When someone ghosts you, it hurts like hell. But pop artist Harriet Chung manages to make the whole thing sound glam – and even somewhat rock opera – in her whimsical and soaring new single “Popcorn Film.”
Accompanied by guitars, piano, and beautiful backup-singer harmonies, Harriet Chung sets up the premise of her “Popcorn Film” love story:
Our popcorn film seemed complete
We shared our favorite things to eat
Then took a stroll along a sandy beach
We held hands
Skipped rocks
Took some pics
Kissed in bright Muskoka chairs
A crack of thunder rumbled down from the sky
And then we get an actual crack of thunder, right before we learn that the narrator’s lover is ambivalent at best: “Cuz I could see a cloud over you/ Something inside you wasn’t true/ I could sense it all within your sighs.”
The romance unravels, until the beloved disappears and the ‘popcorn film’ is revealed to be an imaginary bliss. “It’s a heartfelt journey through love and loss, and it captures the bittersweet essence of a relationship that felt perfect but slowly revealed its cracks,” says Chung.
For “Popcorn Film,” Chung is joined by Warren Robert (arranger, bass, guitars, midi), Christopher Siu (piano), Randy Cooke (drums), and Rique Franks (backup vocals).
Harriet Chung was born in Hong Kong and grew up dancing, singing, and playing the piano. As a member of children’s choirs that performed around Europe and the United States, Harriet became enamored with the west at a young age. After graduating from high school, she majored in dance at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.
Harriet moved to Toronto to further her dance training at the National Ballet of Canada. Afterwards, she danced professionally with the Empire State Ballet, Ontario Ballet Theatre, and Xing Dance Theater, among others. During this time, she also landed roles in operetta and musical theatre productions. Harriet’s career took a huge turn when she was cast in the Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera. Most notably she has won numerous Best Actress awards for her portrayal of the titular character in the internationally acclaimed musical Golden Lotus.
Harriet’s debut album A World Away was released in January 2023 and includes her hit track “A World Away (Remix)” and “Today and Tomorrow,” which won Best Original Song at the New York Movie Awards. Its music video won Best Music Video at the Los Angeles Film Awards and the Seattle Filmmaker Awards. Harriet was also awarded as Best Artist of the Future for her single and music video of Old Montreal at them World Class Film Awards in Mexico City.
Harriet will also be appearing at the Stratford Festival in the world premiere production of “Salesman in China” opening August 23.
