Every year, both emerging and established artists are chosen to perform in front of press, fans and industry professionals at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival, which is being held from March 11-16, 2024. Read on for some of the Asian musicians selected to be showcase artists at this year’s festival.
Ankur Tewari
From Mumbai, India, Tewari is a music veteran, having been in the business since 1998. The folk artist has made music for children and adults alike, with work catered to both demographics. Most notably, Tewari’s 2019 song about climate change, “Dhuaan Dhuaan,” reached internet fame via YouTube, and during a number of protests in India, his anthem “Woh Hum Nahin” was performed. You can also catch Tewari as the frontman of Ankur & The Ghalat Family, a Hindi rock band centered on acoustics and folk-rock.
Chance Emerson
An Americana pop songwriter from Hong Kong, Emerson came to Rhode Island to further his studies and, quickly after, began performing his music all along America’s Northeast. Most recently, Emerson released his 2023 album, “Ginkgo,” and received the John Lennon Songwriting Award from BMI.
BackDrop Cinderella
Described as DIY and self-produced, BackDrop Cinderella is a four-person punk band from Tokyo that was formed back in 2006. Their first international performance was at SXSW 2023, and lucky enough, they have returned for another year’s festival. Since its formation in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro, the band has yet to change members or genres. Over the years, they have adopted the phrase “UNZA! UNZA!” to energize themselves and their fans. BackDrop Cinderella will play Elysium on March 11.
Dasom Baek
Dasom Baek is listed in the avant/experimental genre category due to her intermixing of modern music with traditional Korean instrumentals. She has performed at a number of festivals, including the APaMM showcase, Jazzkorea Festival in Germany, New Music Festival in Rotterdam, Freespace Jazz Festival in Hong Kong and more. She most recently released a second album with Metron Records titled “거울도시 : Mirror City.” She is set to play the Central Presbyterian Church on March 13 and Flamingo Cantina on the 14th.
Gummy B
A Taiwanese rapper from Taipei, Gummy B has established himself as an emerging force following his debut album release in 2022 and his participation in the hip-hop reality program “The Rappers Season 2.” Gummy is familiar with music festivals and has performed at a number of them, including the Megaport Festival, Music Matters Live and ALSO Festival. He received the Golden Indie Music Awards’ “Best Live Performance Award.”
Enji
Enji is a Mongolian jazz-folk artist from Munich, Germany. Her music incorporates her Mongolian roots, with references to village visits, her family and native Mongolian phrases. She is now on a global tour with her co-composer and guitarist Paul Brändle. You can catch her at the Central Presbyterian Church on March 13.
HALLEY
Consisting of five members, HALLEY is a multicultural Asian R&B band from Waseda, Japan, with members from Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. Their music blends different languages and cultural genres, including elements of US/UK R&B and Japanese/Korean R&B. Their first EP was released in September 2023. They will be performing at Elysium on March 11.
Mei Semones
Mei Semones creates in the jazz indie rock genre, with songs that include both English and Japanese lyrics. The 23-year-old is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, but is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She has since released an EP titled “Kabutomushi,” in which she touches on themes of vulnerability, devotion and love. Her current bandmates are Noah Leong and Claudius Agrippa, whom she met while attending Berklee College of Music.
Mong Tong
Hailing from Taipei, Taiwan, Mong Tong is currently positioning itself as a part of the new wave of Taiwanese music that focuses on the psychedelic sonic scene. Mong Tong was formed by two brothers, Hom Yu and Jiun Chi, and pulls from Southeast Asian influences and 60s/70s psychedelic sounds. Their most recent album, titled “Tao Fire 道火,” was released in 2023.
LEX the Lexicon Artist
LEX performs as a rapper and is described as being in the subgenre of nerdcore, influenced by Asian culture, cringe culture and fandoms. LEX has found success in North America, having played in over 34 states. Additionally, they have performed at the Music and Gaming Festival, FanimeCon, Anime Expo and more. LEX has two full-length albums, titled “Alter Ego” (2020) and “Raging Ego” (2018).
Teenage Sequence
Dewan-Dean Soomary is the singer, songwriter and producer behind the disco-punk project, Teenage Sequence. In September 2023, Teenage Sequence debuted singles including “All this Art” and “The City is Hungover” and found support from outlets such as Stereogum, NPR, KCRW and others. This year, Teenage Sequence is an official SXSW artist and is planning a UK, EU and US tour.
v10101a
Viola He is v10101a, a multimedia artist who specializes in electronic music concerning computer programming and digital aesthetics. Viola is from Shanghai, China, but currently resides in New York where they perform as a member of the collective Livecode.NYC. You can hear v10101a at Coconut Club Rooftop on March 11.
