Kpop: PSY - New Face & I Luv It

The first above and two first below is from "I Luv It", the rest from "New Face"

PSY will ofc never top his super hit "Gangnam Style" from back in 2012 (getting close to 3 billion views!), but he still pushes out videos that gets 10s of millions of views. The two new releases from the new album "4x2=8" is "I Luv It" & "New Face". I think they don't quite come up to "Daddy" and "Napal Baji" from the last album, but they aren't bad and the videos are still very fun to watch. And if you wonder, it is Son Naeun from A Pink and the "Pineapple Pen" guy of viral video fame, Pikotaro.

• PSY - I Luv It
• PSY - New Face

Mandopop: Jike Junyi (吉克隽逸)

Also known as Summer, Jike Junyi from Sichuan was a runner up in the final of the second season of The voice of China in 2012. Stylistically and soundwise she combines American R&B with more traditional Chinese ballads. The new oddly named "Lotion song" is my favorite so far, with its soft and introspective tone.

• Jike Junyi - Lotion Song
• Jike Junyi - Color Black (彩色的黑)
• Jike Junyi - 月到天心處
• Jike Junyi - A heart song (一首心歌)
• Jike Junyi - Summer Time
• Jike Junyi - Theme song for "Snow girl and the dark crystal"

Jpop: Aimer - If I Hadn't Met You (Winter Flowers in the Summer Snow)

A bit unusual this one; this is the ending theme for a fairly uninteresting anime called "Natsuyuki Rendezvous", but the video and song with japanese singer Aimer is instead eclipsing the series as it has so much emotion and empathy to make it hard not to like. The video is not directly related to the series (I think) but is instead about a love between two girls depicted quite sweetly. The lyrics you can find here.

• Aimer - If I Hadn't Met You (Winter Flowers in the Summer Snow)

Vietnamese pop: Mr T ft. Hòa Minzy - Ăn Gì Đây (Eat this??)

Beatboxer and participater of Vietnam's Got Talent in 2012, Nguyễn Cường aka Mr T finally releases a properly nice video together with female talent Hoa Minzy. "Ăn Gì Đây" roughly means "Eat this??" I think and anyways the song is about all the possibilities to eat in a land with such a rich food culture, and the video is just plain fun and energy.

• Mr T ft. Hòa Minzy - Eat this?? (Ăn Gì Đây)

Mandopop: Wang Yuling (Miss Cat / 汪妤凌)

Wang Yuling was a medium successful contestant (an exemple here) in the first season (2012) of Voice of China. The one interesting song is from her following solo career is "Miss Swag", from her 2013 album Next Level, with both an attitude and visual style not seen before or after that.

• Wang Yuling - Miss Swag (范儿)
• Wang Yuling - Spike (铆钉)
• Wang Yuling - Give it up

Mandopop: Seven Sense (七朵组合)

Anyone who visits China for a longer time and/or interacts with people in China cannot miss how popular korean pop, kpop, is there. It affects many aspects of chinese everyday life like beauty ideals, fashion and, of course, local music. There has been many more or less successful tries to copy kpop (or korean companies focusing on China) and therefore Seven Sense girl group (with seven members ofc) is a little interesting as they combine training, looks and visuals that is as polished as kpop with a sound that is distinctly chinese. I honestly don't think it will be successful as the lure of kpop as with all other music in part is its difference from the everyday stuff, but I find it's promising that they try finding their own feet.

• Seven Sense - Five Tone Scale
• Seven Sense - Jade Smoke