Interview: Tennyson King Carries Love With Him After it’s Gone on “Good Intentions,” A Heartfelt Blend of Traditional Chinese Instrumentation and Indie Folk

Toronto-based, Hong Kong-born songwriter Tennyson King shares “Good Intentions,” the second single from his forthcoming album 100 Cities, a tender and emotionally resonant indie folk meditation on love, memory, and the quiet heartbreak of growing apart. Blending contemporary folk and Americana with traditional Chinese instrumentation, the song captures the lingering moments after a relationship ends while furthering Tennyson’s deeply personal exploration of identity, heritage, and belonging.

Inspired by a relationship that ended despite genuine love and sincere intentions, “Good Intentions” reflects on the bittersweet realization that sometimes timing, not emotion, ultimately changes the course of a relationship. “I felt like for the first time in a long time, I had the intention to be with this person for the long run,” Tennyson shares. “But despite that, timing can sometimes decide for us.”

The official music video, directed by Ewan Mac and filmed throughout Taipei, Taiwan (including the historic waterfront district of Tamsui) expands on the song’s emotional narrative. Starring Tennyson King and Violet Grace, the cinematic short follows two people deeply in love but increasingly separated by distance and circumstance, culminating in an ending that echoes the song’s central message: sometimes love alone isn’t enough to change the timing of life.

Rather than assigning blame, the song embraces the complicated truth that two people can care deeply for one another while still envisioning different futures. Built around intimate snapshots of shared routines, familiar spaces, and ordinary moments that suddenly become memories, “Good Intentions” finds grace in accepting love for what it was instead of mourning what it could have been.

Musically, “Good Intentions” further develops Tennyson’s distinctive sound, seamlessly weaving traditional Chinese instrumentation into contemporary indie folk without treating those instruments as ornamental additions. Featuring Lina Cao (曹丽娜) on guzheng, Snow Bai (白雪) on erhu, Lilian Yang (杨小磊) on pipa, and Dora Wang (王平) on dizi, alongside Tennyson’s own unconventional fingerpicked zhongruan, the arrangement allows Eastern and Western folk traditions to exist as equal voices.

Rather than bringing the traditional Chinese musicians into a conventional studio setting, Tennyson travelled to each of their homes with a portable recording setup. Sharing tea, discussing the songs, and working through arrangements in relaxed conversation allowed each performance to develop organically before the recordings were brought back to producer Dan Hosh for final production.

1. What did you enjoy most about the creation of this new release?

I co-wrote this song with Rebekah Hawker and Dan Hosh. Writing with these two wonderful and talented people was a big joy of creating Good Intentions. I worked with different traditional Chinese musicians in Toronto to arrange parts for the Erhu, Dizi, Pipa and Guzheng. Lina Cao 曹丽娜, Snow Bai 白雪, Lilian Yang 杨小磊, and Dora Wang 王平. I loved this process as it was so creative to arrange for Chinese instruments for a folk song. During our recording sessions we spoke in Chinese a lot in order for me to convey my ideas which was also a very new and fun experience for me.

2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.

A Kobe Bryant quote – “You have to fall in love with the boredom. You have to fall in love with the repetition. If you can find joy in the mundane work that no one else sees, the lights will eventually shine on you.”

3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?

Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson, Allison Russell.

4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?

I believe that having traditional Chinese instruments makes the indie folk music I write very unique. It adds such a beautiful and emotional quality to the sound that wouldn’t be able to be re created by other western instruments. That blended with acoustic, electric guitars with drums and bass and folk pop style vocal melodies gives it a sound that is special.

5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.

I have been listening to the song Cutting Thru The Country by Medium Build. Lyrics are really wonderful and tells a story, the song and arrangement is such a cool build from start to finish. I feel like there isn’t a moment wasted or lost musically during the song. I just really enjoy putting it on in my headphones or blasting it in the car and getting lost in the sauce.