Following the release of 'Pomelo Water' in January, Australia based artist Rainbow Chan officially launches the accompanying music video with us today! Ahead of its release we sat down with the artist to break down the process behind the single and give us a look into what we can expect from their upcoming album, 'The Bridal Lament'.
Check out the video and interview below now!
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For those finding you for the first time, can you give us a little introduction to yourself
and your music?
Hi, I'm Rainbow Chan—a Hong Kong-Australian vocalist, producer, and interdisciplinary artist based in Naarm/Melbourne. I’ve been releasing alternative pop music for over a decade, blending catchy melodies with experimental production and field recordings to tell stories that are often bittersweet. My work is grounded in a DIY ethos and explores themes of diaspora, memory, language, and love through both music and visual art. In recent years, I’ve expanded into gallery and theatre contexts, creating immersive installations that draw on matrilineal narratives, Chinese traditions, hybridity, and my background in pop music. Whether I’m performing live, composing for stage, or making silk paintings, I’m interested in crafting works that bridge the personal and cultural. My latest work explores women’s ritual songs from the Weitou/ 圍頭 people—Hong Kong’s earliest settlers who migrated from Southern China during the Song Dynasty. I have Weitou heritage through my mum. Through song, I’ve been reconnecting with this lineage and relearning the disappearing dialect, Weitouhua/圍頭話.
The lyrics delivers a gentle defiance towards this tradition that circles the all to well-known expectations of being a wife and subservience. Walk us through your narrative and the creative process of the song:
“Pomelo Water” reimagines a traditional pre-wedding ritual in which a bride bathes in pomelo-infused water to wash away bad luck and prepare for married life. While the ritual symbolises renewal, it also implies a kind of erasure—an expectation for the bride to shed her past and become an obedient wife. In fact, marriage was often compared to a kind of death for a girl. The song is my way of playfully resisting that narrative. I wanted to explore what’s lost in that transformation, and whether it’s possible to reclaim such customs in a way that honours cultural heritage without losing the self. The lyrics are inspired by Weitou women’s ritual songs known as 哭嫁歌, or “crying marriage songs.” These bridal laments, traditionally sung before arranged marriages, express sorrow, anger, and protest. One line in “Pomelo Water”—“King of Hell”—comes directly from these laments, where the groom is often described in such terms. I feel like my lyrics build upon this angst and conjures a sort of bratty, unruly energy. Through the song, I aim to bring these powerful, often-overlooked voices into a contemporary context.
How did the concept of the music video come together, why did you pick this specific imagery?
The video concept came about when I was having a conversation over coffee with my friends and collaborators, Josh Tate and Rae Choi. We wanted to create something simple, lo-fi, and nostalgic—something that nodded to the cheesy Cantopop and Mandopop karaoke videos I grew up watching. The concept of dancing in public across various Sydney locations felt both fun and a bit rebellious, which tied perfectly into the song’s theme of playful defiance. Visually and physically, we leaned into a mix of silly, cyborg, Asian Aunty, and sad girl energy—an eccentric blend that reflects the layered tone of the song. I’m so used to performing on a stage, but I have to admit, dancing in public was quite nerve-wracking. You never know how people will react! Some cheered, a few joined in, and only one security guard asked me to move along—but kindly added, “I like your dance moves, but please do it over there.” Haha.
The song will be a part of your upcoming album, ‘The Bridal Lament’, which is exploring your Weitou heritage. How has this exploration impacted your art?
The seed for The Bridal Lament was first planted when I asked my mum if she could teach me her mother tongue, Weitouhua/ 圍頭話. That conversation opened the door to what has become a life-long journey into Weitou women’s cultural knowledge. Since 2018, I’ve been working closely with female elders in Lung Yeuk Tau village in Hong Kong to relearn their bridal laments. As these grannies grow older, their songs—so rich with emotion and history—are at risk of disappearing. This exploration has profoundly shaped my art. The Bridal Lament captures the spirit of this intergenerational exchange. It weaves together themes of grief, love, and imperfect translation, drawing from the poetic language of the laments and the defiance they carry. Through this album, I wish to honour the resilience of Weitou women’s voices, ensuring that their melodies and stories continue to resonate for generations to come.
What do you hope listeners take away from the project?
One of my main hopes for this project is to ensure that Weitou women’s knowledge doesn’t become a relic of the past—something static and locked behind museum glass. I wanted these songs and traditions to feel alive, breathing, and open to evolution. There’s so much we can learn from the past, especially from how these bridal laments offered a stylised, poetic framework for expressing grief.
Through The Bridal Lament, I hope listeners are inspired to reflect on their own histories and perhaps even reconnect with the voices and stories that shaped them. Whether it’s through grief, love, or healing, I want this project to serve as a gentle roadmap—one that honours where we’ve come from and helps guide us through where we’re going.
While creating this album, what are some lessons learnt that have influenced your growth?
Honestly, when I first heard the bridal laments, it felt like something inside me awakened. When I sing them, it feels as though my voice becomes boundless and I am one with all the women who sang them before me. I feel incredibly fortunate to be relearning these precious songs, which carry deep cultural knowledge and emotional resonance. Musically, the laments have profoundly influenced the way I sing. I've found myself naturally integrating pitch-bends, sobs, and vocal inflections that are characteristic of the tradition.
This has reshaped the texture of my voice and the way I approach melody and expression. There’s a sense of maturity that’s emerged in this album—I feel more grounded in my songwriting and production, and more assured in my creative choices. Most of all, this process has given me a renewed sense of purpose. It’s reminded me why I make art in the first place: to honour the past, connect with others, and find truth in my voice.
You have a number of already sold out theatre shows in conjunction with the album release, can you tell us a bit about what we can expect from it?
The theatre show, also titled The Bridal Lament, has already had four seasons across different cities in Australia. It’s a solo performance structured as a song cycle, weaving together storytelling, live music, animation, and movement, under the direction of Tessa Leong. I’ve learnt so much working with Tessa – she’s amazing. Through the show, I tell a deeply personal narrative, while also embodying multiple voices—the bride-to-be, my ancestors, my mum, and my grandmother who passed away when I was a baby.
The upcoming LP is a 13-track concept album that draws directly from the show. Some tracks are reimaginings of traditional laments using autotune and electronics; others are collages of English translations layered with field recordings. There are also entirely new songs I’ve written that delve into the inner world of the bride and the emotional weight of her journey. The Bridal Lament is ultimately about connecting the past with the present. It explores how ritual, memory, and identity intersect with contemporary questions of gender, power, and belonging.
Any other sneak peaks into what the rest of year holds for you?
More singles from The Bridal Lament album. I’ve also got a couple of visual art exhibitions lined up this year in Australia. And I want to take up tai-chi!
