The stage lights begin to shine brighter and brighter. Tap. The crowd chants louder and louder as you make your way to the stage. Tap. You reach over to the lone mic resting in the middle of the wooden floor. Tap. Feeling the cool metal rod against your fingers, you lift the microphone out of the stand and raise it. Tap. You open your mouth ready to belt out the most heart-wrenching, tear-jerking song you ever wrote and… Tap.
“Hey.”
You look over to your classmate who just touched your shoulder with a stabbing poke from their pencil. “Do you mind not tapping on your desk? It’s really distracting.”
“Sorry. I just have this song stuck in my head,” you reply as you put your wooden No. 2 drumsticks (pencils) down.
Everybody at some point in their lives fantasizes about being a pop star. Traveling the world. Being famous. Not having to take their Spanish test next period. What’s not to love about being the next Hannah Montana? After all, our world is surrounded by music. From your Spotify playlist to an elevator jingle, the wondrous tones and chords influence everyday situations. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? To be a world-class musician playing sold-out shows in front of adoring fans seems like a wonderful crazy dream. But for many Asians in the United States, that’s all it could be: a dream. Or so we thought before 2024.
You will hardly spot an Asian kid who has never touched a violin or piano in their life. The countless hours after school attending music lessons and feeling your fingers almost fall off from playing the same chorus for thirty minutes is a universal experience. Despite a majority of childhoods being spent on instruments, why is a career as a musical artist frowned upon in the Asian community?
It’s become a stereotype at this point that every Asian kid will end up under three standard careers: doctor, lawyer or engineer. Although, there should be an honorary mention to the Filipino nurses. I mean, every Tiger mom’s dream is for their children to end up as the next Jonny Kim, which according to a 2017 study, is not a surprising phenomenon. According to Cherng and Liu, “The ‘Immigrant Bargain’ theory illustrates how children of immigrants feel obligated to achieve great success in order to justify the adversity experienced by their parents.” Family is a huge factor in all cultures, especially for the Asian community. Every Asian kid knows the struggle our families have gone through to work and live in the United States, so showcasing a lucrative career is how we can show our appreciation, even if it puts our own happiness in jeopardy.
A successful life is not just for the child but for everyone since “family hierarchies are well-respected, and academic and professional achievements indirectly represent the social status of the family,” according to an Honors thesis from Pace University. To be that one-in-a-million star just did not seem worth the risk. Even more so, Hollywood, one of the most influential industries, is notorious for their lack of proper Asian representation. It is incredibly discouraging to be in a space where you do not feel seen or undermined. However, we are beginning to see others take that step to make the space more inclusive.
From the dramatic rise of K-pop in the United States with bands such as BTS and Blackpink to the growing popularity of low-fi music, Asians are implementing themselves into the American music scene in waves never seen before. 2024 alone was a huge year for the community. Laufey, a singer known for her warm melodic jazz, won her first Grammy for ‘Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album’ earlier in the year. Even Taylor Swift, a historic artist in her own right, included two Asian openers in her Era’s tour: Beebadobee and Griff, a career-making move.
But how could we push this even further?
Well to start, open a space where artists can feel free to explore their Asian identity by their own choice. Asian artists can express their Asian identity through their songs or simply just make music for the sake of making music. As reported by Billboard, 88rising is “the first and only hub for Asian artists in the music industry.” All their stars, especially ones from outside the States, began to find their place in the American music scene at unprecedented levels. From NIKI to Jackson Wang, we have seen their careers grow more, transitioning from their role as headliners in the 88rising festival to spots in Coachella and A-list award shows.
It would be incredible to see what 88rising has accomplished be replicated. Maybe a new label can push this even further, such as incorporating Asian languages into the mainstream or bringing artists to many more events. With all these strong music artists perhaps the music industry might be making some space for Asians to have a successful career that their families can be proud of.
Visual Credit: Erik Mclean
