Top 12 Hot Asian Singers to Watch in 2012

 

As we move closer into the 2012 year, more emerging singers and artists are arising from every corner. The Jackfroot staff has been keeping a close eye on all of the hot artists on the rise, as well as watching new ones coming up as well. Our team decided to narrow down and compile a list of some of the hottest 12 artists to keep an eye on in 2012. This list is in no particular order and we apologize if we left anyone out.

 

All of the artists that are on this list were carefully selected and chosen for a variety of factors including vocals, sound quality, musical talent, persistence, style, and more. Keep in mind that this is only Jackfroot’s selective opinion and we applaud and support all of the artists out there grinding and doing their thing. Now on to the list!

 

TOP 12 Hot Artists To Watch in 2012

 

1. Kina Grannis

Born and raised in Mission Viejo, CA, Kina Grannis started playing shows at the age of 4 in front of stuffed animals. Now she plays in front of people. Kina has made quite a name for herself, especially after her song ‘In Your Arms‘ went viral. She has been on tours internationally and also made late night television appearances. We expect nothing but more quality videos and music from this young star.

 

 

2. Passion

From San Francisco, CA, Jeremy Passion has been known for making the hit track that everyone loves, ‘Lemonade’. A self-managed artist, Passion has been in the studio working hard on his newly released album that took 10 years in the making. Fans from all over have contributed $20,000 our of a $10,000 goal to the making of this album. He has also done shows all around the world. With his talents in writing, singing, and producing, we expect big projects and plans from this dedicated artist.

 

 

 

3. Sam Tsui

You may have found some of his beautiful music and videos on YouTube and subscribed to his channel. Singing and creating music is in Sam’s blood and what makes him happy. It’s something he never imagined he would be doing. Sam has gotten a lot of attention for himself as an artist, especially after he became a digital correspondent on NBC’s the Sing Off in season 3. With over 5 million views on his YouTube channel, we expect to see double that by the end of the year.

 

 

 

4. AJ Rafael

Reigning from Moreno Valley, California, Arthur Joseph, otherwise known as, “AJ” Rafael has grown up all around music. His journey into music started at the age of four when he explored the play the piano, an influence from his father who passed away when AJ was nine years old. AJ pursued his musical passion and became a Billboard Battle of the Bands finalist. His hit album, Red Roses, got retail distribution throughout stores like Best Buy and Target nationwide. Be ready to see more fire from AJ.

 

 

5. August Rigo

Born Dan August Rigo, August caught the music bug early when he saw Michael Jackson’s legendary performance of “Billy Jean” on Motown’s 25th Anniversary TV show. He is one Asian American artist that has been under wraps with skills as a talented singer, songwriter, and producer. August is signed to Def Jam and released a hot mixtape called ‘Too Big To Fail‘ and is working on an upcoming album called Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

 

 

6. Tommy C

Tommy C has been making songs, singing covers, and shooting videos all on YouTube. Last year he went solo and released his own mixtape, and is also songwriting for international artists. With passion in his heart, Tommy shows he has the dedication to succeed in the music industry.

 

 

7. Jin Akanishi

Formally in the vocal group KAT-TUN, Jin Akanishi helped establish numerous records for the popular group. Their 11 CD singles, 4 CD albums, and 7 DVDs all reached #1 in the Japanese National Charts, and in 2009, they became the first artists ever to perform eight consecutive days at Tokyo Dome Stadium(capacity 55,000) – one of the largest and most prestigious venues in Japan. In 2009, JIN AKANISHI began his activities as a solo artist and again climbed to #1 in the National charts with his first single, which was also the theme track for the movie “BANDAGE,” in which he played the starring role. The single was certified Platinum. Watch out for Jin!

 

 

8. Jennifer Chung

Jennifer Chung is one of the pioneers of YouTube music. Being one of the first people ever to post videos of herself singing, she created a worldwide fan base within 2 years of starting. Now with over 30 million views online and over 140,000 subscribers, Jennifer has become known as a force to be reckoned with not only in the online music community but within the music industry itself. Jennifer can best be described as a soulful resonating voice that has allowed media such as MTV to recognize her as the next big act.

 

 

9. Jason Chen

From Southern California, Jason Chen is an artist that makes purely good music. He has worked with several other YouTube artists and stars. With his hit album called Gravity, Jason shows he has the skills and talent to succeed as an artist. He even translated his english single ‘Best Friend‘ into Chinese which has over 600,000 views on YouTube, which makes it a crossover hit. Keep an eye out for Jason as he is ready to do big things this year.

 

 

10. Joseph Vincent

Joseph Vincent is an up-and-coming acoustic ARTIST striving to make a name for himself in the world of MUSIC. Growing up, Joseph had an open EAR for music, listening to all types of genres from hip-hop to rock. He picked up his first GUITAR at the age of 15 and started off by playing covers of some of his main musical influences, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. He began writing and COMPOSING his own original songs at the age of 16. He is signed to Catch Adventures and has also collaborated with Jin the MC.

 

 

11. Charice

On first glance, Charice looks like any other teenager: pretty, petite and filled with non stop energy. But when the sweet-faced 17-year old opens her mouth to sing – with a profound, rich and soaring 10 decibel voice from every inch of her 5 feet 1 inch body – the audience quite literally gasps. And at 13 million hits and counting on YouTube tell us, that audience is growing at a staggering pace. Her collab with Joe Jonas on “One Day” may not have been a commercial hit, but her lyrics “one day, you’ll know who I am” seems to foreshadow the breakout year we predict she’ll have in 2012.

 

 

12. Jay Park

After leaving the Korean boy band, 2PM, and going solo, Jay Park has done extremely well for himself, creating  a strong following in the Korean music market. His first solo project Take a Deeper Look  created a buzz about his potential and longevity as an artist, despite the earlier pitfalls of his career. Without a doubt, it’s safe to predict that we will be seeing more of Jay Park after his 2012 follow-up New Breed, with the accompanying smooth choreography we know so well from his flashy music videos.

 

 

There you have it! The Top 12 Hot Asian Singers to Watch in 2012! Thanks for tuning in and checking out our list of talented all stars on the rise. Feel free to share this link online and spread the word. Make sure you visit their pages and check them out to stay updated on each of the artists.

 

Follow Jackfroot on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!