It’s been a long time coming for Asian and Pacific Islander representation in music. Long past are the days when we could only cling to a select number of figures in the industry, like Nicole Scherzinger, Karen O, Pharrell Williams or that one ethnically ambiguous member of your favorite band that you swore looked at least a quarter Asian.
While there’s still plenty more progress to be made, it’s a breath of fresh air to see more API musicians represented in a variety of popular genres today. Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Silk Sonic, Mitski, 88rising, Jacob Collier, H.E.R., beabadoobee and Steve Lacy—to name just a few—have found mainstream success with chart-topping releases and millions of fans.
But K-pop and, well, regular pop aside, there still exist plenty of scenes in the music world that are lacking some Asian and Pacific Islander faces. When it comes to alternative and independent spaces, there are a few notable figures who are breaking the mold and inspiring our community. Get to know whom you should listen to next!
1.Curtis Waters
Placing Curtis Waters’ music in a sole genre is simply impossible. Ever since his single “Stunnin’” went TikTok-viral in 2020, the Nepal-born musician has dropped a slew of songs and an album with an authentic style that defies being musically boxed in. The star mixes together elements of glitchy pop, punk and hip-hop, featuring a sonically diverse mix of musicians in his tracks.
2. Romil Hemnani
Music producers rarely have much of a fanbase of their own, but Romil Hemnani’s presence in the boy band Brockhampton has cemented him as one of the most exciting producers in alternative rap and pop today. Creating beats that blend an experimentation of styles and genres, the producer and DJ is one of the sole South Asians in alt hip-hop. Brockhampton just released their…
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