘You do you, I do me,’ because you can’t show favoritism or lean too much toward anything. When you’re in the process of elevating yourself, the people and circumstances around you are actually inspired by you to innovate, and hidden within that is a spirit of ‘saving without prejudice.’ is not about redeeming others, but rather a form of self-growth. I believe that progress is more important than saving people because I don’t want to do their life lessons for them. Instead, I need to focus on becoming the best version of myself. If anyone needs it, I’ll see how I can help or inspire everyone from there..
Before saving others, it’s inevitable that you first need to save yourself. When asked about Self-rescue approach, Serrini’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed: Oh my god! I love it! I could talk about this for two hours. One of her favorite personal growth methods is definitely working out. Hitting the gym, doing heavy Deadlifts, or pushing yourself to the point of tearing your muscles is all about breaking them down so they can grow back stronger. I think this idea also kinda mirrors my life — I need to take on tough challenges for myself to keep growing and leveling up.
She has never been afraid of extremes, because she knows that only by facing the darkest emotions can she truly discover her authentic self. So, in addition to creating and working out, she continuously challenges herself through reading and engaging with different people and experiences. Whether it’s going scuba diving, earning a deep-sea diving certification, taking your snorkel or goggles with you into the deep sea, or making new friends, exploring new places and markets, or performing somewhere new.
When I feel fear, it might actually be a reminder telling me: You can try facing this challenge. So that night’s Night is different was, for her, also a Entrance point, Used to evoke and awaken everyone’s emotions, there’s no need to carry the labels from outside anymore. But the next step is to remind you to be kind to yourself—you are inherently a unique being..
There is hope for everyone.
That night’s M+ performance, her collaboration with the band was also quite refreshing. I think one of the best parts about performing with the band is how their energy can be transmitted to me. They are all incredibly talented musicians and love a lot of virtuoso playing. So, they elevate the songs we perform together in terms of layers and depth. For example, a piece that was already pretty groovy becomes wild and untamed — maybe not the most appropriate word, but I really like it.
That night, Serrini also brought along Cybersecurity Risks, Living increasingly trouble-prone, Thunderbolt, A wealthy woman, and Lead Actress. With her specially crafted Rundown, she guided everyone through an emotional journey, from anger to tenderness, making everyone sway and traverse through the ups and downs of feelings: This time, I divided the playlist into two parts: one leaning towards band sound, and the other more relevant and pop-inspired, with a slightly slower rhythm for a more relaxed vibe. I hope to showcase my musical journey to the audience — from my early days to recent changes. It may start with more anger, while the middle and later parts feel a bit unstable. The whole playlist resembles a bell-shaped arc of rage. The budding, the epitome, and the end also form a cycle..
Delving into Serrini’s work, which has often been labeled as A fresh, carefree vibe that’s all about riding in style and embracing the laid-back, youthful spirit., may appear at first as playful banter, but within the lines lies a meticulous dissection of urban loneliness and societal phenomena. What she sings about are the things we find hard to articulate.
Even Serrini describes that his fans and live performances always radiate a kind of religious energy.
It’s clear that she connects reality through music, empowering her fans and inspiring everyone to strive for self-improvement. With her image and work, she boldly embraces acceptance and self-deprecation, showcasing a unique confidence that captivates those who adore Tree.
Art is life.
Rather than opting for a safe route, Go to the mall to sing a few songs., Serrini boldly chose the path filled with challenges—this was true for both her creations and her performances.
If someone is already doing something, I don’t casually jump in unless I can add value or bring a unique perspective. This might be related to my academic background — if I only quote what others have said, I might only earn a D. But to get an A, I need to find some flaws or fill in certain gaps. Having gone through high school, college, master’s, and Ph.D., this habit of filling in gaps has become second nature. So when I create, I might unconsciously continue this mindset. For example, making beats that are very reggae or laid-back, or featuring very aggressive girls’ hip-hop — it’s not that no one has done this before, but I believe there’s still room to explore, gaps to fill, or ways to add value.
Recently, a new inspiration led her to reassess her creative process. I just dropped a new album titled 《Rage, one of the tracks Earthfire, was originally meant for a male singer or producer. However, after he heard it, he felt it was too wild, so it ended up being performed by me. There’s probably not much out there that captures this kind of rage and anger, yet this song flows beautifully with its sensual lyrics and is infused with genuine emotions. I never imagined I could embody such a masculine and aggressive vibe; the blend of these emotions and feelings is profoundly humane and has truly inspired me lately.
So, she thrives in the freedom of creativity and is fueled by curiosity for the unknown; as a creator, she’s inherently tied to Be yourself. I believe that it’s only in my thirties that I started to truly understand myself. The differences between the person I was in my twenties and who I am now are part of an ongoing journey of self-reflection. That’s why I look forward to each version of myself in the decades to come—forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety. I think aging gracefully is a beautiful thing. It means you’re truly living.
For Serrini, being true to oneself ultimately means Living in the moment. Don’t sweat past mistakes too much; the plans for the future are built in the present. This moment, every step you take is shaping your future choices — just be true to yourself.
Therefore, we are especially grateful for the support of M+ for being able to perform in such a special venue as the M+ Museum.I often feel that I might be a perfect match with museum artifacts because I genuinely love museums. I visit them wherever I go—it’s a place that stimulates thought and has visitors with high receptivity. Even if they see an empty canvas, they’re inclined to scrutinize its texture or delve into the artist’s mindset behind it. I really want, and do have, many followers like this. They listen to my music not just on the surface but imagine me as an exhibit, analyzing and studying. So, placing me in a museum feels quite fitting and logical.
Serrini confidently analyzes: My art pieces are actually a bit like performance art—it’s all about staying true to yourself, embracing authenticity. Everything I create is an art piece. I think I’m a piece of art. Yes, I am.
Finally, when it comes to her future creative direction, Serrini hinted a bit: Next, I really want to come up with some Canto-Pop, super trending works. For me, if filling the gaps is enough, I feel like it’s time to start repeating myself, to become a redundant person. I believe redundancy is also an art—and I want to explore that sense of repetition. She also laughed as she summed it up: It’s like Andy Warhol meets Canto-Pop, but yeah, I’m giving it my best shot.
On this night filled with emotion and dialogue, Serrini demonstrated something profound — labels can embrace, can be rewritten, and can even transform into creative material. We all live within a web of labels, but if we can break free, transform, and rewrite them, perhaps that is a form of poetic rebellion that belongs to our generation.
When you learn to break the labels, the world will bloom before your eyes.
Photo Source from M+, Serrini team / Clarisse da Silva @clarissedasilva.sly