From the day you become aware of music, the songs you listen to help you grow into the person you're meant to be. A lot of them are created by beautiful and confident queens, who turn out to be your constant companions through your brightest days and your heaviest downpours. No matter what, you can be sure they'll be there to hold your hand.
In celebration of Women's History Month, Bandwagon has selected nine contemporary artists from the region that make our side of the world glow with wonder. They're your next generation of singers and musicians who will be the ones to teach the youngins the way things go melodically, lyrically, spiritually, and emotionally.
From Suboi, FAKY, to Bea Lorenzo, here are the fiercest and most inspiring queens in music you should be bowing down to:
Voice of Baceprot (ID)
There's a roaring power that burns beneath your skin when the music of Voice Of Baceprot comes through the speakers. The Indonesian metal trio—composed of Widi, Sitti, and Marsya—don't simply make you want to start a moshpit, they also offer a sense of freedom and solace while challenging societal issues. They're able to tear down gender stereotypes and help listeners open their minds to the constraints brought on by culture and religion through self-expression.
"Our music is born from the restlessness in our collective hearts and minds. And as our band name implies, our music is loud and noisy. This is our music and we’re proud to be able to say that," the band told Bandwagon.
Bea Lorenzo (PH)
Bea Lorenzo has a certain magic to her that immediately draws you in. It's as if she's made out of sunshine and fresh air, soothing your tired hearts with her distinct jazzy voice, as she sings about young love, having faith, and the beautiful act of giving.
"It's weird to say but when I started writing songs, my motivation was to write something I could dance to," Bea, who pirouetted her way toward the release of her first single 'Ili (Hush)' in 2018, opened up to Bandwagon in an interview. "I grew up as a dancer. Ballet was my first love before music was. I wanted to write something a dance could pick up and turn into their own piece also. I feel like a lot of times I measure how good a song is by how danceable it is. And that influences the way I write too."
liesl-mae (MY)
Listening to liesl-mae feels like you're floating in water, surrounded by stars. It's an intimate and calming experience that you could cocoon yourself in and you'd wake up feeling safe and rested. The Malaysian singer and mental health advocate doesn't just have a soothing voice; she also has a message of hope to share with the world.
"The thing about struggling with mental health is that it can feel so lonely when we’re going through it, sort of like you’re in a void and no matter how loud you shout, no one can hear you," liesl-mae shares with Bandwagon in a message. "My hope is that my music is that friend, that hand that’s reaching out, that listening ear. By sharing my own struggles, I hope that it helps someone to realise that they’re not alone in their fight, that there is someone out there who can empathise and relate… and through the power of music, the world feels a little less lonely."
DeVita (KR)
Korean-American singer DeVita was born with music flowing through her veins. She's criminally gifted with a stunningly soulful voice that makes you feel like you're in slow-mo, soaring beneath the stars, when you lend her an ear. There's a classy quality to her musical style that blooms on top of the sound of keys and warm guitar tones.
"My goal is to have my name written in history books," the ambitious 'Bonnie & Clyde' artist told Bandwagon in an interview. "To be so influential that you can’t talk about a century without mentioning me."
Shi Shi (TW)
The enchanting power of Shi Shi can easily tear down barriers and make heads turn. Having grabbed inspiration from her own adventures and experiences, the Taiwanese-Korean singer has a lot of breathtaking stories to tell.
"There are no boundaries of genres or languages with good sound. It’s very simple, I want to make good music," the artist of Chinese Million Star fame revealed to Bandwagon. "I hope my listeners can feel the difference from other’s music, something special that only belongs to me. Most importantly I care about the true emotions of every song, I love to write songs with my own stories."
FAKY (JP)
If there was one J-Pop group that could raise the flag of empowerment without any fear, it would have to be FAKY. They're brilliantly unapologetic about their flaws and they want you to know it. Having been in the scene since 2013, the Japanese 5-piece act continue to show the world the power of authenticity and what's truly like to be daring.
"We want to spread the message that we aren’t putting a mask on while we sing our songs or perform them. We are who we are on stage and in our private lives. We all have different characters and in no situation are we trying to change to blend in," FAKY opened up to Bandwagon in an interview.
Landokmai (TH)
If you let the waves of LANDOKMAI crash into your dreams, you'll feel your heart smiling. Beat after beat, joy beams through endlessly as the Thai duo's brand of dream pop welcomes you into a scenic soundscape you'd want to live in.
"I think that the important component that gives LANDOKMAI dream-pop vibes is the lyrics," Ant says. "In the music part, we make it to support the lyrics because sometimes, we don't pick up dream-pop sound but we use vintage vibes sound instead."
"My most favourite part of being LANDOKMAI is being myself," Upim tells Bandwagon being part of LANDOKMAI. "Every moment is a moment of creativity and getting to express me through writing lyrics, making music, or even on stage. Every moment of being an artist is my favourite part."
Suboi (VN)
All hail Vietnam's Queen of Hip-hop! Suboi wears a heavy crown, but a crown that she deserves without a doubt. Her use of subversive wordplay as she dishes out thought-provoking verses could make a listener stop to bask in her glory.
"I don’t need to go on TV or the radio to promote myself anymore, so now my main purpose in music is to simply make music I enjoy and to express myself. So that’s what I did, I told a story from when I was seventeen.," Suboi reveals to Bandwagon in an interview. "It was never my intention, or part of my plan to share these with the public, it just sort of happened organically and I’m confident of who I am now and it is what it is."
Shye (SG)
DIY producer and singer-songwriter Shye has the power to electrocute you with her grasp of electro-pop music. While she may be introverted by nature, the Singaporean artist explodes with ideas that blaze from her mind into soundwaves that make the most misunderstood listener feel less alone.
"When I look back, I want this body of work to reflect that specific time in my life and to always remember that it wasn’t a lost youth," Shye writes about her latest mini album, hello TRINITY, in a statement. "The road to self-discovery and empowerment was paved with bumps and lessons learnt were hard pills to swallow, but they were necessary."
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