Christian songwriter releases song in solidarity with Hong Kong protesters
A recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University has written a song in hopes of inspiring American solidarity with the people of Hong Kong who have been doggedly protesting a proposed Chinese extradition law and police brutality.
Called "The Egg," the debut single by Moxy Mohr — who has gone by Moxy Anne for over six years — is a song that was borne out of deep love for the city of Hong Kong, highlighting their struggle to maintain their freedoms.
Moxy Anne explained to The Christian Post that the song is different from all of her previous works. She wrote it because one of her best friends from Hong Kong shared something with her that stirred her to get creative.
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"I didn't understand it. It was on Instagram, this meme. Half of it was in Cantonese, half of it was in English, and at the very end it said: 'I stand with the Egg," the songwriter told CP in an interview.
Not knowing what this "egg" was all about, her friend explained the quote, which is derived from a speech by Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. The speech was given on February 15, 2009, when Murakami was in Israel, accepting the Jerusalem Prize. This prize is awarded to writers whose work centers on themes of human freedom, society, politics, and government. In his remarks, the author compared unarmed civilians to eggs who are thrown up against walls of oppression.
"Each of us is, more or less, an egg. Each of us is a unique, irreplaceable soul enclosed in a fragile shell. This is true of me, and it is true of each of you. And each of us, to a greater or lesser degree, is confronting a high, solid wall. The wall has a name: It is The System. The System is supposed to protect us, but sometimes it takes on a life of its own, and then it begins to kill us and cause us to kill others – coldly, efficiently, systematically," he said at the time.
He will always be on the side of the egg, he explained.
She was so inspired by his words she knew she had to write a song about it in solidarity with the Hong Kong protesters. To pen the song, Moxy Anne sifted through articles about what Hong Kong government officials were saying and Twitter posts of protesting Hong Kongers, pulling directly from those reports and tweets to craft the verses and refrain.
"I tried to do justice to the movement," she said of the Hong Kongers, whose creative, often musical tactics of resistance have captured the attention of the international media in recent months.
The artist performed the song at a rally in Los Angeles.
"I really hope that [the song] really encourages Americans to learn more" about the plight of the Hong Kongers and what they are trying to do, she said.
Already she has been receiving messages from people who have told her: "Hey, if getting people interested ... if that was your goal, then you've got me."
"A lot of people on our continent didn't know what was going on. And for Hong Kongers, I really hope they know we support them, and I hope it empowers the movement. I hope that it makes them stronger.
Moxy Anne visited Hong Kong two months ago and said the city holds a special place in her heart.
"I'm praying for it every day," the artist added.
"Pray for us" is emphasized throughout the song.
Also in the song is a refrain that incorporates "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord," which, as CP and other outlets have noted, has become the unofficial anthem of the protesters. The song is a popular Christian simple melody, written in 1974 by Linda Stassen-Benjamin.
On Wednesday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said she will withdraw the controversial extradition bill that sparked the mass protests.
