ESEA Heritage Month: 5 Artists You Should Know About

Founded in September 2021 by besea.n (Britain's East and South East Asian Network), ESEA Heritage Month celebrates the culture, history, and contributions of East and Southeast Asian communities across the UK. To mark the month, we’ve partnered with ESEA Music, a UK-based, community-led non-profit founded in 2021 to empower ESEA artists and music professionals, to spotlight five incredible independent artists shaping the UK music landscape.

Jeremine Chan

Malaysian Chinese • Multi-Genre / Electronic Pop | Instagram

(Photo by Yijia Fu)

Jemerine Chan is a Malaysian-born, London-based emerging multi-genre singer-songwriter and music producer who studied Electronic Music Production at BIMM London.

In 2024, her empowering single 'Black Rose' earned a Silver Medal in the Music Demo category at the Global Asian Creative Awards and made its live debut at the British Kebab Awards, performing to a 1,000-strong audience. Building on that momentum, she released her debut album Reset on July 10th, 2026, with a remix EP currently in progress.

Jemerine has performed at notable venues and festivals, including: ESEA Culture Festival 2025, Worthing Festival 2026, Chesham Fringe Festival 2025, O2 Islington, and The Ned. Her tracks have received radio airplay on Hitz FM and BBC Introducing, and she was recently interviewed by the founder of Resonate Voices, marking her as a rising voice within the UK’s independent music scene.

As an underrepresented Southeast Asian artist, Jemerine is part of the core team at UK ESEA Music and represents ESEA Music on the Artist Council of the Featured Artists Coalition, advocating for equity and inclusion across the industry:

"Growing up in a diverse country like Malaysia, I learned to find beauty in different cultures, emotions and perspectives. I don’t want to be defined by one genre or one sound. I want to let every influence become part of the story."

Jason Kwan

British Hong Konger • Cinematic Indie-Pop | Instagram | Spotify

(Photo by Tom Buck)

Originally from Hong Kong, London-based indie-pop artist Jason Kwan blends metropolitan nostalgia with sweeping cinematic melodies. Moving to the UK at 14 on a music scholarship, he trained in opera, classical, jazz, and musical theatre before relocating to London in 2017 with his glam-rock band Jester, where he built a following through the East London underground cabaret scene.

Jason released his first EP, Deja Vu, in 2024, which featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday UK, GLOW, and Fresh Finds UK/IR, as well as Apple Music’s New In Pop and New In Pride. The EP spawned a 10-date UK tour. Since then, he has played Glastonbury and Latitude Festival, headlined Nottingham and Bristol Pride, opened for Rina Sawayama, Metteson, and Olly Alexander, and headlined alongside Allie X.

Platforming underrepresented narratives from queer and Asian communities, his live shows are theatrical, emotional, and high-energy. His latest release is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of nonconformity:

My new song 'Break the Ceiling' blends English & Cantonese. I tell the story of how Hong Kongers are experiencing migration to the UK through rejecting societal expectations, chasing creative dreams, and not giving a rat's ass about conformity.

Looking ahead, Jason is currently teasing his second EP, with an upcoming performance at Lila Queer Festival in Zurich on September 12th.

sooyeon

South Korean • Techno / Bass / Leftfield Club | Instagram | TikTok | Beatport

(Photo from Festival Archive / Junction 2 Beatport ‘The Block’ Stage)

With over ten years of DJing clubs, festivals, and radio, London-based Korean DJ and producer sooyeon has established herself as a distinctive presence within the underground scene. Her high-energy sets draw on techno, bass, house, and leftfield sounds - combining driving rhythms, deep sub-bass, and rolling percussion to create a sound built for the dancefloor.

Alongside her work behind the decks, sooyeon continues to develop her practice as a producer and curator. She has brought her sound to renowned venues and festivals - including Glastonbury, Fabric, Junction 2, Boomtown, The Cause, and Amber’s - and has supported key figures like Batu and Hamdi. Looking ahead, she is set to release a new EP on RONI's label, Nehza in October.

Building a strong connection between music, culture, and community remains central to her ethos:

"Having been in the music industry for over a decade, I’ve seen the evolution of representation growing over that period, and it’s about time! Connecting, inspiring and giving confidence to the next generation is a huge focus in my work."

Chug

British Hong Kong Chinese • Drum & Bass / UK Garage | Instagram | Beatport

(Photo by @bethcrockatt)

Chug is an established Drum & Bass and UK Garage producer and DJ based in South-East London, with a deep-rooted connection to music that began in his hometown of Norwich. As a teenager fueled by a passion for golden-era Hip-Hop, he saved money from a weekend job at Debenhams to invest in his first pair of decks - marking the beginning of his DJing journey. Obsessing over local pirate radio stations (Style and Flight FM), he immersed himself in the underground homegrown sounds of Jungle, D&B, and UK Garage, learning and perfecting his craft on the local UKG scene. Since then, he has graced the booths of London venues, performing alongside iconic figures across both genres.

Transitioning to producing music in 2010, Chug’s sound is heavily informed by the Jazz, Soul, and Funk samples characteristic of 90s Boom-Bap. He has built a respected discography with releases on labels including Tru-Thoughts, Inform Records, Liquid Lab, and Smooth N Groove. As a core member of the ESEA Music community, he helps run the Sesame Mentorship scheme, assisting people from East and South-East Asian backgrounds with navigating the music industry:

"ESEA representation in music means more visibility at all levels and within all sectors of the industry. Despite working as a DJ since 1998, it's only recently that I met other DJs from an ESEA background. Throughout my 17-year career working within major music institutions, I could count the number of colleagues who shared my background on two hands, with none occupying senior roles. To truly reflect our society and its audiences, industry bodies, labels, A&Rs, DSPs, and booking agents must take a far more active role in cultivating diverse workforces and rosters."

Chug's soulful 4-track DnB EP Brighter Days, featuring vocals from Aileen de la Cruz and Oktae, is out now on Liquid Lab. Listen below...

Justin Peng

British Chinese • Multilingual Soul-Pop | Instagram | Spotify

(Photo by Courtney Nathan Phillip)

Inspired by Whitney Houston, George Michael, and Stevie Wonder, Justin Peng is a British-Chinese soul-pop artist writing in both English and Mandarin. Making music for hopeless romantics, his songs live in the space between falling head-over-heels in love and having your heart completely broken.

After winning China’s national talent competition Bravo Youngsters (华彩少年) and being recognised by Vogue China as a “Rising Newcomer”, Justin has built a growing audience across the UK and Asia. His breakout single 'Shelter' charted at No. 3 on the Pop-R&B Chart and has accumulated over 5 million streams across platforms worldwide. Most recently, his Mandarin rendition of 'For Good' went viral, generating over 10 million views across social media and being shared by Jessie J, Wicked director Jon M. Chu, and Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.

Following three sold-out London headline shows at The Grace, The Lower Third, and Colours Hoxton, Justin has entered a breakthrough chapter in his career. Named “Breakout Artist 2025” by Figaro Magazine, he became the first Mainland Chinese artist to perform on the Main Stage at Pride in London in Trafalgar Square. He has also performed at Mighty Hoopla alongside Kesha and Ciara, the inaugural SXSW London, and major festivals across China to audiences of up to 50,000:

"ESEA representation means taking up space — not as a diversity box to tick, but as artists with the potential to shape pop culture... I write and release in both English and Mandarin to show how music carries emotion across languages."

More about ESEA Music

ESEA Music was built to address underrepresentation and create dedicated spaces for ESEA creators across every sector of the music industry. Through initiatives like their Sesame Mentorship Program (SMS), industry panels, and advocacy on bodies like the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) Artist Council, ESEA Music works to build sustainable career paths, improve visibility on DSPs and festival lineups, and foster a connected creative community. You can follow them on socials here.