Hong Kong independent musician Anna HisbbuR describes herself as “an 89-year-old woman with a child at heart.”
It may sound contradictory, but the description captures the contrast at the heart of her music.
In conversation, HisbbuR is chatty, playful and curious. Her songs, however, often explore depression, loneliness, frustration and other darker moments.
Yet even when she tackles heavy subjects, her music rarely feels overwhelmingly dark.
“I always say, ‘When I’m at my lowest, I’m chill,’” she says.
For HisbbuR, this is less an artistic concept than a way of dealing with life. Rather than fighting things she cannot change, she prefers to accept them and keep moving forward.
That mindset comes through in her single Depresso, which explores what it is like to live with depression. Rather than portraying it as a dramatic crisis, the song takes a relatively matter-of-fact approach to the experience.
Its laid-back sound contrasts with the weight of its subject matter, while the chord progression draws on blues influences.
“It’s kind of chill, but it may actually be something quite heavy,” she adds.
After going through a difficult period, including being unwell last year, HisbbuR turned to music as an outlet for her experiences. Those experiences eventually became the foundation for her upcoming album.
She says she is grateful to have creativity as a way to process what she has been through.
“If I didn’t, I think my situation could have been so much worse,” she explains.
But HisbbuR does not see her role as an artist as being one of giving listeners answers or “strength.” Instead, she hopes her music can simply be there for people.
That philosophy is reflected in her songwriting, which features simple arrangements, straightforward lyrics and soft, almost whispered vocals.
“I just want it to feel like I’m talking next to your ear,” she says.
Her personal approach to music has become even more important to her as AI-generated music becomes increasingly common.
Rather than striving for perfectly polished recordings, HisbbuR deliberately leaves in details that reveal the person behind the music.
In Depresso, she plays with an unusual key change and an intentionally unconventional guitar solo. She has also become less concerned about removing every breath from her vocals.
Even her English accent is something she no longer feels the need to hide.
“I don’t want the perfect accent,” she says. “I want to make it natural.”
Her songwriting journey began in Primary Five, when G-Dragon’s music and creative involvement inspired her to try writing songs of her own.
What fascinated her was not just his performance, but the extent of his involvement in songwriting, production, visuals and fashion.
“I really wanted to be a rapper,” she recalls of her first attempt — a hip-hop song packed with complaints about studying, waking up at 6 a.m. and going to school.
She eventually realized that the aggressive rapper persona did not suit her sensitive, soft-spoken personality.
Instead, she began building her sound around the qualities that came naturally to her.
Korean R&B, indie and hip-hop later became major influences, particularly artists such as Crush and Zion.T. She was drawn to their relatively stripped-back arrangements, which allowed individual sounds to breathe.
Her music has since evolved beyond those influences, with her newer work incorporating elements of hyperpop, house and R&B.
For HisbbuR, being independent is less about a particular musical genre than having control over how she works.
She has no immediate ambition to become a superstar. What matters more to her is finding listeners who genuinely connect with her music.
That has increasingly meant looking beyond Hong Kong.
She says listeners from Taiwan, the US, Japan and Europe have become an important part of her audience, reinforcing her belief that an artist does not necessarily have to change her music to find a following.
“I think there are people like me everywhere. Maybe they make up just 1 percent of the population. I just want to reach that 1 percent.”
Her latest single, She’s a 10 But.., released on Wednesday (Sep 23), brings that playful side of her personality into focus.
The title plays on the familiar “she’s a 10 but…” internet meme, turning the idea of judging someone for their flaws into something light-hearted and self-aware.
The release also comes with an unusual online experiment. HisbbuR has said that people who see her post can use it as a backstage pass to one of her future concerts, turning online attention into a potential real-life connection with her listeners.
Her upcoming album, I Hate Myself I Love Myself, continues to explore the contrasting sides of her personality and music.
For HisbbuR, the goal is not to appeal to everyone, but to make music that stays true to her own voice.
