Jasmines represent eternal love and commonly appear in Chinese fragrances and tea. But for Jett Kwong, the coming and going of the flower – which blooms from spring to late fall – also represents the passage of another year. Kwong's new single "Jasmine" encapsulates humanity's collective grief and joy through the life cycles of beginnings and ends.
In Kwong's nimble playing, the plucked beats of the guzheng pierce through a veil of orchestral strings as her rich, soothing voice feels like a friend's shoulder to lean on. It's both heartbreak and a balm to the spirit to hear her resilience shine through in her wistful, nostalgic words: "Another year around the sun / I've blinked and now I'm older / Can't undo what's already done." Earnest and honest, she holds onto the hope that she doesn't become jaded by life as she ages.
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