A 28-year-old woman has ‘found her voice again’ in Liverpool after escaping suppression and violence in Hong Kong. Musician Xavier Chan, originally named Ying-Ching Chan, came to Liverpool in December 2021 after witnessing police brutality and is now finally fulfilling her dream of performing on stage.
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On Easter Sunday, 20th April, Xavier will perform to hundreds of people on stage at Camp & Furnace as part of Primal Live Song Contest — a Liverpool project that gives up-and-coming artists a platform, whilst raising money for The Whitechapel Centre for the homeless. A dream come true for Xavier, she could never have imagined this whilst enduring the suppression back home in Hong Kong.
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Back in 2020, Beijing had started to impose sweeping national security laws on her native Hong Kong. Since then, authorities have arrested dozens of pro-democracy activists, lawmakers, and journalists; curbed voting rights; and limited freedoms of the press and speech. In March 2024, Hong Kong lawmakers passed Article 23, an additional security legislation that further cements China’s rule on the city’s rights and freedom.
Xavier explained: “When everything started in Hong Kong, it felt like the city I grew up in was being torn apart. The suppression was terrifying. The police didn’t treat us like people anymore. They treated us like threats—like we didn’t deserve basic human rights. I wasn’t even a protester, but I was scared every single day.”
She continued: “Even when there were no protests happening, violence still broke out. The government would get people who supported them to form mobs. They’d attack random people—on the streets, at stations, in public places. It didn’t matter if you were a child, an old person, or just someone walking home. They’d just start beating people. And the worst part? The police would stand there and let it happen. Because those mobs were working with them. I saw it with my own eyes.”
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Xavier’s journey to Liverpool wasn’t easy. The Hong Kong protests — which began over a proposed extradition bill to China but spiralled into pro-democratic movements for autonomy from China — saw mass rallies, and attacks on Hong Kong citizens such as tear-gassing, and arrests. These incidents prompted freedom fears for residents, with many escaping abroad. Xavier, her mother and sister left in the wake of these protests, seeking freedom and a fresh start.
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Xavier explained: “I remember August 31st so clearly. The police suddenly raided a train station. No warning. No reason. They just started bashing people. Anyone who happened to be there. And then silence. The station closed for days. No answers. No reports. No justice. Just fear. No one even knows what happened to some of the people inside. They just vanished.”
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She continued: “Every single day felt like we were trapped in darkness. We couldn’t go to school safely. We didn’t know if it was safe to speak. I watched a video of a protester—he wasn’t doing anything. Just standing there. And the police shot him. Then arrested him like he was the criminal. That moment broke something inside me.”
“That’s why I had to leave. I had to take a chance—for my family, for our future. I wanted to build a new life somewhere we could finally breathe again. I sold all my music gear—everything I had worked so hard for—just to gather the money to start over. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. But I knew I had to choose survival. I had to choose hope.”
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Moving to Liverpool came with great sacrifices for their new life, which sparked fears over Xavier’s future with music. “I was literally crying one night because I didn’t know when I would ever pick up my guitar again,” she admits. “But I held onto the thought that if I could manage life here, I’d get everything back someday.”
Luckily for Xavier, Merseyside was very welcoming, and the community helped her to connect to society and music. She says fondly: “I always worried that not being local would be a problem, but people here don’t care about that. As long as you have heart and good songs, they’ll welcome you.”
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Xavier’s sound is deeply personal. She describes her music as indie-folk, being inspired by artists like Ed Sheeran and The Carpenters. Many of her songs stem from personal experiences, including struggles with validation and the journey toward self-love. “If someone listens to my music and feels something, that’s my biggest happiness,” she muses.
The support Xavier has experienced from her family, boyfriend and the Merseyside community has given her the confidence to take a leap of faith and pursue music seriously. “My boyfriend was a big reason I became braver and decided to put myself out there again,” she shares. That leap led her to the huge Primal Live song contest.
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Xavier’s participation in Primal Live at Camp & Furnace on Sunday 20th April marks a defining point in her life. “I’ve decided that music has to be part of my future,” she says with resolve. “I want new challenges, bigger things. I don’t want to just do what I need to survive—I want to truly live.”
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Moving to Liverpool has helped Xavier finally chase her dreams, realising that becoming a singer doesn’t have to remain a hobby, but no matter what happens in the competition, one thing is clear — Xavier has already won back the thing that matters most in life. Her voice.
Primal Live / Sun 20th April 2024, 3pm / Camp & Furnace, Greenland Street, Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, L1 0BY
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