Student wins community hearts singing Mandarin ballads in Richmond

Kieran Michael MacNeill, a 22-year-old computer science student at Queen's University, has gained widespread attention for singing Mandarin ballads door-to-door in Richmond, British Columbia.

Encouraged by Chinese Canadian friends, MacNeill performed classic 1980s Mando-pop songs, such as ‘A Spray of Plum Blossoms,’ to local residents. The project, filmed by his friend Jason Chen, has garnered millions of views online. The initiative has fostered community connections, with many residents responding warmly to his efforts by joining in the songs or sharing meals with him.

MacNeill, originally from Calgary, began learning the songs in 2024. His performances in Richmond—a city with a high proportion of residents of Chinese descent—aimed to bridge cultural gaps through music.