Mandopop: Yen-j (Yan Jue / 嚴爵)

The Taiwanese singer Yen-j has mostly done softer pop songs so far, nice for sure, but ultimately slightly to boring for my taste. The new "Contemporary Art" is therefore (hopefully) a much appreciated re-boot of his msuical vocabulary, as it is both visually and musically more lively. He doesn't come close to what for example A Mei, but it is still a refreshing.

• Yen-j - Contemporary Art (現代藝術)
• Yen-j - As Usual (照樣)
• Yen-j - π
• Yen-j - Something

Ho Ngoc Ha ft. Noo Phuoc Thinh (Hồ Ngọc Hà ft. Noo Phước Thịnh)

Singer and actress Hồ Ngọc Hà (originally got famous as a model) from Vietnam sings with Noo Phước Thịnh in a song that would have been perfect for the Eurovision Song Contest final on Saturday as its is engaging eurodisco with harmonic Vietnamese making it a nice dance track.

• Ho Ngoc Ha ft. Noo Phuoc Thinh - I will find you (Em Đi Tìm Anh)

Mandopop: Wang Qiao (王巧)

Wang Qiao from chengdu in China is only recently 8 years old but sings her tribute to female mystical hero Mulan with gusto. She probably has a promising future ahead of her, she do feel like a rising star. Her Chinese homepage is here.

• Wang Qiao - Hello, Mulan (你好，花木蘭)
• Wang Qiao - Beautiful Bubble (美得冒泡)
• Wang Qiao - Happy New Year (祝你新年快樂)
• Wang Qiao - Hey, Dad (嘿，老爸)

Kpop: Yoon Sang Hyun (윤상현)

A korean singer and actor since way back, his new collaboration with indie band Space Cowboy is a kind of rejuvenation for Yoon Sang Hyun. "If you wanna console me" is a sweet electronic pop melody which get thumbs up from me.

• Yoon Sang - If you wanna console me (날 위로하려거든)

Mongolian pop: Naran Surenjav

With 11 albums under the belt, Naran from Mongolia is known for her soulful voice and she can show it in many languages. I have sampled three songs from the english rock ballad "Running to you" to the etno-techno "Singing My Country" in mongolian.

• Naran Surenjav - Running to you
• Naran Surenjav - Singing My Country (Нутгаа дуулахуй)
• Naran Surenjav - For You (Chamdaa)

Vietnamese pop: Ho Ngoc Ha (Hồ Ngọc Hà)

Vietnamese ex-model, now singer and actress, Ho Ngoc Ha sings with a Pharao theme in "From the day you go".

• Ho Ngoc Ha - From the day you go (Từ ngày anh đi)

Uzbekian pop: Kaniza

Kaniza (full name: Ahmedova Shahrizoda Farhodovna) is an excellent singer from Uzbeckistan with lots of videos to watch, where Jdu tebya is my favorite.

• Kaniza - Jdu tebya
• Kaniza & Doston Ubaydulaev - Va'da bergin
• Kaniza - Oq va Qora
• Kaniza - Noz Noz
• Kaniza - Yana
• Kaniza - Oyijon
• Kaniza - Mehribonim
• Kaniza - Ay-Yay-Yay
• Kaniza - Jonim sen
• Kaniza - O'yna

Russian pop: Bianca - Alle Tanzen (Алле ТаZзен)

This is a really nice dancing video with russian singer/model Bianca going Shakira-style on us.Refreshingly direct in its appeal.

• Bianca - Alle Tanzen (Алле ТаZзен)

Russian pop: Zlata - Thumbelina (Дюймовочка)

Zlata releases her new video Thumbelina where her persona gets her revenge on an unfaitful boyfriend. Classical theme done stylishly even if nothing is new.

• Zlata - Thumbelina (Дюймовочка)