Stay up to date with our latest artist interviews, press coverages, news, and more.
Women in Music: Exploring India's Indie Music Scene
The indie music circuit in India is quite up-and-coming these days. Artists are finding new fanbases and strengthening their roots within the music community. With a raw, honest, and sometimes even multilingual approach to the songs, the indie musicians have carved a niche for themselves. When one speaks of indie, most genres that come to mind are ballad, R&B, jazz, and maybe a hint of retro, but that is changing now. The artists are not shy about going beyond the genres and experimenting with their music and artistry.
Jai B.: From Los Angeles to K-Pop Stardom With "Never Let You Go"
Looking for a place on the top charts and his style, with his debut single "Never Let You Go." Jai B. emerges as a promising talent in the vibrant K-Pop industry. This cozy pop ballad, released on December 26, 2023, not only showcases his musical prowess but also reflects his journey from Los Angeles to the heart of Korean pop culture.
CHANMINA Announces Her First Overseas Concert Tour
CHANMINA, a trilingual rapper fluent in Japanese, Korean, and English, is the daughter of a Japanese father and a Korean mother. She writes lyrics, composes music, and produces herself as well. In 2016, she participated in a rap contest for high school students and soon after, she began releasing tracks as an independent artist. Quickly gaining attention, she made a major debut at just eighteen years old.
DIR EN GREY’s 25th Debut Anniversary Year Has Come
One of the most popular visual-kei rock bands, DIR EN GREY, was made in Osaka, Japan, back in 1997 and composed of Kyo (Voice), Kaoru (Guitar), Dai (Guitar), Toshiya (Bass), and Shinya (Drums). In the following year, they debuted as an indie band, but their presence was rising in a flash. They became the first indie band to perform in one of the most historical concert halls, NIPPON BUDOKAN. Since then, the door to a major debut had opened.
Nao Yoshioka Crowdfunds For Her New Album and Upcoming World Tour
Nao Yoshioka is a Japanese female soul singer from Osaka, Japan. After she dropped out of high school, she moved to New York to seek a life as a singer in 2010. It was a big decision for a teenager to make a breakthrough in her life.
Sakurako Ohara Celebrates Her 10th Anniversary
In 2013, Sakurako Ohara debuted as an actress in the movie Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru, where a high school student who aspired to be an actress achieved an audition to choose the heroine of a movie whose role is a vocalist. The Japanese film is famous in South Korea as well because it was remade into a TV drama series where the same role was performed by Red Velvet’s Joy.
Denise Julia Drops Hot New Single "B.A.D." Featuring P-Lo
October 27 marks Filipina R&B singer-songwriter Denise Julia’s newest single release, “B.A.D.,” featuring Filipino-American rapper P-Lo. This song serves as the lead single in her upcoming debut album. It’s been more than a month since her latest release, and this time, the song doubles as an introduction of a glimpse of what her younger self aspired to become as a music artist and embracing herself as a person.
XG: The New Revolution of Empowerment and Self-Confidence
Xtraordinary Girls, most commonly known as XG, are a 7-member Japanese girl group formed by a subsidiary of Avex, XGALX. Consisting of members; Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Juria, Cocona, Maya, and Harvey, the group debuted in March of 2022 with their first English single titled “Tippy Toes.” XG’s debut brought something new to the industry as a Japanese girl group singing in English, who chose to do their music promotions within the competitive market of South Korea. While this brought the group a lot of attention, it has ultimately been the group's message of self-appreciation and female empowerment that has made them a group to beat.
The ‘RIIZE’ of a New Boy Group
On July 30, SM Entertainment announced and opened the official Instagram account for their new seven-member boy group, RIIZE. The members consist of Shortaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee and Anton. Shotaro and Sungchan were former members of NCT, while Eunseok and Seunghan were a part of SMR22B.
Tomorrow X Together Unveils 3rd Album ‘The Name Chapter: FREEFALL’ Tracklist & Preview
Tomorrow X Together (TXT) is ready and gearing up for their upcoming third full-length album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL, which is set to release on October 13. The album comes just three short months after their Japanese album release Sweet, and nine months since their fifth EP release, The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION. The group has started to release concept pictures of the three versions of their upcoming album, REALITY, MELANCHOLY, and CLARITY.
SCANDAL Earned the Title “Longest Running Female Rock Band”
After 17 years, J-Rock Band SCANDAL earns a Guinness World Record as “the longest-running female rock band.”
On The Rise: 10 Artists We Are Featuring for September 2023
It’s a new month, which means it’s time to introduce you to new music from across the world, names you may or may not recognize, igniting exciting musical discoveries for you and your playlists. Join us on this ride as we present to you ten artists from across the globe who are making their mark within the music industry: Zior Park, Peach Tree Rascals, LEEBADA, HeyMen, Marz23, 16, Ava Maybee, Sumsher, Celia, and Ida Just.
On The Rise: 10 Artists We Are Featuring For August 2023
As we step into the vibrant month of August 2023, it's time to embark on another musical journey and explore the captivating talents of rising artists. Join us as we introduce 10 artists who are making waves in the music scene: LØREN, Hannah Bahng, Suyo, Thinlamphone Mahavong, The Sound, King Kofi, Tejas, YOUHA, Blinky Bill, and โต๋ Saksit Vejsupaporn (TOR).
Five Underrated Songs From The Rose To Add To Your Playlist
Korean indie-rock band, The Rose is no stranger to the international music scene. As we dawn closer and closer to The Rose's upcoming album DUAL and their DAWN TO DUSK World Tour, we thought we would recount five of their most underrated singles and B-sides that best encapsulate the band's musical prowess and growth over the past six years.
10 UK Artists With Black or Asian Backgrounds to Discover in 2023
For as long as HALSUG has been running, we have highlighted numerous artists of Black and Asian descent from all over the world. With some of the HALSUG team based in the UK, it's time we present our readers with some Black and Asian artists who hail from the United Kingdom. From pop to rock to R&B, here are 10 UK artists with Black or Asian backgrounds for you to discover and enjoy in 2023.
On The Rise: 10 Artists We Are Featuring For July 2023
As the world keeps growing and evolving, so do musicians. It’s hard to keep up with every single emerging artist around the world, but finding new sounds can help you broaden your musical horizons. Join us as we explore these 10 featured rising artists this month: LØLØ, WOODZ, Girl Ultra, Su Lee, brb., Diya Maeve, Kim Siwon, Rovv, Kenta Dedachi, and miida.
A Unique Spotlight Shines for ChoCo, the Rising Pre-Debut Idol Group of K-Pop's 5th Generation
The 5th generation of K-Pop is taking the world by storm with fresh groups and innovative ideas — ChoCo from ChoCo Entertainment is one of the rising stars to keep an eye on. This 4-member group is generating buzz ahead of their debut, and we can't wait to see what they have in store for their fans!
Eight LGBTQIA+ Artists to Listen to This Pride Month
In celebration of Pride month, it is important that we recognize brave artists in the industry whose powerful vocals, empowering messages, and real-life experiences challenge industry norms, becoming relatable and honest voices to the LGBTQIA+ community.
lolitsmatt is Revolutionizing Music With Vibrant Aesthetics and Dynamic Sounds
In the expansive realm of music, there are artists who possess a remarkable ability to captivate audiences not only with their talent but also with their distinctive style. One such up-and-coming artist that is making waves in the industry is lolitsmatt.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month: Six Captivating Songs from Our Favorite AAPI Artists
Join us on a captivating musical journey as we explore six sensational songs from some of our favorite AAPI artists: Raveena, keshi, H.E.R., thuy, Eric Nam, and Katherine Ho. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted by their extraordinary artistry!