Although Asian American youth and adults flock to electronic dance music (EDM) festivals, there is very little representation on stage. While Asian fans pack major music festivals like Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Ultra, very few Asian artists have broken through to mainstream success on the festival circuit or as touring acts.
“Go to any major music festival, you’d see [that] 50-60% of people are Asian there,” notes Michael Tam, co-founder of new dance music label and creative collective Hidden Horizon. “But as for the artist side of things, the demographics are extremely low.”
Arguably the most famous Asian American DJ artist who comes to mind is Steve Aoki. Recognized by Gold House in 2024 as one of the Most Impactful Asians, the Grammy-nominated artist was the highest grossing EDM artist of 2012 and has a net worth of $120 million, marking him the third richest artist in the genre in 2023.
However, in a genre with minimal to zero lyrics, does it matter who is making the music? Why is there a need for Asian American artists in EDM? Is there an Asian American EDM aesthetic? And do people even care about that distinction?
Inspiring the Next Wave of Asian American EDM Artists
For Tam, it absolutely matters who is making the music.
With a decade of experience in the music industry, he has cultivated a deep expertise in spotlighting and elevating Asian talent within the genre. Tam’s current career at SiriusXM allows him to directly platform Asian musicians through roles such as the creative lead for the 88rising radio channel and hosting his own House of Jade show dedicated to highlighting the top dance tracks each week by Asian artists. He is also a music journalist and chief editor at EDMTunes.
The Hidden Horizon co-founder has plumbed the depths of SoundCloud and YouTube and discovered a wellspring of skilled Asian producers creating talented mashups and remixes. However, he’s also witnessed firsthand the disparity in representation…
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