mis- un-der-rated (v) 1. bands are big in home country but unknown in overseas due to language and culture barrier
Misunderrated explores music scenes and genres that is generally overseen in the Chinese culture such as alternative, indie, experimental, pop punk and emo by providing show reviews and quality photos in both English and Chinese for fans from the other side of the world.
I am Jessie Lau and I run Misunderrated. I triple as the owner, writer and photographer of Misunderrated. The idea of Misunderrated came to me on a mid summer night in 2009, I was looking for an outlet for my concert photography and seeing so many same type music blog/webzine in my so called “music scene”. I figured I would use my own experience and start something new and unique.
I am 100% Chinese and I was born and raised in Hong Kong. I moved to Toronto when I was 14 with my family. When I was still living in Hong Kong, I wasn’t into the local pop music at all. Quite the contrary, I was drawn to western pop culture and the TOP 40 music. In other words, I was very whitewashed. It wasn’t until I turned 16 when my friends brought me to my first club venue concert and it was a very different experience from arena shows. Since then I was hooked to the thrill and atmosphere to see my favorite bands play.
The more shows I go to the more I realize how blessed I am to be living in Toronto, an international city with a great music scene. It makes me think of many “what if”. What if I was still living in Hong Kong? Then I would have never been introduced to the music I now listen to. I realized it would have sucked so much if I was still living in Hong Kong, and my favorite bands would perform in US, UK, Japan, Australia but not my city because there are not enough fans to make it possible.
And that is the birth of Misunderrated.