ARTS / ART
Realizing how small you are and how much to explore via reading: singer-author G.E.M.
Universe between the pages
By Published: Jan 29, 2026 11:44 PM Updated: Jan 30, 2026 09:44 PM
Editor's Note:
In an age of information overload, reading remains a necessary channel to invigorate the mind, provide inspiration and cultivate virtue. Whether it is childhood enlightenment or the pursuits of adulthood, everyone's reading journey carries unique emotions and life experiences. The Global Times has specially launched the "100 Avid Readers" series, inviting guests from various fields to share their connections with books, stories of growth and sparks of thought.
In this first installment, we meet renowned Hong Kong singer G.E.M. (Gloria Tang Sze-wing), who shares how reading and creativity intertwine, and how curiosity has fueled her personal growth.
The novel, extending the creative core of her 2022 concept album Revelation, adopts a unique triple-world structure: the virtual world "Afterland," the corresponding "Brokenland," and reality, all intricately interwoven. It tells the story of the virtual character "Gloria" and the real-life girl Autumn, who struggle and resonate across different dimensions. Through their torn identities and emotional reconstruction, the novel explores fundamental questions of "self" and "love" in the technological age.
The computer science and astrophysics content that supports the plot is the result of years of accumulation by G.E.M. Although such specialized knowledge may seem distant from daily life, G.E.M. told the Global Times that she sought to understand it out of necessity. Curiosity, she said, is one of the driving forces behind her commitment to reading.
Pull of curiosity
When asked how she manages to make time for reading amid her busy schedule, G.E.M. said, "Actually, I don't deliberately make sure to read. Only when my spirit truly starts to crave something, when I feel that the real world and the material world can no longer satisfy me, do I find the time to absorb spiritual nourishment. This requires self-awareness. If you lack curiosity, you won't be able to take in anything." For her, reading has never been a task, but rather a spontaneous choice driven from within.
G.E.M.'s reading interests have continued to evolve through the different stages of her life. When she was a teenager, she was most drawn to romance novels, experiencing the sensitivity and stirrings of youth. In middle school, she became captivated by philosophy, pondering questions like "Who am I?" and "How does the world work?" - themes that would later surface in her works concerning human nature, consciousness, and identity. In adulthood, to meet the demands of her work and investments, she actively sought out books on technology, psychology, and theology.
"Why did I become interested in computer science? Because I invested in an AI company, and I had to know what I was investing in, so I started researching. After studying it, I realized its logic is a lot like the human brain - which overlaps with psychology - so I became even more interested," she told the Global Times.
Books on psychology, she said, have brought her comfort and helped her better portray the inner worlds of her characters.
"There was a time when I felt I might be suffering from depression, so I read a lot of psychology books during that period." Meanwhile, theological works prompted her to reflect on the origins and nature of humanity. "Many theology books discuss how humans were created. Understanding the origins of humanity allows you to better understand human nature and the differences between genders."
Her reading about the universe and astrophysics stems from a pure love of romance and wonder. "I have loved the cosmos since I was young - many of my works feature the moon, stars, and the sun," she admitted.
These reading experiences exemplify what it means for interest to be the best teacher. It is precisely this broad range of interests and unending curiosity that enables G.E.M. to continually absorb new knowledge and transform it into fertile ground for her creative work.
Nourishment of creation
During the creative process for her latest work, G.E.M. also actively consulted friends and experts from various fields to refine her logic and settings. The founder of an AI company she invested in is himself an expert in computer science. After reading the logical framework of the novel, The Path of Revelation, he also shared it with the company's physicists so they could discuss it together.
G.E.M. remarked that the AI field has a concept called "generative adversarial networks," in which two models converse and inspire new ideas in each other. In much the same way, when people from different fields interact, they can spark new thoughts through their exchanges. "AI is really a microcosm of how humans communicate," she observed.
G.E.M. said that creating a song, a set of lyrics, a painting, or a novel is all about using creativity to construct a new world, and then inviting readers or listeners to enter that world and share in it. Reading, she said, plays a crucial role in keeping creators humble throughout their creative journey.
"When I am creating, sometimes I will be pleased with myself and think, 'How did I come up with that?' But after reading other people's works, I realize, 'Wow, others are truly amazing.' Realizing how small you are in this vast universe, and how much more there is to explore, that is what keeps you hungry and curious," said G.E.M.
In an age of information overload, reading remains a necessary channel to invigorate the mind, provide inspiration and cultivate virtue. Whether it is childhood enlightenment or the pursuits of adulthood, everyone's reading journey carries unique emotions and life experiences. The Global Times has specially launched the "100 Avid Readers" series, inviting guests from various fields to share their connections with books, stories of growth and sparks of thought.
In this first installment, we meet renowned Hong Kong singer G.E.M. (Gloria Tang Sze-wing), who shares how reading and creativity intertwine, and how curiosity has fueled her personal growth.
A still from the music video Revelation Photo: Courtesy of G.E.M.
In the eyes of many, Gloria Tang Sze-wing, widely known by her stage name G.E.M., is one of the most influential singer-songwriters in the Chinese music scene. With her emotionally powerful voice and songwriting abilities, she has crafted numerous moving musical works. Recently, her debut science fiction novel, The Path of Revelation, was included in the voting list for the 37th Galaxy Awards' "Best Original Book," drawing widespread attention. Some commentators noted that placing this novel within the broader spectrum of popular literature reveals how science fiction writers are stepping out from laboratories and studies into the forefront of mass culture.The novel, extending the creative core of her 2022 concept album Revelation, adopts a unique triple-world structure: the virtual world "Afterland," the corresponding "Brokenland," and reality, all intricately interwoven. It tells the story of the virtual character "Gloria" and the real-life girl Autumn, who struggle and resonate across different dimensions. Through their torn identities and emotional reconstruction, the novel explores fundamental questions of "self" and "love" in the technological age.
The computer science and astrophysics content that supports the plot is the result of years of accumulation by G.E.M. Although such specialized knowledge may seem distant from daily life, G.E.M. told the Global Times that she sought to understand it out of necessity. Curiosity, she said, is one of the driving forces behind her commitment to reading.
Pull of curiosity
When asked how she manages to make time for reading amid her busy schedule, G.E.M. said, "Actually, I don't deliberately make sure to read. Only when my spirit truly starts to crave something, when I feel that the real world and the material world can no longer satisfy me, do I find the time to absorb spiritual nourishment. This requires self-awareness. If you lack curiosity, you won't be able to take in anything." For her, reading has never been a task, but rather a spontaneous choice driven from within.
G.E.M.'s reading interests have continued to evolve through the different stages of her life. When she was a teenager, she was most drawn to romance novels, experiencing the sensitivity and stirrings of youth. In middle school, she became captivated by philosophy, pondering questions like "Who am I?" and "How does the world work?" - themes that would later surface in her works concerning human nature, consciousness, and identity. In adulthood, to meet the demands of her work and investments, she actively sought out books on technology, psychology, and theology.
"Why did I become interested in computer science? Because I invested in an AI company, and I had to know what I was investing in, so I started researching. After studying it, I realized its logic is a lot like the human brain - which overlaps with psychology - so I became even more interested," she told the Global Times.
Books on psychology, she said, have brought her comfort and helped her better portray the inner worlds of her characters.
"There was a time when I felt I might be suffering from depression, so I read a lot of psychology books during that period." Meanwhile, theological works prompted her to reflect on the origins and nature of humanity. "Many theology books discuss how humans were created. Understanding the origins of humanity allows you to better understand human nature and the differences between genders."
Her reading about the universe and astrophysics stems from a pure love of romance and wonder. "I have loved the cosmos since I was young - many of my works feature the moon, stars, and the sun," she admitted.
These reading experiences exemplify what it means for interest to be the best teacher. It is precisely this broad range of interests and unending curiosity that enables G.E.M. to continually absorb new knowledge and transform it into fertile ground for her creative work.
Nourishment of creation
During the creative process for her latest work, G.E.M. also actively consulted friends and experts from various fields to refine her logic and settings. The founder of an AI company she invested in is himself an expert in computer science. After reading the logical framework of the novel, The Path of Revelation, he also shared it with the company's physicists so they could discuss it together.
G.E.M. remarked that the AI field has a concept called "generative adversarial networks," in which two models converse and inspire new ideas in each other. In much the same way, when people from different fields interact, they can spark new thoughts through their exchanges. "AI is really a microcosm of how humans communicate," she observed.
G.E.M. said that creating a song, a set of lyrics, a painting, or a novel is all about using creativity to construct a new world, and then inviting readers or listeners to enter that world and share in it. Reading, she said, plays a crucial role in keeping creators humble throughout their creative journey.
"When I am creating, sometimes I will be pleased with myself and think, 'How did I come up with that?' But after reading other people's works, I realize, 'Wow, others are truly amazing.' Realizing how small you are in this vast universe, and how much more there is to explore, that is what keeps you hungry and curious," said G.E.M.
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