Documenting Moments of Aloneness and Intimacy with Hong Kong Boyfriend’s Latest Release, ‘Tiramisu’

by Kyla Rain

★

Only at the release of his second single, ‘Tiramisu,’ LA-based musician Hong Kong Boyfriend is leaving a precedent for the new generation of artists itching to takeover. Published via creative studio/artist management hub, Ourros, Hong Kong Boyfriend (Rob Sanders) has already proven his advance through both lyrical and visual storytelling. While Sanders’ current discography may be limited quantity, there is no lack of depth within his work - and with his first single (‘Cold Waters’) gaining 76k streams in less than a month, it’s clear that people are beginning to take notice.

With that said, let’s unpack this latest release.

Directed by Aamir Khuller, the music video revolves around nostalgia with first love, juxtaposing moments of aloneness and intimacy within relationships. The release itself acts as a sort of reflection on personal growth, how we grow together and grow apart from those closest to us. The video centers in on a girl flipping through film slides documenting neon-lit memories of romanticism, a smile washed with the blue-tinted glow of a projector. It’s always the small moments we don’t realize we miss until they’re over, right?

We follow her progression of nostalgia through LA streets, scenic overpasses, and empty bus stops - the bittersweet nature of this narrative stitched together with Sanders’ acoustic melodies and synth-backed vocals. The one thing that I keep coming back to with this release is the level of intimacy written into every aspect, from lyrics like, “You will always be right here in my soul / you’re the only one to see me in this place,” and, “I wanna start from the start with you again,” we, as listeners, are immediately caught with the ache of it all. It’s not until the video’s ending, where we see the girl stand up and climb into bed, where we realize we’re not looking at the casualty of a lost relationship - at least not in the literal sense. Instead, the body of a boy is shadowed against the wall, the same boy from memories played out in the dark. Even though the relationship itself may not be over, the track goes silent, and we’re prompted back to Sanders’ lyrics - “I wanna start from the start with you again.”

With Sanders’ music and Khuller’s creative direction, the full extent of this narrative is played out in an R&B energy that mirrors the same nostalgia captured on camera. Not a second goes by that is wasted, and maybe it’s just the hopeless romantic in me talking, but there’s always something special to art that makes you feel. This duo seems to do that in spades.

If there’s one thing we fall for most as a publication, it’s storytelling: a common theme that seems to fall with artists under the Ourros label. It would be a gross understatement to say that we’re excited to see the success waiting for Sanders with his project, Hong Kong Boyfriend - and the rest of the Ourros team with that matter. Expectations have been set high, but it’s evident that these creative’s ambitions are higher.

Now, us listeners are left wondering - what’s next?