“‘Only Man’ captures the wide range of Rong’s vocal capabilities to the tee, touching on the complex nature of love with eloquent and hypnotizing production”
FLAUNT
“Her work pulls from the trip-hop stylings of Portishead, Helicopter Girl, and Tricky and can be filed alongside the likes of Björk, FKA twigs, and Massive Attack, with its seamless blend of electronica and alternative R&B”
XLR8R
“A hypnotic fusion of trip-hop, alt R&B and traditional Chinese music – [Rong’s] sinewy vocals and heart-catching lyricism tells a story of doomed romance. Heavenly vocal loops simmer the track into life, and a trickling tempo paces [her] storytelling.”
Wonderland
[Only Man is] “A sultry, languidly sensual trip-hop stunner, with Ms. Rong’s breathy, almost spectral vocals – part Liz Fraser, part celestial being – painting vividly visceral pictures of romantic longing and devotion.”
BlackBook Magazine
“Fifi Rong has developed a dark blend of trip-hop, post-dubstep, jazz and traditional Chinese music. Somehow, she makes these disparate influences sit comfortably together.”
The Irish Times
“Rong is a fiercely independent artist in her own right.”
The Fader
‘The Same Road’ is a divine piece of digital soul, both intense and transgressive at the same time
CLASH Magazine
“Sinewy harmonies and driving rhythms marry behind Rong’s stellar vocal line, with glistening shards of icy melody piercing through – it’s another stomping success from Rong that forces us to leap onto our feet are start dancing”
The Line of Best Fit
London-based Fifi Rong, a multi-talented avant-pop songstress has shared the breathtaking video for her latest single, ‘Only Man’. The singer has collaborated with the likes of Skepta (on his hugely successful UK No. 2, Mercury Prize-winning album Konnichiwa) as well as Tricky, Yello, and Phaeleh, and Emika. ‘Only Man’ is taken from her upcoming self-produced solo album, There Is A Funeral In My Heart For Every Man I Loved and the single was featured on the launch show of the Yi Jing 意境 Live Music Series. The series is designed to bring the worlds of online concerts, short films, and performance/sonic/visual art all into one reality with the aim to build a community of loyal aesthetes and avid music/art lovers.
As a result of her epic collaborations along with her own work, Fifi Rong has received support from The Guardian, The Times, NME, FACT Mag, The Irish Times, Dancing Astronaut, Earmilk, Wonderland. CLASH Magazine, Complex, BlackBook Magazine, Crack Magazine, FLAUNT, XLR8R and The Line of Best Fit to name a few. The support for Fifi Rong continues across the airwaves, with radio play on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Xtra, BBC Radio 6’s Tom Robinson and NPR as well as appearances on the tastemaker Youtube channels Majestic Casual and the_accidental_poet. The singer has received well over 3.2 million plays across major streaming platforms.
While Fifi Rong was born in Beijing, she is currently based in London after studying in Manchester and Bristol. The singer-songwriter has found inspiration in new forms – from the Trip-hop stylings of Portishead, Helicopter Girl and Tricky to the acapella voice of a shaman from Peru and the texture of Wong Kar Wai’s movies. In turn, her own sound can be associated with the likes of Bjork, Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser, FKA Twigs, ANOHNI and Massive Attack as she displays contemporary ballads with atmospheric production.
A bittersweet single of unanswered love and longing, ‘Only Man’ opens with eerie, otherworldly soundscapes before it begins to grow and develop, maturing out and embracing the wide range of Fifi Rong’s vocal capabilities. Unashamed and filled with deep caring, the single touches on the complex nature of love with eloquent and glimmering production. The video, directed by Zee Marla Osh, switches between two focal points of awe-inspiring colours and Fifi Rong’s unique vocals as viewers are transported into a land of sun-kissed romance.
Fifi Rong shares her thoughts on the video: “‘Only Man’ was filmed in Berlin by Zee Marla Osh, Video Siren. It was one of the most spontaneous videos we have done. Zee saw the sunset being very intoxicating that evening when we arrived at the location and just went for it. I’m especially impressed with her editing as it’s very experimental, bold, mixing retro and modern styles into something of her own. She also took note of every subtle detail of my music production and reflected in the visual editing, especially on the tape fx sections of the songs!”