AANHPI Artists to Add to Your Playlist This Month

By Hannah Walls
Culture Assistant

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) heritage month, and what better way to celebrate than by listening to some tunes from AANHPI artists? Here are five artists to check out this month to honor the incredible musical contributions and influence of the AANHPI community.

Araya

I found Araya last year as a music reviewer for KTSW, and I’ve been in love with his unique sound ever since. Araya is a Thai-Chilean artist who masterfully fuses a few different genres together– most notably R&B, pop, and electronica– to create infectious beats that are sure to get stuck in your head. As I learned more about this artist, I was really impressed by his range not just as a musician, but as an artist and visionary. Araya has a background in graphic design and fashion, and I love that his creativity extends to every reach of his production. Be sure to check him out on Spotify– my personal favorite track is “Doctor.”

Run River North

Run River North is a Korean American folk-rock band, and their easygoing tunes are consistent staples of my summer playlists. Run River North incorporates folksy guitar with pop elements, all underneath beautiful, layered vocals. I love how versatile this group is, and I truly think it takes a special degree of talent to mesh lighthearted melodies with hard-hitting lyrics, but Run River North is a group that is built on the foundation of being able to capture a full range of emotions within their music. You can find Run River North on Spotify, and check out my personal picks “Wake Up” and “Somewhere.”

Raveena

I got into Raveena recently off of a friend’s recommendation, and I’m officially hooked on her sultry melodies and ethereal voice. The Indian-American artist explores many themes in her music, including healing, self-confidence and self-realization, and these themes coupled with sensual, soulful vocals feels like a warm blanket on a cold day. Raveena is insanely talented overall, and it’s clear how much passion and thought goes into her lyrics and song composition. Check Raveena out on Spotify, and listen to “If Only.”

Mass of the Fermenting Dregs

This is yet another shameless promotion of some of my personal favorite artists, but Mass of the Fermenting Dregs is a great example of a “no-skips” band for me. The Japanese punk trio’s sound is unmistakably post-hardcore with some shoegaze elements, and they manage to strike the perfect balance of angsty guitar and floaty vocals for me. As someone who primarily listens to punk, their sound is definitely different from what I usually listen to, but they scratch a particular itch and complete my playlists in a way that other bands don’t. My favorite song by Mass of the Fermenting Dregs is “She is Inside, He is Outside.” You can find them on Spotify.

Kimié

Kimié is a Native Hawaiian artist that, like other artists on this list, consistently makes it to my summer playlists. In interviews, Kimié has mentioned how important maintaining Hawaiian musical elements, and tackling tough topics like environmentalism, while exploring new genres and styles is important to her, and I love the versatility of her music. She combines unique instrumentation with clear funk and R&B influences and heavily layered soulful vocals. Her most recent album was released over 10 years ago, but in my opinion, her timeless tunes have held up. My top pick from Kimié is “Shame on You,” off of her 2013 album, and you can find her on Spotify.

Featured Image from Nettwerk Music Group