Initially known as one half of Cantopop folk pop duo Robynn & Kendy, Kendy Suen has emerged to show her different styles, emotions, and seasons of her musical talent.
Down to earth, self-managed, ready to rock, and armed with emotive electronic beats, Kendy Suen’s career has taken an extraordinary path since rejecting mainstream Cantopop and embracing indie. A trailblazer within the Cantopop industry, Kendy has emerged as an indie icon, far from her previous identity in the duo group Robynn & Kendy on Universal Music between 2011 to 2019. From 2020, she has explored genres as wide ranging as rock, disco and electronica, expanding from Cantonese songs to English and Japanese.
From Hong Kong to Trip Hop
While she joined singing competitions as a secondary school student in Hong Kong, moving to Bristol in the United Kingdom when she was 16 allowed Kendy the opportunity to explore new genres such as Trip Hop and Downtempo. “The UK opened my mind to what music really is,” says Kendy. “And I was always passionate about Trip-Hop music and improved my English dramatically as well.”
Kendy immersed herself in Massive Attack, Oasis, Radiohead, Blur, U2 and other alt-rock and electronic acts that shaped her future solo career. But after studying at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Kendy returned to Hong Kong and found herself thrust into the world of Cantopop and the sweet image of Robynn & Kendy.
Was this her vision? “I did not have any room or artistic freedom to input that side of me. At the time my A&R would say those styles were too hard, and we were two sweet girls, I’m still quite sweet,” she says with a laugh. Kendy embraced the folk pop scene as Robynn & Kendy, but part of her definitely saw a side of things that was missing as time went on.
When she emerged as a solo artist, the reaction was a mix of some people loving the new style and others opposing it. “I have had many voices and comments. I love this version of me, and I am at ease with it, it’s the closest to my youth, and I feel younger than before. I believe everything happens for a reason – you have your own season to blossom and flower.”
Breaking out, going solo
Kendy’s music uses Cantonese and English to blend psychological insights, ethereal melodies with raw lyricism exploring themes of identity, vulnerability, and quiet rebellion. Her 2021 debut EP The Prologue and the acclaimed 2/7, earned spots on KKBOX’s Top 10 Local Albums and Hong Kong Critics’ Poll honors.
Being a solo artist has allowed Kendy to produce songs in Japanese as well, which she says she was drawn to by a “supernatural force” and “manifestation” of circumstances that saw her performing live in Tokyo at the invite of her Japanese agent and vinyl producer, who also asked her to rewrite two songs from Cantonese to Japanese.
The songs, 白眉 (Hakubi) (やよいmix) and 樫の木 (Kashi no Ki), led to her 物無類聚 (Shinka) being remixed as a 7-inch vinyl by DJ K.U.D.O (Major Force Production) as Kendy Suen – K.U.D.O. – “SHINKA” K.U.D.O REMIX 7″ LP (CLEAR). A legendary Japanese collective, Major Force is world famous for downtempo, dub, hip hop and a blend of genres, and associated with British 90s-00s label Mo’Wax and the acclaimed act UNKLE, with collaborators including Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.
It seems surreal that she was once a Cantonese only performer. “My old label was very strict about languages, because of the system. Now that I look back, I’m not sure if an independent or major label is better, everyone’s path is different. For me, I’m always intrigued by new formats”.
Painting a new vision of artistry
Kendy has integrated Chinese calligraphy (which she practices), sound installation art, and Chinese instruments into her performances as a Tenka Taihei (天下泰平) concept, which comes from a Japanese phrase meaning ‘peace under heaven’. “In 2018, calligraphy saved me when I was down and had no projects or events. A friends’ mom saw I was writing fai chun (揮春) quite well, so I started to do some classes and suddenly I improved to make it part of my shows.”
This multi-art approach has seen her deliver unique shows in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural Art District; Tokyo’s Shibuya district; BreakOut West: Canadian Music Festival & Conference; and a full-length concert in London (September 2025). Her next big show will be on 31 January in Tokyo.
Kendy, who was once anchored in Cantopop and folk pop, has broken out into genres as wide as psychedelic, immersive rock, electronic music and downtempo or even disco music. This remarkable transformation shows that the seasons of Kendy know no bounds.
As Kendy says, the secret is to “keep on manifesting” and approach music “naturally, and genuinely playing music and having fun. That’s the meaning in my life – to bring new light and new life – creation is the most divine human attribute.”
Find Kendy’s latest vinyl release :
Kendy Suen Shinka K.U.D.O Remix (7-inch Vinyl/Clear Vinyl)
JAPAN: https://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Kendy-Suen-K-u-d-o-Major-Force-Productions_000000001003926/
UK: https://www.roughtrade.com/product/kendy-suen-kudo-major-force-productions/shinka-k-u-d-o-remix
Drunken master 