Mandopop: Astro 12

With the enormous success of Korean (and Japanese) music and drama in the chinese speaking cultural sphere, local music labels have been trying to create their own home-made music successes, which has in general not worked out well, especially for mainland China (Taiwan and Hong Kong being better off). Astro12 is another go at this, with the girls being a surprising 11, as the twelfth member is actually a famous male horoscope maker!

The thought is to create some synergy (12 girls - 12 zodiac animals, you get it), and anyway their latest "Waiting for you" is actually a reasonably good EDM song.

• Astro 12 - Waiting for you (等你歸來)
• Astro 12 - Astro 12

Cantopop: Fiona Sit - Let Go & Miss Fiona

I was going to write about cantonese' Fiona Sit's new "Miss Fiona", an interesting enough video (what with the flourescent cleaning clothes and all), but then I realized I hadn't talked about "Let Go", and of course I had to tell you to listen to it, it being one of her best songs. Do it now!

• Fiona Sit - Let Go
• Fiona Sit - Miss Fiona

Mandopop: Leah Dou (Dou Jingtong / 竇靖童)

Famous Hong Kong star Faye Wong's daughter Leah Dou is well on her way to become a star of heir own. The latest "Brother" (filmed in Shanghai btw) is an excellent example of this, with a style that feels personal and a modern sound.

• Leah Dou - Brother (兄弟, backup link here)
• Leah Dou - May Rain
• Leah Dou - Bitter Sweet
• Leah Dou - Chimes
• Leah Dou - My Days
• Leah Dou - River Run

Mandopop: Tianyo (馬天佑)

Ma Tainyo from Hong Kong has his own "fashion branding" company Fame Glory and has worked with Chinese stars like Angelababy (the one who recently had the most expensive wedding ever in the world), but this year it seems he want to have a go at fame himself. His video obviously will be interesting, but I find that they musically is quite nice too. And yes, it *is* the famous female singer Sammi Cheng in the video.

• Tianyo - Three Second Countdown (倒數三秒)
• Tianyo - Imma Psycho (搞破壞)

Jpop: Ladybaby

After the international success of Babymetal, many have tried to copy the formula, but I think the trio of Ladybaby may be the first to come near. They follow the same idea of a) crossing metal and idol pop and b) having young girls (Rie Kaneko and Rei Kuromiya) doing this, but - and it is a big but - there is a big difference and that comes in the form of its third member Richard Magarey who is a male cross-dressing, wrestling Australian known as Ladybeard who does the heavy metal roars. He has actually been doing this for a while and the cross dressing started a long time ago. It is more a question of that his and the girls time has come, and I actually find them quite charming. Read more at Dazed.

• Ladybaby - Nippon Manju (ニッポン饅頭)
• Ladybaby - Renge Chance! (蓮華チャンス！)
• Ladybaby - C'est si bon Kibun (セシボン・キブン)

Cantopop: SiS Lok's (SiS樂印姊妹)

I'm finally blogging about SiS, as they really showcase some of the unique sound qualities relative mandarin. Listen to "520" and then don't tell me you really don't agree that they utilizes the chinese dialect to the fullest degree. SiS Lok's is doubly interesting as the two sisters have made their way into greater fame through alternative media with the younger Lok Yan reaching over 3 million via her YouTube channel where they spread their videos.

• SiS - 520
• SiS - Don't just dream (不要只是有夢)
• SiS - If I were a boy (如果我是個男孩)
• SiS - 愛phone了 (Play on words in regards to iphone...)
• SiS - Modern Taiwan Song (最新派台歌)
• SiS - Goodnight Song (晚安歌)