Hong Peiyu's Second Solo Album Debut Single “Taking Up No Space” Warmly Released Her Delicate Voice Soothes Every Lonely Heart

Hong Peiyu gained widespread attention in the Chinese music scene with her debut album Bright Room and the theme song Same Style for the film Closed for Business. Her distinctive voice and musical style earned her dual honors at the Golden Melody Awards and Golden Horse Awards within 2023. Her highly anticipated second solo album and large-scale concert tour are officially scheduled for simultaneous release in late 2025. Hong Peiyu will hold her first major ticketed concert at the Taipei Pop Music Center on December 6.

On September 9th, the first single “Taking Up No Space” will be released early. The title alone is captivating. This song embodies the coexistence of extreme darkness and light, the infinitesimal and the infinite. Those things that take up no space tightly entwine our hearts and nerves, our extremities and minds. Through Hong Peiyu's delicate vocals, these tiny desires spread into everyone's hearts.

As the debut ballad, “Doesn't Take Up Space” features a melody composed by Malaysian female songwriting duo Beverly Rachel Matujal and Phoebe Tsen, whose breakthrough hit ‘Fiber’ was originally performed by Sandy Lam. Hong Peiyu has covered “Fiber” multiple times during her solo concerts, and her deep affection for the song led her to commission the composers to craft a new track specifically for her. Lyrics were penned by Xiao Han, the lyricist behind Hong Peiyu's previous heart-fluttering hits like “Toe-Tip Love” and “Stain.” This collaboration is poised to drop another heart-stirring bombshell into the early autumn Mandarin music scene.

“Taking Up No Space” presents significant vocal challenges, requiring Hong Peiyu to navigate a 13-note range with effortless control between high and low registers. She shares, “The most demanding part comes right before the final verse, where I must instantly shift from a very low note back to a high-pitched section.” “ This, she admits, is the song's most challenging section. It requires a journey from suppression to complete release, delving layer by layer into the heart to explore an existence that, though seemingly ”taking up no space,“ is impossible to escape or ignore. Producer Chen Jianqi found himself repeatedly drawn into the song's profound emotions during production: ”Even after multiple listens, certain lyrics still hit me hard."

As the new album's music content gradually unfolds, Hong Peiyu has also made a significant change in her appearance, cutting her approximately 20-centimeter-long hair short and dyeing it a light brown. She shared, “I've always loved short hair. While preparing for the album, I strongly felt a sense of ‘change.’ After discussing it with the team, we agreed that a look distinct from what people usually see would align well with this work. Without overthinking it, I just cut off the hair I'd been growing for a while!” She humorously added: “After 34 years of life, I did something pretty drastic to my hair in just a month or two. While I feel bad for my scalp and hair, it gave me a whole new experience. Now it's time to focus on proper hair care!”

The single cover captures Hong Peiyu and a friend freely exploring moments of limb contact. Their intertwined hands and feet seem to both push apart and draw closer, embodying the song's intimacy that feels expansive yet maintains distance. Choosing not to show faces on the cover but instead depicting the singer and another person's limbs touching, she shares her observation: I realized intimacy doesn't always require physical closeness. Sometimes, seeing elderly couples holding hands while walking down the street instantly makes me understand what intimacy looks like. Many relationships eventually stop holding hands, but the fingertips are the most delicate and sensitive part of the body. What they hold isn't just hands—it's the purest, most undisturbed courage."

The music video invited Japanese director Tai Nakazawa, known for translating everyday philosophical nuances into visuals, to collaborate. Nakazawa has previously directed music videos for Japanese artists like YOASOBI's lead vocalist ikura and the alternative rock band Hitsuji Bungaku. The director shared his emotional response to the song: “It feels like a lament for all heartbreak, carrying a tenderness that can accompany anyone.” The visuals depict “the gradual healing journey of a wounded soul,” with Hong Peiyu existing as a “mourner” within their world. In the latter half, handprints symbolizing collective emotions gradually converge toward her. She continues singing, as if catching these longings and feelings.

Regarding plans to perform at the North Flow Arena immediately after releasing her second album—expanding from previous thousand-person venues to five times the scale—Hong Peiyu admitted hesitation: "Honestly, I still can't imagine what that situation will be like. My initial hesitation and struggle stemmed from a desire to experience each step of growing up more solidly alongside my fans. But the decision to take on this challenge was born from the same sentiment—only this time, we'll venture into a larger space. And perhaps people I've never met before will enter that venue to hear me sing. Thinking about that still brings me great joy." She also pledged: “No matter the venue size, we'll approach each performance with equal curiosity and energy—treating every show as an experiment. Together with my team, we'll unlock the possibilities of this new chapter!” Concert ticket details will be announced via Hong Peiyu's and He Le Music's official social media channels.