Future Asian Music: How 88rising Is Empowering Emerging Asian Artists Through FAM Studios And Beyond

Now more than ever, countless artists are emerging from all corners of the world, ready to bring their craft into the ever-expanding and evolving ecosystem that is music. The modern digital age has easily made this so, helping people easily connect with others in order to bring their art to virtually almost anywhere one can dream or think of. 

Take one look at Asia today alone and one can see that this is the case. Songs of all forms and identities from the diverse and expansive region are taking form and  being released left and right, with many artists making their undeniable mark on the rest of the world. Whether it’s topping local and international charts, going viral online, or introducing never-before-heard sounds to audiences of millions, these acts, one way or another, are not only letting their music be heard, but they are taking the Asian identity to the world, one song at a time. 

However, with such a constantly growing massive pool of talent present and ready to be discovered across and from Asia, there also comes the reality that not all artists will have the same opportunities. The other side of the coin here is that, despite the world richly teeming with outstanding Asian acts, many of them can often get easily overlooked, undiscovered, and unnurtured simply because they do not have the necessary means, connections, tools, or even know-how in order to do so.

This is exactly what 88rising aims to resolve with FAM or Future Asian Music — their very own platform dedicated to uplifting emerging talent from Asia.

What Is Future Asian Music?

“88rising’s vision has always been to create necessary spaces for the Asian community in music globally,” states 88rising’s Marketing Lead Angela Chiu, who was responsible for spearheading FAM’s development in Southeast Asia, when asked what inspired the origins of FAM. 

While recognizing that, indeed, music has become “more democratic or accessible to up-and-coming artists” thanks to the likes of AI tools and other software, Chiu also emphasizes to Billboard Philippines that 88rising acknowledges the reality that many Asian artists starting out are still at a disadvantage. This is simply because they are, as Chiu points out, “underserved” or do not know where to even begin. “We wanted to build Future Asian Music (FAM) to help emerging artists with resources to learn, network, and most importantly, gain access to the industry through our network of partners to distribute and promote their music.”

What Sets FAM Apart?

With 88rising’s influence in music undeniably felt not just within Asia but throughout the rest of the world, there are certain points that makes FAM a unique and promising venture, not just from the rest of 88rising, but from other similar platforms as well.

“Other than being specialized and dedicated to Asian creatives, our approach to experiential and content marketing sets FAM apart,” notes Chiu, stating FAM can take on the role of providing “a springboard to the international stage through [their] global network” via their various projects already in motion. This includes their flagship projects such as the newly established FAM Studios creative hub as well as the ‘Road to FAM’ series of live shows across Southeast Asia — both of which brought “thousands of fans, artists, and creators together to witness a showcase on what’s next in music.” Chiu adds, “Our goal is to continue to bring unique spaces to inspire connection, creation and collaborations in the next generation.”

Achieving The Vision, One Step At A Time

For Future Asian Music, the mission is not about handpicking the ones with the most impressive numbers to their name. Rather, it’s discovering artists with the proper resolve and helping them harness and expand their possibilities, both in their craft and their connection to an even bigger audience.

“We are looking for individuals who are dedicated to their craft and have consistently displayed their passion. With FAM, it’s not about the numbers,” emphasizes Chiu, noting the fact that Future Asian Music works with a number of artists who started at around only 500 to 5,000 monthly listeners. “We are excited at the flexibility to work with the artist’s potential and help grow their audience base.”

With the help of 88rising’s social platforms, Chiu notes that Future Asian Music was able to do this even from the get-go, helping get the word out about their presence and having FAM artists participate in the process by having them “get involved in the content by submitting self-shot intro clips.”

Moreover, 88rising’s reach has undeniably been instrumental in empowering the promotions and exposure of artists under FAM, with Chiu particularly highlighting the Vancouver-based FION’s single “more than a friend?” — the very first single from FAM that was upstreamed to 88rising. Since then, Chiu shares that FAM has been able to achieve new heights together with their artists, noting how they have been able to attain well over 100 million streams collectively during their soft launch phase alone. Now, they represent Asian artists of all sounds, from the likes of “indie, alternative, lo-fi, and bedroom/hyperpop-tinged sounds to hip-hop, R&B, and rap.”

What Is FAM Studios?

However, for Future Asian Music, this instrumental aid from 88rising is only just the beginning. Now, they are taking things further with their aforementioned flagship project FAM Studios. A collaboration effort with Bangkok-based creative hub Cloud11, it sees FAM artists being given access to top-notch spaces and experiences that involve the likes of “live performance videos, professional photography, workshops, and more.” 

Here, Future Asian Music is taking its initiative to fruition, as they aim “to develop more experiences for FAM artists to access the resources they need to further build their toolkit” and connect with Future Asian Music’s network of seasoned creatives to take them to the next level.

The Importance Of A Physical Space

“Even in the digital age, music is often created in physical spaces, through networks, link-ups,” states Chiu when asked what inspired the idea to have a dedicated in-person space for FAM’s artists to commune and collaborate. “We envisioned an “artist village” concept, where we can connect our emerging artist community from across the globe together to meet and collaborate — making it easier for early-stage artists to find like-minded people and their communities.”

Expounding on this, Chiu notes, “Collaborating virtually takes research and time; we created the concept of FAM Studios to provide a solution for what may often be an isolating stage in the artist’s journey when you’re just starting out.” With this, FAM Studios was conceptualized to bridge the gap and bring everything face-to-face, serving to “provide creative resources as well to jumpstart an artist’s toolkit.” This essential communal space is one that FAM believes is the solution to certain challenges that early-stage artists can potentially face, such as finding “a network, access to industry connections, and even financial resources to develop their craft.”

Unlocking Artistic Potential

While 88rising can be a prospective end goal in the roadmap for artists under FAM, Chiu notes that the goal of Future Asian Music is not to limit their artists’ opportunities. Rather, it’s to help them shoot their shots with accuracy and precision, whichever direction that may be. 

“At FAM, we are focused on developing artists to grow to their full potential — be it through staying within FAM’s ecosystem, or getting signed to a label, including but not limited to 88rising,” elaborates Chiu when asked how FAM aims to take their artists to the next level. “We do not hold artists to one path in particular and do not operate within traditional frameworks. If an artist expresses interest, or we feel they are a fit for 88rising’s audience, we will work with them on a path to the next opportunity.”

From Southeast Asia To The World

“FAM has signed artists across the globe, but in our early stage, we noticed that a large proportion of artists are coming from Southeast Asia,” says Chiu in closing, noting that there is evidence of “a talent pool and appetite for a platform like FAM to exist in Southeast Asia” – a region that is, undeniably, often overlooked. 

Ultimately, the establishment of FAM is not just simply the presence of a necessary platform for the countless potential-filled artists within Southeast Asia. Moreover, it’s concrete proof that these passionate emerging talents from Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and more are game-changers and trailblazers in the making. Indeed, they are the ones that fuel FAM’s vision of bringing such exceptional acts to the rest of the world. Indeed, they are Future Asian Music.