Hong Kong singer Dou Jingtong, starring in the drama series “Her Way of Survival” for the first time, released the theme song “You Are Here Too” MV on July 12th. Apart from composing the song, Dou Jingtong also co-wrote the lyrics with the director and artistic director of the drama, Li Mengqiao, and collaborated with her mother, Faye Wong, on the vocals, sparking great attention.
The MV of “You Are Here Too” slowly unfolds the story through the perspective of the female lead character Liu Yan, played by Dou Jingtong. In the drama, Dou Jingtong plays Liu Yan, a retired boxer who was sent to a sports school by her mother (played by Yan Bingyan) from a young age, struggling to survive amidst bruises on the boxing ring.
In the MV, Dou Jingtong’s hoarse voice, accompanied by heavy drumbeats, tears open the prologue like the muffled sound of a boxer hitting a sandbag, smashing Liu Yan’s emotional wounds into the audience’s ears. As the blurry sound effects and melodies flow like mist, the audience seems to slowly approach Liu Yan’s true inner world. At the climax of the MV, adult Liu Yan and young Liu Yan appear alternately, a powerful self-awakening force penetrates the screen, striking the audience’s hearts.
Twenty-seven years ago, Faye Wong and her daughter, Dou Jingtong, appeared in the song “Child.” In this work that Faye Wong dedicated to her daughter, the young Dou Jingtong, who was still babbling, only had a few childlike lines; now a professional singer, Dou Jingtong collaborates with her mother, Faye Wong, in the songs she creates.
In the lyrics, Dou Jingtong sings, “Mom, I have grown up, no longer craving to be surrounded by people, no longer needing too many smiles,” with a unique power that resonates with the audience and conveys the profound emotions between mother and daughter; Faye Wong’s clear and ethereal voice is described as “still ethereal, yet full of strength.” This is also one of the rare drama series theme songs sung by Faye Wong, undoubtedly a departure for her daughter.
In the drama, Dou Jingtong plays a retired boxer who later becomes a chef, showcasing a story of female growth in adversity. When promoting her new song on Weibo, Dou Jingtong posted: “I have put all my ‘boxing strength’ into preparing a gift, hoping to bring you strength.”
Faye Wong, who has been through two marriages and has two daughters, Dou Jingtong and Li Yan, has been keeping a low profile in recent years and rarely appears in the public eye. During the Chinese New Year this year, an official release of a song sung by Faye Wong, “What the World Has Given Me,” was a major highlight of the “Spring Festival Gala,” aiming to attract more viewers. However, according to a later report by Chinese media outlet Netease, “two days have passed since the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala, and the breakout song has yet to appear, even Faye Wong, who returned to the Spring Festival Gala after a seven-year hiatus, could not break out. Some netizens sighed, ‘Ah! Time spares no one!’ ‘My first impression is that she has aged. Indeed, I am not young anymore.'”
Dou Jingtong’s father is the Chinese rock singer Dou Wei. After his divorce from Faye Wong, Dou Jingtong followed her mother. At 28, Dou Jingtong inherited Faye Wong’s good singing voice. After debuting for 8 years and releasing 5 albums, she embarked on her first “Abnormal” tour at the end of last year. Additionally, she previously won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 9th Beijing International Film Festival for her debut film “The Eleventh Chapter.” The theme song “You Are Here Too” of the drama series “Her Way of Survival,” a collaboration between mother and daughter, has led some netizens to believe that Faye Wong and Dou Jingtong’s voices are similar, with some fans exclaiming, “The voices of mother and daughter are simply a perfect match.”