MetaMoon Festival successfully held its first event in Brooklyn, NY, bringing an incredible roster of Asian artists. Ranging from former EXO member, Lay Zhang to Taiwanese RnB artist, ØZI – it is clear that the organizers understand the market and recognize talent. With the legendary MC Jin hosting the event, the night was full of surprise, laughter, and good vibes.
The event being held at Barclay’s Center with a 19k capacity seems overly ambitious at first glance. Many of these artists are unknown to the majority of US fans, however these artists have dedicated local fan bases are in positions to blow up in the near future.
Across a multitude of genres, we see no shortage of incredible Asian talent.
Whether it’s pop, jazz, RnB, or hip hop- music transcends any cultural and language boundaries. Fans travelled from all across the world to see these artists. There were fans from not only across the U.S., but also Europe, Asia, and even Australia. Knowing that everyone was united by the same passion for music was a powerful and inspiring feeling.
Regardless of who they came to support, every fan warmly welcomed at the festival. MC Jin did an incredible job of introducing each artist to the audience and keeping the energy high. In addition, he also highlighted the uniqueness of the Asian American experience across generations. Many people in the audience came with their family to celebrate that the bamboo ceiling has been raised.
It was extra meaningful for me to see Taiwanese artists, Karencici, 9m88, and ØZI perform overseas at such a large-scale venue. Knowing that hometown musicians that I view as niche may breakthrough into the mainstream market showed me just how powerful music is. As well as showing me its deep impact on people.
MetaMoon Festival Highlights Asian Talent
For MetaMoon Festival to hold this in America was a risky move, but it only further proves how much value there is in the market of Asian talent across all genres.
As we’ve seen in recent years, K-Pop groups such as Blackpink and BTS are creating history. They are selling out large arenas and stadiums internationally at the blink of an eye. With organization and labels like 88Rising, we are seeing Asian artists get the chance to amplify their voices via a large platform. This market is vast and still relatively untapped. I believe that we’ll start seeing its true potential and reach in the near future.
Many fans bought floor seat tickets just to watch headliner and former EXO member, Lay Zhang, perform. | Image by Anne Zheng Chen
We are seeing a diversification and celebration of music across all cultures. Many Latino artists such as Bad Bunny, Ozuna, and J Balvin have also dominated the charts in recent years as their music spread like wildfire. As people are starting to connect with music on a global scale and being open to a variety of sounds, we’ll continue to see these artists grow and propel. It has become easier and more accessible to see your favorite foreign artist now with increased demand. Therefore, there’s no better time to explore music as both a fan and a creator than right now.
