Winnie Lau

Winnie Lau Siu Wai (Chinese: 劉小慧; born 24 July 1971) is a Hong Kong singer and actress.^[1] Active primarily in the late 1980s and 1990s, she gained popularity as a teen idol with hit songs such as "When the Sun Sets in the West" and "Change! Revolution of Love," and appeared in films including Future Cops (1993) and Legend of the Liquid Sword (1993).^[2] She married singer Edmond So of the band Grasshopper in 1997 and has two daughters.^[3]

Early life

Birth and family background

Winnie Lau Siu Wai was born on 24 July 1971 in Hong Kong.^[4] She grew up in an ordinary working-class family, where her parents were typical employees supporting a modest household. She has three older sisters and one older brother.^[5][2]

Entry into entertainment

Lau entered the entertainment industry at the age of 14 in 1985, beginning with television advertisements that quickly garnered her public attention and marked her debut.^[6] Her early advertising roles established her as a fresh-faced teen idol, earning her the nickname "Students' Dream Lover" for her innocent appeal to high school audiences. By 1987, Lau transitioned to acting with her film debut in No Regret, portraying a supporting role, followed by appearances in Painted Faces (1988) as Hsiao-hsien. She continued balancing education and work, appearing in films such as My Dream Is Yours (1988) and Path of Glory (1989), which highlighted her youthful charm in comedic and dramatic contexts.^[7][2] This initial phase laid the groundwork for her multifaceted career, as her ad and film work in the late 1980s built visibility before her pivot to music in the early 1990s.

Career

Acting breakthrough

Lau began her acting career in the late 1980s with minor supporting roles in Hong Kong films. Her debut came in 1987 with a small part in No Regret, followed by appearances in Painted Faces (1988), where she portrayed the character Hsiao-hsien, a student in the biographical drama about Peking Opera training.^[8] These early roles established her presence in the industry but did not yet garner widespread attention.^[7] Lau's acting breakthrough arrived in 1991 with her starring role as Hsiu in The Twin Bracelets, directed by Huang Yu-shan. In the film, she played a teenage girl from a fishing village whose intense friendship with another young woman, portrayed by Vivian Chen, explores themes of loyalty, identity, and subtle same-sex intimacy amid cultural constraints. The movie marked one of the earliest Hong Kong productions to address such topics openly, earning praise for its sensitive portrayal of adolescent relationships and contributing to discussions on women's experiences in minority communities.^[9][10] This lead performance showcased Lau's ability to convey emotional depth, propelling her visibility in the local film scene.^[7] Building on this success, Lau took on more prominent supporting roles in the early 1990s, including Siu Wai/Crab Angel in the action-comedy Future Cops (1993), a box office hit that grossed over HK$18 million and adapted elements from the Street Fighter video game series. Her comedic timing and versatility in the ensemble cast alongside stars like Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung further solidified her reputation as a multifaceted performer.^[11] She also appeared as Sweetie/Tin Yee in the wuxia adaptation Legend of the Liquid Sword (1993), adapting Gu Long's novel and highlighting her range in genre films.^[12] These projects marked a transitional phase where acting complemented her emerging music career.

Music debut and development

Winnie Lau entered the music industry in 1991 after signing with PolyGram Records (Hong Kong), releasing her debut album In Your Dreams in April of that year. The album featured a mix of upbeat pop tracks and ballads, with the lead single "Chū Liàn Qíng Rén" (First Love)—a Cantonese adaptation of Taiwanese singer Chen Ming-zhen's Mandarin hit—emerging as a standout that resonated with audiences through its nostalgic lyrics and Lau's clear, emotive vocals. This release marked her transition from acting and advertising to a full-fledged Cantopop artist, positioning her among PolyGram's promoted young female talents known as the "Four Little Flowers" alongside peers like Lai Ruien, Tang Baoru, and Wang Xinping. Building on her debut, Lau's early career under PolyGram emphasized youthful, relatable themes in Cantopop, leading to subsequent releases that solidified her style of sweet, melodic ballads and occasional duets. Albums such as Liú Zhù Zhè Yī Kè (Retain This Moment) in 1992 and contributions to compilations like Gǎi Gǎi Jīng Xuǎn (Change Selection) in 1994 showcased her versatility, including covers and original tracks like "Liú Zhù Zhè Yī Kè" and "Gé Shì Gǎn Jué" (Otherworldly Feeling). Her work earned recognition in 1992 with the Bronze Award for Most Promising New Female Artist at the Hong Kong Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards, highlighting her rising potential in a saturated market dominated by established stars. By mid-decade, she had released around five albums, though commercial success remained moderate, prompting a strategic shift. In 1994, Lau joined BMG Ariola Hong Kong, debuting with Yī Liàn (Reluctant to Part), which innovatively included Hong Kong's first CD-ROM format for interactive content, appealing to tech-savvy fans and broadening her appeal beyond traditional audio. This period saw her expand into Mandarin-language music for the Taiwan market, releasing Xiè Xiè Nǐ Ài Guò Wǒ (Thank You for Loving Me) in 1995 alongside her Cantonese album Jì Mò Dōu Yǒu Zuì (Sin of Loneliness), featuring introspective tracks like "Kǒu Bù Duì Xīn" (Mouth Doesn't Match Heart). Collaborations with international acts, such as a 1997 live duet with Air Supply in China, underscored her growing regional profile. However, following her 1997 marriage to musician Edmond So of Grasshopper, Lau gradually reduced her music output to focus on family, effectively semi-retiring from the industry while occasionally appearing in compilations like Zhēn Jīng Diǎn (True Classics) in 2001. After semi-retiring from music, she took occasional acting roles in the early 2000s. Her discography, primarily in Cantopop with select Mandarin efforts, reflects a concise but influential early-1990s presence in Hong Kong's vibrant music scene.^[13]

Personal life

Little is publicly known about Lau's personal life, as available sources focus primarily on her professional contributions to environmental science and ocean conservation.

Filmography

1980s roles

Lau Siu-wai began her acting career in the late 1980s as a teenager, appearing in supporting roles in Hong Kong films across drama and supernatural genres.^[7] Her debut came in 1987 with No Regret, a drama directed by Herman Yau that explores themes of regret and personal struggle, where she had an unspecified supporting role.^[14] In 1988, she featured in two films. Painted Faces, directed by Alex Law, is a biographical drama depicting the rigorous training of young performers in the Seven Little Fortunes troupe, including future stars like Jackie Chan; Lau portrayed the character Hsiao-hsien in this critically acclaimed production, which grossed HK$1,730,964 at the box office.^[8] Later that year, she appeared as a female office worker in My Dream Is Yours, a supernatural comedy involving nightmares turning real and financial mishaps for the protagonists, directed by Derek Chang Man-Gon, earning HK$3,596,704.^[15] Lau's final 1980s role was in 1989's Path of Glory, an action drama directed by Yeung Yee-Woh about police officers seeking revenge on a gang for their mentor's death, where she played Gable's younger sister, a supporting part in a film that achieved HK$2,446,993 in box office receipts.^[16] These early appearances established her presence in Hong Kong cinema before transitioning to more prominent roles in the 1990s.^[7]

1990s and later roles

In the 1990s, Winnie Lau Siu-wai transitioned from her earlier supporting roles to more prominent parts in Hong Kong cinema, often portraying strong, multifaceted female characters in genres ranging from drama to action and comedy. She also appeared in Front Page (1990) as Pinky and A Tale from the East (1990) as a HK Youth Orchestra member. Her performance as Hsiu in the 1991 coming-of-age drama The Twin Bracelets, directed by David Chung, depicted a resilient young woman from a rural background adapting to urban life and familial conflicts, earning praise for its emotional depth.^[9] Similarly, in Widow Warriors (1990), she played Wai, a member of a group of women seeking justice after their husbands' deaths, highlighting themes of female empowerment in a Category III action film.^[11] Lau's versatility shone in 1992 with roles like Yue Lan in the comedy The Magic Touch, where she supported the lead in a story about a fortune teller evading taxes, and May, also known as Crazy Chicken, in the youth gang drama Gangs '92, portraying a tough streetwise ally amid juvenile delinquency narratives.^[7] By 1993, she took on dual leads in high-profile productions: as Siu Wai, aka Crab Angel, in the superhero action-comedy Future Cops, a loose adaptation of video game characters involving martial arts and futuristic elements; and as Sweetie (Tin Yee) in the wuxia adventure Legend of the Liquid Sword, based on Gu Long's novel, where she embodied a clever and alluring companion to the protagonist. She also appeared in Even Mountains Meet (1993).^[17][18] These roles solidified her presence in the era's vibrant Hong Kong film industry, blending physicality with charm. Following her marriage to musician Edmond So in 1997, Lau's film appearances diminished, reflecting a shift toward family life and her ongoing music career. She made a brief return in 2000 with an uncredited role in the ensemble comedy Dragon Heat, directed by Eric Kot, which explored friendships and romantic entanglements among young adults. In 2003, she starred as Lok Lam in the newsroom drama News Heart, tackling ethical dilemmas faced by journalists in a fast-paced media environment, and appeared in Twilight Tubes Part II. Her final major screen role came in 2004's Fantasia, a surreal comedy directed by Wai Ka-fai, where she played Mrs. Cheung opposite her husband as Mr. Cheung, contributing to the film's whimsical portrayal of mid-life crises and artistic pursuits. Since then, Lau has largely retired from acting, with no credited film roles in the subsequent decades.

Discography

Studio albums

Winnie Lau debuted in the music industry with her first studio album, In Your Dreams, released in April 1991 by Polydor Records. The album, featuring Cantopop tracks such as "一世情緣" (A Lifetime of Affection), established her as an emerging talent in Hong Kong's music scene, blending melodic ballads with upbeat pop elements. Her second studio album, 今宵不想告別 (Tonight I Don't Want to Say Goodbye), came out on March 5, 1993. Produced under Polydor, it incorporated synthpop influences and included hits like "急色鬼，愛出位" (Lecherous Ghost, Love Out of Place), showcasing Lau's versatile vocal style and contributing to her growing popularity in the mid-1990s Cantopop era. The album highlighted themes of romance and urban longing, reflecting contemporary Hong Kong youth culture. In 1994, following a label switch to BMG due to contractual issues with Universal, Lau released 依戀 (Reluctant to Part), her third studio album on RCA/BMG Hong Kong. This release marked her as the first Hong Kong artist to launch a CD-ROM edition, innovating album packaging with multimedia content. Tracks like "誰人能這麼刻意假到底" (Who Can Pretend So Deliberately) emphasized emotional depth and balladry, solidifying her reputation for heartfelt performances. Lau's fourth studio album, 寂寞都有罪 (Sin of Loneliness), arrived in 1995 via RCA/BMG Hong Kong. The album's title track, a cover of Patricia Kaas's "Hôtel Normandy" adapted into Cantonese, explored themes of isolation and desire, produced by Tomson Lo. It received positive reception for its sophisticated arrangements and Lau's emotive delivery, further expanding her fanbase.^[19] That same year, she ventured into the Mandarin market with her fifth studio album, 謝謝你愛過我 (Thank You for Loving Me), aimed at broader Asian audiences. Released to capitalize on the growing demand for Mandarin pop, it featured tracks like the title song, marking her successful crossover while maintaining her signature melodic style.^[20]

Compilation and other releases

Winnie Lau's compilation releases primarily emerged in the mid-1990s and continued into the 2010s, often aggregating her popular Cantopop tracks from earlier studio albums under labels like Polydor, RCA, and Universal Music. These collections served to capitalize on her established hits from the late 1980s and early 1990s, such as "初戀情人" (First Love Lover) and "留住這一刻" (Hold This Moment), and included remastered or reissued material to appeal to nostalgic audiences.^[21] One of her earliest compilations, 改改精選 (Change Selection), released in 1994 by Polydor, features 18 tracks including re-recorded versions of singles like "改!改!(愛戀革命)" (Change! Change! (Love Revolution)) and "隔世感覺" (Otherworldly Feeling), emphasizing her upbeat, romantic style.^[22] Similarly, the 1995 double-disc set 劉小慧精選套裝 (Winnie Lau Selection Set), also on Polydor, compiles 30 songs spanning her career up to that point, such as "學生哥" (Student Brother) and "今宵不想告別" (Don't Want to Say Goodbye Tonight), providing a retrospective overview.^[23] In the 2000s, Universal Music issued 真經典-劉小慧 (True Classics - Winnie Lau) in 2001, a 16-track compilation highlighting her signature ballads like "一世情緣" (Lifelong Affection) and "望星星" (Wishing on Stars), which underscored her emotional vocal delivery and contributed to renewed interest in her catalog.^[24] The 2007 Back To Black Series - In Your Dreams, a remastered reissue of her 1991 debut album plus additional hits, includes 10 selections like "兩心依然走近" (Two Hearts Still Drawing Near), focusing on her early breakthrough sound.^[25][26] Later releases expanded to multi-artist anthologies, such as the 2011 音樂大全101: 黎瑞恩湯寶如劉小慧 (Music Collection 101: Vivian Lai, Karen Tong, Winnie Lau), a five-CD set on Universal featuring 85 tracks, where Lau contributes 20 of her classics alongside contemporaries, emphasizing shared eras in Hong Kong pop history.^[27][28] A more recent entry, 環球萃取升級精選 (Universal Essential Upgraded Collection) in 2016, offers upgraded audio versions of key tracks like "留住這一刻," targeting digital streaming platforms.^[29][30]