Samantha Lam found immediate success upon her debut in 1981, with sophisticated ballads that swaddled her delicate voice in strings and synths. Her gauzy version of “A Chance Encounter,” recorded for the 1984 film A Certain Romance, has become a Cantopop standard, covered by artists like Sammi Cheng. In addition to her signature reverb-laden ballads, Lam has lent her chic aura to disco and rock beats.