It’s officially May and you know what that means… It’s Asian American and Pacific Islander month! You did know it was AAPI month, right? If not, don’t worry. As your resident Wasian editor at The DePaulia, it is now my responsibility to educate you on the wonders of Asian American artists in the music industry. While there are a lot of ways I could do this, there’s one niche aspect in particular that caught my eye: Wasian artists dominating the pop music genre.

In the spirit of full transparency, Laufey is the real reason I’m writing this DeJamz. I saw her in concert for the first time April 28 at the Chicago Theatre and it was a transformative experience. While her music definitely puts the pop in jazz pop, her masterful artistry between the two genres craft an unforgettable discography that I can’t recommend enough. The Icelandic-Chinese singer may not be Wasian American, but I’m bestowing AAPI month privileges to her anyway.

Okay, I will admit this one may also be a minor cop-out since Wasia Project opened for the Laufey concert I attended… Oh well! I have creative control here and you don’t. Suck it! Some DeJamz readers may recognize Wasia Project from their song “ur so pretty” which was featured in the Netflix television show “Heartstopper.” “Petals on the Moon” though is my personal favorite with its upbeat tempo, smooth vocals and easy beat to dance to. If you catch me doing a little shimmy on the Brown Line in the next week, it’s likely because this song is playing through my AirPods and lifting my mood.

I don’t know if I’ve revealed this on any previous DeJamz, but I exclusively listen to albums. Meaning, instead of putting on a playlist or shuffling an entire artist’s discography, I will choose one album for the day and listen to that on repeat until I’m sick of it. Mitski’s “Bury Me At Makeout Creek” notably lasted an entire week before I had to switch over to something new. Having “Last Words of a Shooting Star” as the final song of the album is a soul-crushing listening experience, though, as the song’s morbid lyrics and melancholic sound put me into a spell every time. 

Is this song currently one of Olivia Rodrigo’s most popular after she released the deluxe version of her album, “Guts?” Probably. Does that negate the fact that this song is an incredibly fun earworm that was stuck in my head for most of spring break? No, it doesn’t. Olivia Rodrigo is arguably the most mainstream and relevant name on this list but we love to see a Wasian queen collecting her bag. From a Disney Channel star to a nationwide stadium tour is an impressive pipeline, and she deserves all of her accolades. Some people just hate to see a girl boss winning.

I’ve actually seen Conan Gray in concert twice, and both times someone fainted in the middle of his performance of “The Story.” That’s not actually relevant to this DeJamz, I just think about it every time Conan Gray pops up on my Spotify. That being said, his album “Kid Krow” sound tracked my 2020 and, as such, holds a special place in my heart. “Fight or Flight” in particular was one of my favorite songs to scream-sing even though I have never experienced heartbreak nor can I actually relate to the lyrics. It’s catchy, though!