There are so many ways to celebrate Asian Heritage Month and pay homage to this community, no matter your background — and one of our preferred methods is to run up the streams on songs by all our favourite artists of Asian descent. While you might know a number of notable artists from the radio, we’re here to put you on to some names that are up-and-coming, fresh, underground, or simply blooming with their music careers on TikTok.
Get ready to diversify your playlist…
Manila Grey
Our favourite song: “Silver Skies”
Based in Vancouver but originally from the Philippines, Soliven and Neeko came together to form R&B duo, Manila Grey, back in 2016. Since then, they’ve amassed over 70 million streams and sold out shows across Canada and Asia. In 2021, they received a Juno nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year and have gone on to be recognized by major Canadian publications.
Tesher
Our favourite song: “Young Shahrukh”
Jalebi, anyone? Hitesh Sharma, better known as Tesher, hails from Regina. A 2022 Juno nominee for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, his music started going viral on TikTok, paving his way for stardom, and the creation of smash single “Jalebi Baby” with none other than Jason Derulo.
Katherine Li
Our favourite song: “Miss Me Too”
Toronto-based indie-pop artist Katherine Li will represents Canada as Spotify’s EQUAL Global Ambassador for Asian Heritage Month. This rising star is already opening for artists like Haley Kiyoko at the young age of 19. Li was taking piano lessons at an early age and putting on shows for friends and family as a child. She cites “heartache” as a big theme in her music.
Jade LeMac
Our favourite song: “Aimed to Kill – Piano Version”
Jade takes pride in her half-Asian heritage and connection to the LBGTQIA2S+ community, both of which have largely influenced her ability to bend and break barriers between genres. The Vancouver-based singer songwriter built her audience on TikTok, now exceeding 1.2 million followers.
AP Dhillon
Our favourite song: “Insane”
Amritpal (AP) moved to Canada only nine years ago, but has already been making waves in the Canadian music scene. Releasing his first track in 2019, he has now amassed nearly 10 million monthly Spotify listeners. He’s worked with other Indo-Canadian artists such as Gurinder Gill, and the late Sidhu Moose Wala.
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anders
Our favourite song: “Not Impressed”
This independent artist and Mississauga native emerged in popularity while releasing a number of critically acclaimed songs. A two-time Juno-nominee, anders has collaborated with Loud Luxury on “Love No More”, earned a co-sign from OVO Sound Radio and worked with various top-tier producers over the years.
Luna Li
Our favourite song: “Cloud Castle”
Looking for the dreamiest soundtrack to make your life feel like a movie? Luna’s tracks consistent of minimal vocals, but never skimp on the melodies. This Korean-Canadian, Toronto-based singer/songwriter/composer blends indie rock and psych, using classical instruments to create symphonies with a touch of pop — all which come together to make you feel warm and happy.
Karan Aujla
Our favourite song: “52 Bars”
Originally from Punjab, Karan Aujla emigrated to Canada as a teenager and started releasing music in 2014. He’s worked with popular artists such as YG and Badshah, and is now a recognized name in many South Asian households.
Sylo
Our favourite song: “Ginny”
This Korean-Canadian, Toronto-based artist was named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist of the Month in 2022. Sylo describes his music as “cozy” and we can see why — his soft vocals and feel-good, silky music come together seamlessly, especially on tracks like “FOMO” and “AIR”. His latest EP, blanket, has already received nods of approval from NPR, Billboard and Lyrical Lemonade, and we can’t wait to see this up-and-coming artist continue to take off.
Cerae
Our favourite song: “Rain”
20-year-old Cerae might be new to the Toronto music scene, but she’s ready to take the industry by storm. Her Filipino and Caribbean background paired with her love for singing at church allowed her to create music that pushes the boundaries of multiple genres at a time, crafting lyrics about the human experience. Fun fact: she sang backup vocals for Alicia Keys in 2022.
Ikky
Our favourite song: “Baller”
Ikky’s unique production style caught the attention of international stars like Amrit Maan and Garry Sandhu when he was just 17 years old. Now 22, he’s had the opportunity to team up with artists like Diljit Dosanjh to produce tracks like “Chauffeur”. Go check your current favourite playlists — he’s probably featured on a song somewhere in there.
Lyle Kam
Our favourite song: “somebody to you”
At 23, Toronto-based Lyle is paving his own way in the music industry, all while being a student by day. He gained popularity on TikTok with his song “Unlove” hitting a whopping 2.1 million likes, and nearly 5 million streams on Spotify. His music is soft and sweet, tapping into feelings of love and heartache — if you’re a fan of LAUV and Shawn Mendes, you’ll love Lyle.
Spitty
Our favourite song: “Mississauga To Miami”
North American influence merged with South Asian style is what Brampton-based artist Spitty does best. Upon releasing his debut album in 2021, he received praise from notable outlets such as MuchMusic and Rolling Stone India. He’s opened for Kardinal Offishal and has taken his music on the road, performing in several cities across Canada and America.
Pisceze
Our favourite song: “Five”
Under her Spotify bio, you’ll see she’s “staking claim on an entirely new breed of musical genre” — a bold statement, but not one that we can say we disagree with. She spins R&B and soul-pop with an interesting hint of K-p, her diverse Japanese-Korean heritage playing a role in her music.
READ MORE: 5 Inspiring Quotes From Priyanka Chopra About South Asian Representation
Kayam
Our favourite song: “Patagonia”
With a family history spanning across India, Tanzania, Kenya and Britain, we can only expect to see this Canadian-born Calgarian singer and songwriter’s music reflect his diverse background. The young singer has been recognized by the CBC, Toronto Star and more, and has performed alongside Roy Woods and Bryce Vine, to name a few.
