Breaking Barriers: Chinese Female Musicians Showcase Diverse Talent for “Women’s Month”

Main Image Credit: Taishan

The music industry in the UK still has some catching up to do when it comes to representation of female Asian musicians. That's why the recent performance by an all-female Chinese set at the Camden Club in London was so significant.

The gig was curated by Yijia Tu, a London-based Chinese musician, to coincide with International Women's Day and Mother's Day. The aim was to showcase the talents of female Chinese musicians, who are still underrepresented in the UK music scene. From classical to art pop, electronic to indie, the performers showed the diverse range of Chinese music to fans in the UK.

Yijia Tu, who performed on the night, spoke about the difficulties she's faced as an Asian performer in the UK. She explained that she has often been the only Asian performer at many gigs she has played in the UK, and feels underrepresented. But despite the challenges, she believes that it's important to be proactive and try to break into mainstream venues. "At first, it is always going to be difficult," she said. "There’s no existing case, so it is almost like you have to make a case for yourself." Yijia showcased her Chinese identity through her selection of Chinese instruments, and sang in both Chinese and English. Her voice resonated with listeners on a deep emotional level.

Similarly, Yuxin Lei sang in both English and Chinese, and described her music as the deconstruction of mainstream and subcultural concepts. "Music is a language that can connect us," she said. For Yuxin, who is on a UK tour, it's been interesting to see how people in the UK react to her songs. "Although they don't understand the Chinese, they can get a feel of what I'm expressing from the music itself," she explained. She said she likes the arty and vibrant atmosphere in Camden, and that it's difficult to be different in China and stand out. But in the UK, the more you stand out, the more people will be drawn to your work.

Caslean performed songs about her growing pains, girl power, and her own philosophy of naivety. Her performance followed a karaoke format to backing tracks. In contrast to Yijia, she explained, “Honestly, I don't feel underrepresented as an Asian female musician. I am actually satisfied with making music here because of the respect and encouragement for my imperfection and exotic style. I feel more like a human here, not a product. I truly appreciate the gigs I have played in the UK, where the audience danced along with my music and talked with me equally, friendly, and inspiringly after my performance.”

The performers were all born in China, but some have established roots overseas. Yijia came to the UK to study music at SOAS and Oxford, while Caslean is a singer-songwriter and producer now based in London.Yuxin studied architecture in Toronto, but decided to push her music career in mainland China. They hope that East Asian musicians in the UK can support one another and have a collective aim, communicate and learn and grow together. They believe that being proactive and making good music will help reach larger audiences.

In a music industry that still has some way to go in terms of diversity and representation, performances like these are important reminders of the talent and potential of underrepresented groups. Here's hoping that we'll see more events like this in the future.

Yijia Tu

Yijia is a singer-songwriter from Sichuan, China who explores her cultural identity and traditions through music. She won the Media’s Choice Album award and was nominated for Best New Chinese Female Artist at the 16th CMA. Yijia has established a career in traditional Chinese folk singing and Guzheng playing in the UK, performing at festivals such as WOMAD and Victorious Festival. Yijia holds a degree in Music from the University of Oxford and SOAS, and is endorsed by the Arts Council UK as a Global Talent. She founded the folk fusion band project "The Sages" to expand people's musical taste and knowledge.

Yuxin Lei

Yuxin Lei is a rising female singer-songwriter from Shanghai. Her work Ji Nian (Memorial) was awarded one of the “Ten Greatest Hits” on the Chinese TV show Best Original Songs of China. She released her first original music conceptual program "Eclipse" in 2018 and completed a personal music tour with sold-out shows in 2019. In 2020, she released her indie electronic EP "8 1⁄2 Otto e Mezzo," which received critical acclaim and topped the charts. Her tracks have been streamed billions of times, both popular with Chinese and international audiences.

Caslean (a.k.a Kailing Huang)

Caslean is a Chinese singer-songwriter and producer based in London. The combination of her DIY ethic, naive character, and a dreamy atmosphere makes her songs energetic, but sincere. Her musical DNA is colorful, encompassing indie pop, synth pop, and art pop. She was a top 5 finalist for the Tune into Nature prize in the UK, has been interviewed by Selfridges media, featured by Vogue China, and showcased on The Wire.

Image Credit: Ruoxi (a.k.a Catnip)