Meet ‘MC’ Cheung Tin-fu, Hong Kong’s rising Cantopop star: the Gen Z singer came second on King Maker II in 2019 and rejected joining a boy band to embark on a solo career

May 30 , 2023

MC Cheung wearing a Disney x Givenchy jumper. Much to fans delight, the 26-year-old is still single. Photo: @mccheung1201/Instagram

Michael ‘MC’ Cheung Tin-fu has been rising up the Cantopop ranks since 2019, when he came second place on reality TV singing contest King Maker II – the same one that launched Mirror

He signed with Warner Music in 2020, released hits ‘Good Time’ and ‘Pillow Talk’ and has earned titles such as best new male singer in the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation

Cantopop singer Michael Cheung Tin-fu, aka MC, is a force to be reckoned with.

At just 26, the Hong Kong star was recently added to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list, under the entertainment and sports category, putting him in the same ranks as the region’s leading movers and shakers.

Michael Cheung Tin-fu, aka MC, on February 7. Photo: @mccheung1201/Instagram

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, Cheung is relatively new to the showbiz scene. He came second place in the reality TV singing contest King Maker II, a sequel of TV show Good Night Show – King Maker, in 2019, then released his debut EP Have A Good Time in 2021. His song “Pillow Talk” became a huge hit, topping local charts for 12 weeks and garnering over 20 million views on YouTube, per Forbes.

The musical talent has since enjoyed life in the spotlight and kicked off 2023 with a new album, This is MC, which became the bestselling album in Hong Kong the week of its release, Forbes reported.

Clearly, MC’s journey is only just beginning. So, who is he and what do we know about him?

He rejected joining a boy band to pursue his solo career

Michael “MC” Cheung Tin-fu, better known by his stage name MC, is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Photo: Handout

According to Hong Kong media, after Cheung made his breakthrough as first runner-up in King Maker II in 2019, he was offered a contract by ViuTV which involved him joining a boy band. King Maker is the local reality TV show that launched Mirror, Hong Kong’s colossal 12-member Cantopop group.

Michael Cheung is known by his stage name MC. Photo: @mcheung1201/Instagram

To some fans’ surprise, he turned it down to pursue a solo career. “I’m truly happy and grateful for all the awards and the recognition. But I’m not performing just to gain more popularity, break records, or show off my sense of style,” he told Hong Kong media. “I only focus on working on projects and music I feel passionate about.”

He’s earned plenty of recognition

MC Cheung has earned recognition for his hard work. Photo: @mccheung1201/Instagram