10 Rising AAPI Artists You Need to Know

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by checking out music from these great up-and-coming acts — from hip-hop to synth-pop to indie rock

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MARIA J. ROJAS. PHOTOGRAPHS USED IN ILLUSTRATION BY FREDERICK COCHRAN; FA TAL DOPECHILD; PARIS MUMPOWER; DAVID FERNANDEZ; DYANG JONG; ADOBE STOCK

ASIAN POP ACTS like BTS and BLACKPINK have taken over the world in recent years, but what about homegrown Asian-American artists? Sure, a small handful of American musicians of Asian descent have made a name for themselves in the US, such as Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, indie singer-songwriter Mitski and house DJ and producer Yaeji. And there are Grammy-winning artists.  like Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Olivia Rodrigo and H.E.R. who are well-known among mainstream audiences, though it’s doubtful how many listeners are aware of their Asian heritage. A recent study found that a whopping 44% of Americans can’t name a single famous living Asian American. 

But that all might soon change as Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) continue to gain visibility across the entertainment industry. Just as AAPI creatives have been making significant strides in film and TV lately with blockbusters like Beef and Everything Everywhere All at Once, countless AAPI artists have been steadily gaining notice in their respective corners of the music world. In honor of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’ve highlighted ten up-and-coming AAPI artists in genres from hip-hop to synth-pop to indie-rock, and included suggestions for similar acts to check out. There’s also a Spotify playlist below where you can listen to their music.

Hear this playlist on Spotify.

Read the full article on Rolling Stone.