Artists To Listen To For Asian Heritage Month (And All Year Round) Pt. 6
By Brenessa Roach | May 18, 2026
Happy Asian Heritage Month and AAPI Heritage Month!
Every May, Canada celebrates Asian Heritage Month which is a time to recognize and honour the histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian communities across the country, including those with roots in East, South, Southeast, Central, and Western Asia. In the United States, May is recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, also referred to as AANHPI, which includes Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
As a proudly Canadian-based organization founded and operated by an individual of Asian descent, B-Side Rituals is passionate about uplifting and supporting Asian artists across the music industry. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of our series as well.
In this edition, we’re highlighting six incredible Asian-American and Asian-Canadian artists you should have on your radar, not just during May, but all year round.
Jennifer Zhang, also known as JEN Z, is a Chinese-Canadian pop singer-songwriter and content creator based in Vancouver. She rose to fame through her YouTube Channel, JENerationDIY, before making her music debut on June 1, 2018 with the single “Love You Like Me.”
On January 28, 2022, JEN Z released “Clean Up In Aisle 4,” which became her most popular track to date, surpassing 1.3 million streams. She continued releasing singles in the years that followed, leading up to “Crush” on October 25, 2024, before taking a brief hiatus from music.
JEN Z returned on March 20, 2026 with the single “faster,” one of our personal favourites. The track marks the beginning of a new era for the artist, showcasing a more mature and refined sound. Having followed her journey since “Clean Up In Aisle 4” and as longtime viewers of her YouTube content, it’s exciting to see her artistic growth continue to evolve.
On May 5, JEN Z performed in London for Breaking Sound, and we’re excited to continue following this next chapter of her career.
Follow JEN Z:
Dzaki Sukarno is an American-Indonesian country artist from Las Cruces, New Mexico. He made his debut on September 14, 2020, with the mini EP DZAKI THE RANGE which includes three tracks; “Sail Away,” “Where We Should Be,” and “Was It Meant To Be.” Since his debut, he has consistently released music while continuing to develop his blend of modern country and singer-songwriter influences.
On June 13, 2025, Dzaki released the single “Make Ya All Mine,” the track that first introduced us to his music through TikTok. The song quickly stood out for its catchy melodies and laid-back country charm.
So far in 2026, he has released one single, “When She’s Drinkin,” which released on February 13.
Follow Dzaki Sukarno:
Bailey Katsu is a queer, Japanese-American artist based in the Greater Boston area. In addition to her solo work, she is the lead singer of The Femmes, an all-women and nonbinary wedding and events band.
She made her solo debut on August 15, 2025, with the single “Bittersweet Bitch.” She followed up her debut with “Something New,” released on March 6, 2026 which is the track that first introduced us to her music through TikTok.
Although Bailey is still a new artist with only two releases so far, her music is unique and showcases her individuality and emotion. We’re excited to continue following her journey as she develops her sound and artistry.
Follow Bailey Katsu:
JONAVI is a Filipino-American R&B/indie-pop artist born in Cebu and now based in Dallas, Texas. She made her debut on December 8, 2015, with the single “Not for Me.” Although her releases were initially sporadic, she began consistently putting out music from 2020 onwards, starting with “If I Were.”
On November 3, 2023, JONAVI released her debut EP, Blue Hour. We first discovered her music earlier this year following the release of “1, 2, 3” on February 12, 2026. Following that single, she released “easy peasy,” released on April 17, 2026, followed by her latest single, “skin & bones,” featuring Andy Yu, on May 1.
Beyond streaming platforms, JONAVI has also performed at Sofar Sounds, SXSW, the Dallas Mavericks, House of Blues, and YAR Fest, Texas’ first Asian music festival.
Follow JONAVI:
Sanjana is a Desi-American singer and songwriter and guitarist raised in both India and California. Influenced by her early training in Indian classical music, she now blends those foundations with elements of pop, R&B, and jazz to create a distinctive, genre-crossing sound.
She made her debut on February 14 with the single “Falling.” She later released her debut EP, Water, I’ll Grow, on February 7, 2020.
Since then, Sanjana has continued to steadily release music, further refining her sound and artistic identity. This includes her EP From Afar, released on May 31, 2023. We’re hoping to hear new music from her soon as her artistry continues to evolve.
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He continued to release singles and even released two more albums; Back to Earth on January 13, 2023 and Comets on December 10, 2024. He released one more album, *Years* on March 20, 2026. Following this, he released his latest single “Dream” on May 15.
Mild Monk, also known as Henry Stein, is a Chinese-American indie rock and pop singer-songwriter from San Jose. He made his debut on September 8, 2018, with the single “Kindness.” Since then, he has consistently released music and steadily expanded his discography.
His debut album, Sunslime, released on October 29, 2022, followed by his sophomore album Pocket Comforts, released on December 24, 2020.
He continued to release music with additional projects including Back to Earth (January 13, 2023), Comets (December 10, 2024), and Years (March 20, 2026). Most recently, he released the single “Dream” on May 15, marking another evolution in his sound.
Follow Mild Monk:
Check out all these songs in our “Asian Heritage Month” Spotify Playlist:
Got an artist or song submission? Visit our Submit Music page.