Lolly Talk

Lolly Talk is an eight-member girl group active in Hong Kong, China. The group was officially formed in 2022, and its origins are closely tied to the phenomenon-level idol reality show *Star Creation IV*, produced by Hong Kong’s ViuTV. Although the eight members (Liu Qiting, Huang Yonglin, Guo Xiaoyan, Zeng Meixin, Chen Jicheng, Zheng Zhiqi, Wu Qianyi, and Huang Minqiao) were not ultimately selected to join the official girl group on the show, they decided to form their own group and debut independently, leveraging the online popularity they had built during the competition and their strong chemistry.

In the Hong Kong pop music market at the time, the operation of idol groups typically relied heavily on capital injections from major television stations or traditional record company. The operational model of Lolly Talk, however, exhibited strong characteristics of “decentralization” and “indie idol” culture. In their early days, they primarily released cover videos and vlogs through their YouTube channel, and later launched their first original song, “8SEC,” using funds raised through crowdfunding and their own independent efforts. This approach—which remained deeply rooted in the grassroots and allowed their fan community to witness their growth firsthand—earned them a strong emotional connection with the younger generation.

In terms of musical concepts and stylistic direction, Lolly Talk embodies the energetic and vibrant “J-Pop Idol” style. Their music (such as “Three Parts Sweet” and “A Blaze of Fire”) often features fast-paced synth-pop and rock arrangements, with lyrics focusing on the passion and enthusiasm of young girls, their journeys toward their dreams, and a sense of companionship. This style has effectively filled a long-standing gap in the Hong Kong music scene for authentic, energetic Japanese-style girl groups.

As their music career has rapidly progressed, Lolly Talk’s production standards have continued to rise, leading to the successful staging of ticketed concerts and the release of physical albums and merchandise. Industry observers believe that the rise of Lolly Talk is not only an important part of the recent revival of the idol industry in the Hong Kong music scene, but their story—of “overlooked talent show contestants forming their own group to break through” and leveraging digital platforms to achieve commercial success with physical releases—also provides a highly representative case study for grassroots-driven commercial operations in contemporary Hong Kong pop culture.