Nova Heart
The acid techno band from Beijing formed when lead singer Helen Feng Haining — aka “Beijing’s Queen of Rock” — met Italian producer Rodion, and the two decided to join forces. Nova Heartreleased its debut full-length studio album, a self-titled record, in 2014 and was among the first Chinese bands to perform at Glastonbury Music Festival in 2015.

Chen Li
Her voice may be reminiscent of that of the star Faye Wong, but there is only one Chen Li. The folk singer is also both a composer and writer of sophisticated and beautiful lyrics like “You left behind complications and confusions, years dried my persistence.” She can hardly be attributed to any music genre because she is so proficiently one of a kind.

DaBozz
In May, DaBozz (aka “Auntie Cold”) released her first original solo album White Night. The alternative hip-hop musician’s first album is romantic, frank, and ruthless. Without the self-glorification commonly seen in some male rappers’ work, her music is subtle and strong — touching on universal themes of femininity.

South Acid Mimi
Influenced by musicians like Bikini Kill, ! action pact !, Atari Teenage Riot, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, three girls from Kunming founded their own band in 2013 and started touring across the country. Growing up in Kunming, they made the song “nunudugu” in Li Su (a minority nation of China’s language), depicting the everyday lives of youth within that nation.

ChaCha
ChaCha credits Bjork and Erykah Badu for giving her musical inspiration, so it’s no wonder she can roam freely between different genres including hip-hop, easy-listening, future electronic, reggae/dub, free-sound. If you’re into reggae or hip-hop music, ChaCha is the vibrant musician for you.
Credits
Text Yuen Pak To