We’re proud to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month by spotlighting Asian artists from around the globe. From pop and hip hop to trance and beyond, these talented musicians are pushing cultural boundaries and creating some of the most beloved, crowd-pleasing and innovative sounds in Musik Heute.
Benzo:
Rising Chinese rap star and cultural trailblazer Benzo Li (李大奔) takes a powerful step onto the global stage with the release of his new full-length album Mama, I’m Back a project that marks both a creative peak and a personal statement of purpose. The 14-track project marks a bold return for one of China’s most compelling and undeniable hip-hop voices, blending sharp lyricism, genre-defying production, and personal storytelling.
Moving across dynamic soundscapes and fusing Mandarin rap with state-of-the-art cinematic beats and melodic heights, with Mama, I’m Back, Benzo delivers more than just a record: it’s an introspective body of work that marks both a creative rebirth and emotional reckoning. “I was going through one of the lowest points in my life,” Benzo shares. “I feared no one looked forward to my music anymore… but from that rock bottom came the instinct to bounce back.” That struggle gave birth to a “hero”, an inner force that helped him rediscover his voice, his purpose, and the kind of artist he wants to be.
With a project that’s as relatable as it is distinctly personal, Benzo sets his sights on the international stage, and Mama, I’m Back serves as both a personal statement and a cultural bridge, introducing global audiences to the richness and variety of Chinese hip-hop. Follow Benzo on Spotify Hier.
Rinaly
Hailing from Japan, Rinaly is an internationally acclaimed DJ with over a decade of experience captivating audiences around the globe. Renowned for her exceptional versatility, she seamlessly blends multiple genres to deliver electrifying performances tailored to any setting. Whether commanding the main stage at world-class music festivals or creating an unforgettable atmosphere at exclusive corporate events, Rinaly consistently demonstrates her professionalism, artistry, and ability to connect with diverse audiences. Her dynamic energy and refined musical expertise make her a sought-after performer on the global stage.
Career highlights include Electric Daisy Carnival in Japan, Mexico, and China, Dreamstate and Beyond Wonderland in the USA, Ultra Japan, Lanna Sky Festival in Thailand, AVA Night in Jakarta and Zurich, and the In Trance We Trust ADE Festival.
Check out her latest single hier and a selection of sets on her YouTube channel hier.
Chen Linong:
Chen Linong is a triple threat, , a singer, dancer, and actor. He first gained widespread recognition in 2018 as a fan favorite contestant in the reality survival show Idol Producer. Out of a hundred trainees hand-selected from eighty-seven entertainment agencies across Asia, Chen Linong finished as runner-up, successfully securing a coveted spot in the Chinese boy band Nine Percent, one of the most iconic and commercially successful boy bands in China’s music history. With Nine Percent, he went on to release To The Nines and More Than Forever with the group before its disbandment.
Since Nine Percent’s dissolution, Linong has continued to distinguish himself with his soulful vocals, genre versatility, and collaborations with talented musicians such as Hailee Steinfield, which have earned him millions of supporters called Nong Tang.
Linong’s debut solo album Unbelonging (格格不入), which achieved diamond status within one minute of its release in 2020, unpacks his rapid rise to the forefront of the C-pop industry and the strange sense of “unbelonging” he experienced during what should have been the happiest time of his life. Building on the success of Unbelonging, his 2024 album By The Name of Youth delves into liminal emotional spaces between anonymity and fame, youth and maturity, love and heartbreak, spanning melancholic ballads to upbeat dance numbers. The impact was clear: By The Name of Youth ranked No. 6 among Mandarin-language albums on the annual digital sales chart of Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), China’s largest music streaming platform, a testament to Chen Linong’s enduring popularity and commercial success.
Check out Chen Linong’s latest single “Kiss Me” and stay tuned for exciting new English-language collaborations with international artists arriving soon. Follow Chen on Spotify Hier.
Elva Hsiao:
It’s 2025. Y2K nostalgia has reached an all time high. People are yearning for a seemingly simpler time when they were young, phones were flip, and social media was nascent. Now rewind. It’s 1999. The Matrix has moviegoers wondering whether we’re all living in a simulation. Napster has irrevocably revolutionized music sharing. And Elva Hsiao, a twenty-year-old singer from Zhongli District with big dreams and an even bigger talent, launches her first, self-titled album to huge creative and commercial success. In stylish crop top and cargo pants ensembles today’s teenagers would kill to get their hands on, Hsiao made dynamic, playful music that defined the era and pioneered R&B in the Sinosphere, setting off a wave of R&B-influenced Mandopop.
To this day, Hsiao is a beloved cultural icon and tastemaker with the record-breaking sales and fifteen full-length albums, chock full of heavy hitters like “Theme Song of Love” and “Cappuccino,” to prove it. More recently, Hsiao released Naked Truth in 2020 to coincide with her 20th year as a recording artist. Naturally, her artistry has evolved over time as she’s experimented with electronic dance music and refined her chic, sleek visual world. In spite of suffering setbacks, including serious injuries and several surgeries as a result, Hsiao remains remarkably committed to her craft.
Look out for a special release coming soon. Follow Elva on Spotify Hier.
Somna
As one of Canada’s leading Trance artists, Somna held the #65 spot in the DJTOP100 (TrancePodium 2018) making him the only Canadian within the top 100. His music can be found on the biggest trance labels in the world including Armada Music, Future Sound Of Egypt, AVA Recordings, Black Hole Recordings and Perfecto. Somna’s music regularly finds itself on the playlists of Armin Van Buuren, Above & Beyond, Markus Schulz, Ferry Corsten, Gareth Emery, Andy Moor and more.
As a performing artist, Somna fuses together traditional mixing with current technologies in a way that creates an atmosphere for fans into a journey of what trance is truly about. His experiences with prior aliases over the years has led to performances at Global Gathering, Creamfields, Coloursfest, Eden (Ibiza), The Arches (Scotland), LoveFest (USA), and shows across Canada, UK, USA, Japan, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
He recently hosted his first LA headline show called Pathways – his set blended the emotional depths of trance, the raw energy of hard dance, and the powerful intensity of melodic bass. Here’s his recent release “I’m Alive.”
