AAPI Musicians You Should Support
May is known as AAPI month and in celebration of this, here are some talented AAPI musicians that you should check out! From the indie ukulele player Mxmtoon to the Grammy winner H.E.R, these prolific musicians write songs packed with meaning and emotion, and are making waves in the music industry!
Mxmtoon (Genre: Lofi Hip-Hop, Indie):
Indie artist Mxmtoon (pronounced em-ex-em-toon), also known as Maia, was born on July 9, 2000. She was born in Oakland, California and is Chinese American. She is a songwriter, singer, and ukulele player. Mxmtoon began her YouTube channel in 2013 and now has grown with a subscriber count higher than eight hundred fifty thousand. With her hard-hitting lyrics, easy-going personality, and catchy rhythms, she quickly hit popularity with songs such as Prom Dress and Falling For U.
Some song recommendations:
prom dress
Falling For U
feelings are fatal
Beabadoobee (Genre: Indie Rock, Lo-fi Music, Alternative Rock):
Beabadoobee, also known as Beatrice, was born on June 3, 2000, in Iloilo City, Philippines. She’s a British-Filipino singer and songwriter based in London, England. Her first single, Coffee, got a lot of attention on various social media platforms such as TikTok. Her debut studio album, Fake It Flowers, was released in October 2020 to critical acclaim. Beabadoobee also won the Radar Award at the 2020 NME Awards. Her soft songs make listeners feel as if they are almost floating in a sea of comfort.
Some song recommendations:
Coffee
Bobby
Disappear
Mitski (Genre: Indie Rock):
Mitski Miyawaki is a New York-based indie musician born on September 27, 1990. She was born in Japan, and she lived in 13 countries all over the world as a child. Mitski eventually settled in the United States to attend the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. She released her album Puberty 2 in 2016, which was met with an abundance of praise. Her songs are heart-wrenching; songs such as Nobody are tragic, deep, and reflect Mitskis’s emotions as a whole. Her songs are sung with raw emotion, and that’s one reason she’s worth listening to.
Some song recommendations:
Washing Machine Heart
Nobody
Me and My Husband
Mitski Miyawaki
Bruno Mars (Genre: Pop, R&B, HipHop):
One of pop music’s biggest sensations, Peter Gene Hernandez, A.K.A. Bruno Mars, is a singer, songwriter, and record producer based in America. He was born on October 8, 1985. His paternal grandfather was Puerto Rican and Bruno’s paternal grandmother was Jewish. Bruno's mother was from the Philippines, and Bruno himself was raised in Hawaii by a family of musicians. His debut album was released in 2010 and is called Doo-Wops and Hooligans, and his second album, Unorthodox Jukebox, was released in 2012. He also collaborated with Cardi B to release the hit song “Finesse.” Today, he has sold over an astonishing number of 100 million records. Bruno also has six number-one singles on the Billboard 100. Additionally, he won the 2018 Grammy Awards in six categories: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. His light-hearted, jazzy music is a favorite of many.
Some song recommendations:
Uptown Funk
Finesse
Locked out of Heaven
Rina Sawayama (Genre: Pop, R&B, Alternative Pop, Electropop):
Rina was born on the 16th of August, 1990, and is known as a model and a musician based in London. Rina was born in Japan, and she is Japanese-British. Sawayama has modeled for big companies such as MAC, and Versace. She released her debut single called “Sleeping in Walking” in 2013. She dropped her album “SAWAYAMA” in 2020 and also collaborated with Elton John on “Chosen Family.” Her album “SAWAYAMA” combines musical characteristics from pop music in the ‘90s and ‘00s and integrates modern musical trends.
Some song recommendations:
XS
Chosen Family
Akasaka Sad
UMI (Genre: Lo-Fi, R&B):
UMI, also known as Tierra Umi Wilson, is an LA-based recording artist and songwriter. UMI is half Japanese; her middle name, Umi, translates to “ocean” in Japanese. Her music is laid-back alternative music with an R&B kick to it. Notably, she once accompanied Conan Grey as an opening act on his Comfort Crows Tour in 2019. Her most popular song to date is “Remember Me,” with over 80 million streams on Spotify. Vogue described her music as having a “lo-fi, alternative, laid back, R&B style.”
Some song recommendations:
Remember Me
Butterfly
Down to Earth
H.E.R (Genre: R&B):
H.E.R, Gabriella Wilson; was born on June 27, 1997, in California. H.E.R is the acronym for “Having Everything Revealed.” H.E.R is half Filipino, and she has gravitated towards music since a young age. H.E.R keeps a low profile. She prefers anonymity to celebrity status; she would rather let the music speak for itself. However, in 2018, H.E.R. was nominated for two Grammys: one for Album of the Year (for H.E.R. Volume 1) and another for Best New Artist. Presently, H.E.R. has four Grammys, including one for song of the year in 2020. Additionally, H.E.R won her first Academy Award for Best Original Song in the film Judas and the Black Messiah.
Some song recommendations:
Best Part
Focus
Losing
All of these musicians are skilled songwriters in their genres, and they are redefining the music industry! The catchy lyrics, dreamy tunes, and melodic harmonies are what make them special. We hope that you give them a listen, and happy AAPI month!
Sources:
[1] Mxmtoon, Genuis
https://genius.com/artists/Mxmtoon
[2] Beabadoobee, Genuis
https://genius.com/artists/Beabadoobee
[3] Mitski Artist Biography, Marcy Donelson/All Music
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mitski-mn0003327534/biography
[4] Rina Sawayama, Genuis
https://genius.com/artists/Rina-sawayama
[5] UMI Is a Neo-Soul and R&B-Inspired Artist Creating Space for Healing, Eda Yu/Complex
https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2019/09/umi-balance-healing-interview
[6] UMI, Genuis
https://genius.com/artists/Umi
[7] 10 APPI Musicians Who Are Dominating The Alternative Genre Right Now, Alex Darus/Alternative Press
https://www.altpress.com/features/alternative-aapi-artists-musicians/
[8] Bruno Mars, Genuis
https://genius.com/artists/Bruno-mars
[9] Who is H.E.R? Everything To Know About Oscar Winner Gabi Wilson, DeAnne James/Oprah Daily
https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a30630816/who-is-her/
[10] Mitski - The Under the Radar Cover Story https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/mitski_-_the_under_the_radar_cover_story
[11] Umi - The Full Moon Songwriter
