Appearing in front of the live audience who had gathered to see him at an intimate show, Henry Lau took his place next to the Christmas tree on stage to perform a rendition of ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! Having first entered the music industry as part of Super Junior-M, Henry left the group in 2018 to focus on his solo work. Since then, he has shown the extent of his musical talent by incorporating a loop station into his performances, which he used again in his ‘Last Christmas’ cover.
Henry built the sonic landscape of the cover entirely single-handedly, looping synths, bells, an electric violin, and even using his own vocals to create an angelic choir that will give Music Man readers a truly festive feeling. Then he began recording the lead vocal part, and the way he created beautiful harmonies with himself amazed listeners, prompting one to comment, “he is a musical genius.” His stunning cover now has over 2.5 million views, as listeners return to it every Christmas.
I wasn’t sure which was more impressive: Henry’s ability to play every instrument in the cover while also singing all the separate vocal harmonies, or the arrangement itself. Every detail worked together perfectly to make the number feel as festive as possible. I felt that this rendition was not simply a cover of a popular song, but a way for Henry to show his individual style and put his own creative spin on it, making it his own from the arrangement through to this incredible performance.
Henry showed off his loop-station skills once again in 2023, this time in front of a much larger audience during a performance in Melbourne, Australia. This time on stage in front of thousands at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Henry used a looper to build his original song ‘Moonlight’ from the ground up in an impressive display of talent. Looping violin, cello, guitar, and even the sound of himself whistling, Henry had fans cheering in amazement as he proved that his talent is the real deal.
Whether it’s an impressive live performance of an original song or a cover of an iconic song that Henry has made his own, it’s clear that the use of the looper truly lets Henry’s talents shine as he walks his path as a solo artist. Any Music Man fan who watches Henry’s looper videos is sure to want to return to them time and time again. I know whenever Christmas is around the corner, his cover of ‘Last Christmas’ will be one of the first ones I head to.
Henry Lau’s inventive ‘Last Christmas’ cover proves his solo artistry and looping wizardry — a festive, self-made masterpiece that has rightly gone viral. If you want to hear more from this talented musician and explore his work, check the useful links below.