Stay up to date with our latest artist interviews, press coverages, news, and more.
LOAR Articulates the Feelings of Being at a Loss of Words in “Too Hard To Say”
Japanese R&B singer LOAR is back with new music after almost a year. The artist last released the songs “Cause I’m With You” and “Arinomamanofutari” back in 2022. Expanding his musical portfolio, he also created Japanese covers of songs like “E.T.A.” by Justin Bieber and “No Guidance” by Chris Brown, luring listeners intrigued by his artistry.
Future’s Gonna Be Okay: A Closer Look Into BTS Suga’s Solo Tour
What do you become when the world seems to only deal you heavy hands? How do you cope with the weight of big dreams and equally large fears? Can a hardened heart ever soften again? Min Yoongi — also known as SUGA — dared to give answers to such questions and share his story onstage throughout his first solo world tour.
Fans Say “Yes” to Six Years With The Rose
Six years after their debut, The Rose finds itself performing to thousands of fans in Chicago, Illinois at the renowned music festival Lollapalooza. They followed up their anniversary performance with a more intimate aftershow the following night at The Vic Theater. Fans of the band, referred to as ‘Black Rose,’ left Lollapalooza immediately after The Rose finished their show on the 3rd, to get in line and secure their spots for the late-night concert the following evening, August 4th.
VeeAlwaysHere Journeys Ahead With ‘broken: playlist II’
A sequel of anything — a book, a movie, a drama, or even an album is simply amazing! It means more content to indulge in and more artistry to get acquainted with. This week, we bring to you VeeAlwaysHere — a self-taught Korean-American musician born and raised in Siberia, Russia.
Out Now: BBGIRLS Re-debut With Their Single-Album ‘ONE MORE TIME’
With a new name and team, but together as one, our "Summer Queens of K-Pop," A.K.A. BBGIRLS (formerly known as Brave Girls), released their re-debut special album ONE MORE TIME on August 3rd. The group members MINYOUNG, YOUJOUNG, EUNJI, and YUNA showcase their unbreakable friendship in this first release after their rebranding, portraying themselves in a brand new light and with a newborn voice.
Review: Ethan Low Releases Anticipated Debut Album, ‘GEMINI’
On July 31, Canadian based Malaysian-Singaporean singer-songwriter Ethan Low released his debut album titled GEMINI. The 23-year-old released his first single “BUBBLY” at the end of February, marking his official debut onto the Toronto music scene. Now, 5 months later, “BUBBLY” has garnered over 9 million streams on Spotify thanks to Ethan’s online influence and support, especially on TikTok, where he has been able to promote a lot of his music and collaborations with other artists.
Interview: “I am trying to find my rhythm in the city,” csndra Discusses Her Latest Release, Moving Homes, and More
csndra is an indie Puerto Rican artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in Orlando, FL, with big dreams, csndra left home at the age of 20 on a self-discovery journey. This has led her to live in various other cities like New York, Miami & Atlanta. She began working in the music industry as a graphic designer, animator, & content creator. Providing creative services to labels by creating music videos, lyric videos, social media content, cover art, etc. In 2022, she debuted with her single “very well.” Since her debut, she has released two more songs, “DMLO” & her most recent single, “408!” released in May of this year. HALSUG had a chance to talk to csndra about her journey as a musician and her hopes for her music in the future.
cignature To Release 4th EP Album, ‘Us in the Summer’
Debuting back in 2020 with their single “Nun Nu Nan Na,” cignature is a seven-member girl group consisting of Chaesol, Jeewon, Seline, Chloe, Belle, Semi, and Dohee. The group will be making their return after seven long months with their fourth EP album titled Us in the Summer.
Emily Mei Radiates Fierce, Girl Boss Energy in Latest Single “MANIA (Where Them Girls At)”
Singer-songwriter and actress Emily Mei delivers fierce, girl boss energy in her latest single “MANIA (Where Them Girls At.)” Released on July 27, the song embraces Mei’s cultural roots through a mergence of traditional Chinese instruments (Guzheng and Erhu) and electronic-hip-hop beats. Distinctively blending Western and Eastern sounds, the track helps highlight Mei's fine artistry, with the beat and her effortless vocals cementing her status as the next rising star in music.
Interview: BÉBE YANA Talks About Her New Summer Club Track “CHEMISTRY”
Embellishing the bridge between mainstream K-Pop and the underground club scene, emerging soloist BÉBE YANA keeps dropping back-to-back retro-futuristic jams derived from a fascinating combination of genres that one could have only imagined. Following the release of her futuristic downtempo track “64,” Australian-South Korean singer-songwriter and producer BÉBE YANA returned with a hyperpop banger titled “CHEMISTRY” this June.
Breakthrough Your Sonic Limitations With New Artists From EXPOSITION’s Showcase
We are thankful that independent Asian artists are beginning to receive the recognition that they deserve in addition to some of the bigger names. With this in mind, how do independent artists promote their music and build a solid career? Building a hub for independent artists to foster growth and inclusivity is vital. This is precisely what EXPOSITION does. Ringing true to their name, EXPOSITION has an upcoming showcase on August 15.
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).
Review: SHOWNU X HYUNGWON Explore ‘THE UNSEEN’ in MONSTA X’s First Sub-Unit Debut
For the first time in MONSTA X’s eight-year career, an official sub-unit has emerged in the form of two of the group’s members - leader and main dancer SHOWNU and lead dancer and visual HYUNGWON. Simply named SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, the duo have released their first mini-album titled THE UNSEEN.
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.
Jenny Lyric Drops a Cute Korean Remix of "Matter of Time" Feat. FLANNEL ALBERT
Jenny Lyric does it again, dropping a stunning new Korean remix of her latest single "Matter Of Time." This captivating track features Korean-American artist and producer FLANNEL ALBERT, and together, they've created a powerful fusion of R&B, K-Pop, and soul.
AKMU’s Lee Chanhyuk Assembles K-Stars: ‘Umbrella’, A Monsoon Special Album
Multi-talented artist Lee Chanhyuk, popularly known as one-half of the acclaimed sibling duo AKMU, has joined forces with a team of talented Korean superstars from diverse fields to launch the project album, Umbrella by Leechanhyukvideo. Through Leechanhyukvideo, Chanhyuk has built a charming synergy showcasing his new musical essence by integrating visual arts, performances, and exhibitions.
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.
Melanie Martinez Takes Toronto Through PORTALS
After four years, Melanie Martinez has returned to Toronto, Canada on July 14 for her highly anticipated PORTALS tour. Fans were buzzing everywhere with excitement as soon as they stepped into Meridian Hall. In coordination with Melanie’s PORTALS album concept, most were dressed in the artist’s merch or wore costume pieces, such as elf ears or mushroom hats, ready for a magical experience.
The Shops At Skyview - Moon Jong Up Recap
July 9 marked Moon Jong Up's first visit to the United States as a solo artist. He put on his first-ever performance in New York at the K-Fun Event after appearing in the acclaimed South Korean reality show Peak Time where he participated in the 24:00 team, ranking first in the global individual vote and third in the team group category.
ZEROBASEONE Makes Their Debut With YOUTH IN THE SHADE
South Korean K-Pop boy group ZEROBASEONE (ZB1 for short) made their highly-anticipated debut on July 10, 2023, with their mini-album YOUTH IN THE SHADE.