As we dive into 2025, the Asian music scene is buzzing with talent ready to captivate global audiences. This guide highlights 25 artists poised to shine, from K-pop sensations to indie innovators, offering a glimpse into the vibrant sounds shaping the year ahead. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the scene, these artists promise fresh beats and stories that resonate.
Below is a detailed list of the 25 Asian music artists to watch in 2025, each with a brief overview of their background, genre, notable works, and a recommended song to start with. This diverse lineup ensures there’s something for every music lover.
| Artist | Background | Genre | Notable Works | Recommended Song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REHMA | Pakistani-American | Opera, jazz, blues | EP Mercy (2020), “Hypnotic”, “Ladke” feat. Shreaa Kaul | “DIVA” |
| CHLOE STAR | Persian and Indigenous | Pop, rock, punk | Single “Element” (2023), EP the bed i lie in (2024) | “said what i said on the internet” |
| JIWOO | Korean-Canadian | R&B | Album Maison, “Afterimage” (2024) | “Afterimage” |
| KARENCICI | Asian American | R&B | “愛你但說不出口”, “BITE” feat. ØZI, “Over and Again” | “It’s Not You It’s Me” |
| NEENA ROE | Iranian American | R&B, pop | Single “TRUST” feat. Gabriel Duran, EP how to be alone | “New In Town” |
| HOJEAN | Soothing R&B, self-produced | R&B | Album Cherie (2023), “I Could Be Forever”, “See You Boy” | “Easily” |
| WREN EVANS | Vietnamese | R&B, bossa nova, pop | “Thích Em Hơi Nhiều” (2021), “Để Ý (Notice)” (2024) | “Thích Em Hơi Nhiều” |
| ISHBEL WARIFA | Singaporean, 21, acappella | Catchy melodies | Single “Hide and Seek Love” (2024) | “Hide and Seek Love” |
| ISOxo | Filipino-Indonesian, EDM DJ/producer, 23 | EDM | Album kidsgonemad! (2023), tour in 2024 | “SKYLIT” |
| DENA | Taiwanese, pop, YouTuber | Pop | Single “on read” (2024), “dumb af” feat. JOYCE | “What If I” |
| LET ME KNOW | Japanese rock trio | Rock | Single “LAD Romance”, “Boring Days”, “False Love and Highball” | “False Love and Highball” |
| NATUROSYNTH | Chicago-based, Indian-American | Indie/psychedelic/funk | EP Does This Last?, “Dance Destiny”, “Headphones On” | “Headphones On” |
| REGINA SONG | Singaporean | Relatable pop | “the cutest pair” (22M streams), “high school boy”, SEA tour 2025 | “venus” |
| RHYU | Singaporean | Indie-pop/R&B | “Kaleidoscope”, “Falling behind” | “But does my love make you feel?” |
| SHREEA KAUL | Indian-American | Desi R&B, bilingual | “Tere Bina” (8M streams), “Bheegi” feat. Talal Qureshi | “Ol’ Dude” |
| LEY SOUL | Neo soul | Neo soul | “Intergalactic Janet”, “Fortune Eyes”, “Into Sands”, “Fly Away” | “Into Sands” |
| LYKN | Thai idol group, 5 members | Pop | “May I?”, “No Worries”, “TRUST ME”, Asia tour 2025 | “SUGOI” |
| ZY THE WAY | Taipei-based | Jazz with Chinese poetry | EP A Different Destiny (2023), Album Then And Now 溯 (2024) | “Wild Winds 終風” |
| EMEI | Alt-pop, Chinese | Alt-pop | Album RABBITHOLE (2024), “Sunny D” feat. Whethan | “SUGARCOAT” |
| JULIET IVY | Colombian-Chinese | Pop | EP tiny but scary (2024), “we’re all eating each other” (20M streams) | “4 foot 2” |
| GRIFF | British-Jamaican-Chinese | Pop | Album Vertigo (2024), “Miss Me Too”, Netflix Heartstopper season 3 | “Miss Me Too” |
| BabyMonster | K-pop girl group from YG Entertainment | K-pop | Debut anticipated in 2025 | – |
| Number_i | J-pop boy group | J-pop | Formed by former King & Prince members | – |
| Lexie Liu | Chinese singer and rapper | C-pop, hip-hop, electronic | Known from ‘The Rap of China’, international performances | – |
| Myra Molloy | Thai American singer | Pop | Rose to fame on ‘America’s Got Talent’, upcoming projects in 2025 | – |
These 25 artists represent the vibrant and diverse talent emerging from Asia and the Asian diaspora. As they continue to push boundaries and create innovative music, 2025 promises to be an exciting year for music lovers everywhere. Keep an eye on these names, as they are sure to make headlines and top charts in the months to come.
As of April 2025, the Asian music landscape is thriving with a new wave of talent poised to dominate the global stage. This detailed guide, compiled from recent industry insights and artist profiles, highlights 25 Asian music artists expected to make significant impacts in 2025. The selection process involved analyzing recent releases, festival lineups, and social media trends to ensure a comprehensive representation of genres and regions, including K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, R&B, and indie rock, from countries like South Korea, Japan, China, India, and the broader Asian diaspora.
The final list of 25 artists is presented in a table for clarity, with each entry including background, genre, notable works, and a recommended song where applicable. Below is an expanded look at each artist, providing deeper insights into their potential for 2025:
- REHMA: A Pakistani-American artist blending opera, jazz, blues, and cultural expression, REHMA’s EP Mercy (2020) and singles like “Hypnotic” and “Ladke” feat. Shreaa Kaul highlight her versatility. Recommended song: “DIVA,” available on YouTube.
- CHLOE STAR: Persian and Indigenous, this queer rockstar fuses pop, rock, and punk. Her EP the bed i lie in (2024) and single “Stand the Silence” showcase her edgy style. Recommended song: “said what i said on the internet,” on Instagram.
- JIWOO: Korean-Canadian, JIWOO’s K-R&B sound, signed under WAVY, is evident in his album Maison and 2024 single “Afterimage.” Recommended song: “Afterimage,” on TikTok.
- KARENCICI: Asian American, KARENCICI’s R&B in English and Mandarin, with hits like “愛你但說不出口” and “BITE” feat. ØZI, is gaining traction. Recommended song: “It’s Not You It’s Me,” on YouTube.
- NEENA ROE: Iranian American, NEENA ROE’s R&B and pop explore identity, with her EP how to be alone and single “TRUST” feat. Gabriel Duran. Recommended song: “New In Town,” on Instagram.
- HOJEAN: Known for soothing R&B, HOJEAN’s self-produced album Cherie (2023) and tracks like “I Could Be Forever” are highlights. Recommended song: “Easily,” on TikTok.
- WREN EVANS: Vietnamese, WREN EVANS blends R&B, bossa nova, and pop, with “Thích Em Hơi Nhiều” (2021) and 2024’s “Để Ý (Notice).” Recommended song: “Thích Em Hơi Nhiều,” on YouTube.
- ISHBEL WARIFA: Singaporean, 21, with an acappella background, ISHBEL WARIFA’s single “Hide and Seek Love” (2024) is catchy. Recommended song: “Hide and Seek Love,” on TikTok.
- ISOxo: Filipino-Indonesian EDM DJ/producer, ISOxo’s album kidsgonemad! (2023) and 2024 tour solidify his status. Recommended song: “SKYLIT,” on Instagram.
- DENA: Taiwanese pop artist and YouTuber, DENA’s 2024 single “on read” and “What If I” are notable. Recommended song: “What If I,” on YouTube.
- LET ME KNOW: Japanese rock trio, their 2024 debut with “LAD Romance” and “False Love and Highball” offers a nostalgic sound. Recommended song: “False Love and Highball,” on TikTok.
- NATUROSYNTH: Indian-American from Chicago, NATUROSYNTH’s indie/psychedelic/funk EP Does This Last? and “Headphones On” are unique. Recommended song: “Headphones On,” on Instagram.
- REGINA SONG: Singaporean, REGINA SONG’s relatable pop, with “the cutest pair” (22M streams) and 2025 SEA tour, is promising. Recommended song: “venus,” on TikTok.
- RHYU: Singaporean, RHYU’s indie-pop/R&B, with “Kaleidoscope” and “Falling behind,” offers ethereal soundscapes. Recommended song: “But does my love make you feel?,” on YouTube.
- SHREEA KAUL: Indian-American, SHREEA KAUL’s Desi R&B, with “Tere Bina” (8M streams) and “Bheegi,” is bilingual and vibrant. Recommended song: “Ol’ Dude,” on Instagram.
- LEY SOUL: Neo soul artist with over 1M Spotify listeners, LEY SOUL’s “Intergalactic Janet” and “Into Sands” are dreamy. Recommended song: “Into Sands,” on YouTube.
- LYKN: Thai idol group, LYKN’s pop hits like “May I?” and “SUGOI,” with a 2025 Asia tour, are energetic. Recommended song: “SUGOI,” on Instagram.
- ZY THE WAY: Taipei-based, ZY THE WAY’s jazz with Chinese poetry, including EP A Different Destiny (2023) and 2024 album Then And Now 溯, is unique. Recommended song: “Wild Winds 終風,” on YouTube.
- EMEI: Chinese alt-pop artist, EMEI’s album RABBITHOLE (2024) and “Sunny D” feat. Whethan are notable. Recommended song: “SUGARCOAT,” on TikTok.
- JULIET IVY: Colombian-Chinese, JULIET IVY’s pop EP tiny but scary (2024) and “we’re all eating each other” (20M streams) are hits. Recommended song: “4 foot 2,” on Instagram.
- GRIFF: British-Jamaican-Chinese, GRIFF’s pop album Vertigo (2024) and “Miss Me Too,” featured in Netflix’s Heartstopper season 3, are popular. Recommended song: “Miss Me Too,” on TikTok.
- BabyMonster: K-pop girl group from YG Entertainment, BabyMonster is set to debut in 2025, expected to follow BLACKPINK’s legacy, with diverse members from Thailand and Japan.
- Number_i: J-pop boy group, Number_i, formed by former King & Prince members Yuta Jinguji, Yuta Kishi, and Sho Hirano under TOBE, is anticipated to leverage their existing fanbase for chart success.
- Lexie Liu: Chinese singer and rapper, Lexie Liu gained fame through ‘The Rap of China,’ blending C-pop with hip-hop and electronic, with international festival performances.
- Myra Molloy: Thai American singer, Myra Molloy rose on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ blending pop with cultural heritage, with new projects lined up for 2025.
An unexpected detail is the inclusion of artists like ISOxo, an EDM DJ/producer of Filipino-Indonesian descent, highlighting the growing influence of electronic music within Asian music scenes, often overshadowed by K-pop and J-pop. Additionally, the presence of Singaporean artists like REGINA SONG and RHYU underscores Southeast Asia’s rising contribution, which may surprise those focused on East Asian markets.
These 25 artists, with their diverse genres and backgrounds, are set to shape 2025’s music landscape. Their potential for global impact is supported by recent trends, such as increased streaming numbers for Asian artists and festival appearances like XG at Coachella 2025. As the year progresses, their releases and tours will likely cement their status, offering music lovers a rich tapestry of sounds to explore.