it is most likely 100x harder to make it in America compared to Korea.
How many famous Asian artist can you make that made it big in America?
In the American and UK music industry most of the Asian artist mainly make it onto the indie scene and get some buzz. You have some that had some buzz like Beabadoobee, Thuy, Keshi, Audrey Nuna and Rina Sawayama, and a few others. For the most part they mainly fall into lesser known artists category. It doesn't seem that record labels make a push for Asian artists.
There are some that breakthrough, but for most cases they are mixed. Artist like Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Her, Anderson Paak, Joji, Jhene Aiko, Amerie, and most likely missing a few others.
It's the safer option to take your chances in Korea because it's rare for American record labels to make push artists. Even with kpop becoming more popular in the US, it still didn't influence record labels to push Asian artists.
Lastly, if an idol is looking for fame then it's most likely not America. There's a better chance in getting brand deals if you're in the Korean music industry. In America, you mainly see the mainstream artists getting brand deals, and it's more of a cutthroat industry. Music most likely won't be heard in America due to competition and less paths to make it.
Because America isn’t some golden ticket for fame, especially for Asian artists. The entertainment industry here has its own barriers, biases, and lack of infrastructure for launching Asian pop stars. Meanwhile, K-pop has a proven system for training, debuting, and promoting idols worldwide. Sure, it’s tough, but at least there’s a clear path to success. Also, not everyone’s dream is to ‘make it big in America’—some people just genuinely love K-pop and the industry itself. Wild concept, I know.
Look at The Rose—they're in America now and basically working out of a garage. They were much better off in Korea. Corbyn is from Oregon and LXX is from New York, yet they’re thriving in 28 Laboratory, the label Corbyn built in Korea. Why would they leave all that to come here where there's little to no support for Asian artists?
Racism against Asian looking artists. Dont matter if you're born here or from Asia, nobody will listen to you for whatever reason. Asian actors can get hits, Asian athletes can do well, but for some reason when it comes to music, it's a No Fly Zone.
The only Asian musical acts that transcend niches are the ones that are mixed and are coded as something else. Bruno's mom is FIlipino but he is never coded as that, most folks think he is Latino. Same with Olivia whose dad is Filipino, everyone assume she's Latino. Paak is always seen as a black artist, not an Asian one. And it goes on and on.
Racism against Asian looking artists. Dont matter if you're born here or from Asia, nobody will listen to you for whatever reason. Asian actors can get hits, Asian athletes can do well, but for some reason when it comes to music, it's a No Fly Zone.
The only Asian musical acts that transcend niches are the ones that are mixed and are coded as something else. Bruno's mom is FIlipino but he is never coded as that, most folks think he is Latino. Same with Olivia whose dad is Filipino, everyone assume she's Latino. Paak is always seen as a black artist, not an Asian one. And it goes on and on.
izone could have made it, shame they had to disband
They won't get the support they need. They might gain a niche following, but they'll find it much easier to work in Korea among people who see them as equals instead of just a novelty.
A lot of the American-born Asian artists end up going to the motherland, whether it's Korea, Taiwan, or elsewhere, and find far greater success there instead of the U.S.
They might be more talented and skilled than many other American artists, so it's not their fault. It's just how the industry is and how the American market is.
Racism against Asian looking artists. Dont matter if you're born here or from Asia, nobody will listen to you for whatever reason. Asian actors can get hits, Asian athletes can do well, but for some reason when it comes to music, it's a No Fly Zone.
The only Asian musical acts that transcend niches are the ones that are mixed and are coded as something else. Bruno's mom is FIlipino but he is never coded as that, most folks think he is Latino. Same with Olivia whose dad is Filipino, everyone assume she's Latino. Paak is always seen as a black artist, not an Asian one. And it goes on and on.
I agree with this. Many Asian American musicians have tried and the industry made it so almost impossible. I thought with the rise of Asian actors in Hollywood it may help a bit more but it’s much slower. I know there’s Keshi and Rina but both are still niche.
I agree with this. Many Asian American musicians have tried and the industry made it so almost impossible. I thought with the rise of Asian actors in Hollywood it may help a bit more but it’s much slower. I know there’s Keshi and Rina but both are still niche.
Racism against Asian looking artists. Dont matter if you're born here or from Asia, nobody will listen to you for whatever reason. Asian actors can get hits, Asian athletes can do well, but for some reason when it comes to music, it's a No Fly Zone.
The only Asian musical acts that transcend niches are the ones that are mixed and are coded as something else. Bruno's mom is FIlipino but he is never coded as that, most folks think he is Latino. Same with Olivia whose dad is Filipino, everyone assume she's Latino. Paak is always seen as a black artist, not an Asian one. And it goes on and on.
Yeah Jhene Aiko and Amerie were big in the 2000s but they were promoted as strictly black artists and their Japanese and Korean heritage has been basically erased although their mothers are fully Asian. Utada Hikaru (Japanese), Koda Kumi (Japanese) and Tata Young (Thai) broke through to the US in the early 2000s with platinum singles and albums but were constantly mocked as "ugly asians". They were also called fat by American tabloids despite being thin enough their bones showed at one point. Then as soon as the US deemed they were not doing enough to cater to their western record labels, and showed that they were not the meek and bashful stereotype of Asian women, they were kicked away back to Asia.
Because it's ten times harder.
Because it’s harder to make it as an asian artist in America. Focusing on building a strong almost cult-like following in Asia then transitioning to America will almost always be the way to mainstream success for K-Pop artists.
Kpop labels are actually amazing in terms of giving visibility and creating a brand for the idols. Foreign idols are not a visible minority for the most part, which makes it way easier for them to blend in and reach success.
You can be a nobody from Noman’s land but as long as you’re young, look good and look asian you can luck out and get chosen to be part of YG’s next group.Assuming there’s no mismanagement on the label’s part, you’re almost guaranteed a chance at a solo career at some point.
Kpop fans are more rabid and support harder.American fans tend to support you when you’re viral then move on to the next viral thing rather quickly.
So in my opinion it’s safer to go and take a chance in the Korean pop industry which has gone global at this point to then after try and forge their own path in America with all their Kpop clout.
if they could they would
but the majority of them can't so they shan't
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