Beloved Cantopop queen Anita Mui may have passed away 17 years ago, but she still lives in the hearts of her fans and friends, and most definitely in singer Remus Choy of Cantopop group Grasshopper.

In a recent interview on a Hongkong talk show, the 53-year-old shared some anecdotes about Anita and the impact she had on his singing career.

Recounting his first meeting with Anita in 1985 at the audition for Hong Kong New Talent Singing Awards, where she was one of the judges, Remus said that when it was the Grasshopper’s turn to perform, there was suddenly a black out at the venue. While everyone panicked, Anita remained calm and told the crew to light some candles.

During the black out, she began chatting with Remus and his band mates, Edmond So and Calvin Choy, and learned that they wrote their own lyrics and choreographed their own routines. She was impressed with the trio and soon after, she invited them to perform as her back-up dancers and singers.

Remus sang praises of Anita’s straightforward and sincere nature, and how in a bid to understand how the poor lived, she visited him at his home in a very rundown neighbourhood. Unsurprisingly, the visit caused quite a stir.

“She wanted to come to my place to do an interview, so I got my neighbour to be her security guard. From the moment she got off the car, we had to surround her and fend off the people. My home was very basic and I only had a folding stool for her to sit on, but she had no airs and understood this is how the low income live,” he said.

Another Cantopop legend that left a deep impression on Remus was the late Leslie Cheung. Like Anita, Leslie also passed away in 2003.

Remus recalled how one year at the late singer Roman Tam’s birthday party, Leslie dedicated the Grasshopper’s ‘Why Are You Not Born a Woman’. When it played, Leslie walked over to Remus and told him that he really liked the song, and they both jumped on the stove top and sang as though they were performing on stage.

“I was really happy when my idol performed my song at such a private occasion. I have no regrets,” he said.

Photos: PBE Media, TPG/CLICK PHOTOS