May is API Month, a time to spotlight Asian and Pacific islander cultures and representation. As API Month approaches, I wanted to share some of my favorite Asian musicians.
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal is among India’s most iconic singers with dozens of awards and honors. She first gained attention from her appearance on the reality show Sa Re Ga Ma at the age of 12, leading to her (vocal) film debut 6 years later in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, a visually stunning historical drama starring some of Bollywood’s biggest names. Since then, her career has taken off. Over the course of her longstanding career, she has earned international recognition for her angelic vocal abilities and linguistic range. She broke international barriers by becoming the first Indian artist to be named a Spotify EQUAL Global Ambassador. My personal favorites from her discography are “Barso Re” and “Chikni Chameli”. Along with her musical achievements, she is also a feminist, fashionista, and a doting mother, wife, and dog owner.
Rina Sawayama
Musician, model, and actress Rina Sawayama is a Japanese-British pop sensation known for her theatricality and social commentary. She was born in Japan and raised in London, going on to graduate from Cambridge University before entering show business. Boasting a diverse discography of futuristic pop, rock, country pop, and R&B, Sawayama is praised for her creativity and confidence. As a queer woman of color, she is unapologetic about her artistry and beliefs, often using her music to tackle themes such as homophobia, capitalism, religious trauma, and climate change. She has also spoken out about discrimination in the music industry and crimes against Palestine, participating in a benefit concert in September. Unfortunately for fans of her music, she has not announced an album for a while; she appears to be working on other projects, such as acting and promoting her new makeup brand.
Dimash Qudaibergen
Considered by many to be the greatest singer of all time (and rightfully so), Dimash Qudaibergen is a world-renowned Kazakh musician. As a vocalist, he is nearly perfect–his vocal range, breath control, stability, and live performances are incredible. Though he tends to whisper at times, he is easily the most versatile singer I’ve ever heard. While he primarily performs classical and neo-classical music, he also excels in jazz, rock, pop, and traditional music (covers and originals). In addition to his performance skills, including proficiency with multiple instruments, he also has a Master’s Degree in music composition and is a PhD musicology student. He is incredibly proud of his Kazakh heritage and Muslim faith, using his platform to showcase his culture. Outside of his musical pursuits, he is an IOM Goodwill Ambassador, animal lover, and a caring son and brother.
Babymetal
Babymetal is a Japanese trio unlike any other. Formed when the members were just preteen girls, producer Kobametal wanted to create a group that combined J-pop idol music with heavy metal, inspired by lead vocalist Suzuka Nakamoto’s talent and stage presence. Initially, Moa Kikuchi and Yui Mizuno were selected to complement her on stage, but following Mizuno’s departure in 2018, Momoko Okazaki was chosen to complete the trio. Despite some questionable concepts and formative elements, the group has seen unprecedented success with several award nominations and wins. Now in their 20s, the members continue to make and perform music. The group’s distinctive style, vocals, and dance moves set them apart from other metal artists. They have continued to branch out globally, collaborating with international artists such as F.HERO, Bloodywood, Poppy, and ElectricCallboy.
Hiroyuki Sawano
One of my favorites for a long time (and not just because we share a birthday), Hiroyuki Sawano is a Japanese soundtrack composer most known for his works for Attack on Titan, Blue Exorcist, Xenoblade Chronicles X, CRISIS, and more. With a variety of pieces from a broad range of genres such as orchestral, rock, jazz, pop, electronic, classical, and vocal (under the name SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]), he consistently produces emotional music (though I am not familiar with his more recent works). He writes breathtaking music despite their bizarre, or even unreadable, titles. I was so captivated by it that I sought out the shows and movies he worked on, (mistakenly) believing they would measure up to the music within them (which they rarely were; many of them were mediocre at best independently of their soundtracks). To explore his music, visit this link.
Honorable mentions:
Taemin (I’m not really a fan of his or K-pop, but he is probably my favorite K-pop artist)
KK/Krishnakumar Kunnath (late Indian playback singer)
Mika Singh (one of my favorite male Bollywood singers)
Bruno Mars (needs no introduction)
no na (a girl group with a unique fusion of modern sounds and traditional Indonesian beats)