Last updated: May 2025

Asian Tones champions and celebrates Asian heritage within the music industry. The platform aims to shatter stereotypes and bridge the gaps between genres, languages and sub regions – evolving the definition of what being an Asian in music entails. Representation is step one, but normalisation into the wider industry is end game.

Based in the UK, since 2022 Asian Tones started running small live shows in London, with solely Asian diaspora artist line ups. This is to provide our community with more live opportunities and a space for like-minded people to connect in an industry we are currently heavily under-represented in. From those that are brand new to performing live to those with an emerging following. With a focus on creating a strong UK grassroot talent foundation and community that celebrates all parts of what it means to be British-Asian. Our shows have covered many genres, from pop to desi fusion to electro-punk and much in-between - We know that talent exists across all intersections of music. Many of our performers have since gone on to be featured in prominent outlets including BBC Introducing and playing their own headline shows. 



Highlights
  • To date, Asian Tones has hosted 20+ events, featuring more than 100+ artists of Asian heritage.
  • Features 200+ artists via our 'Get To Know' series
  • Previously received sponsorships from PRS for Music and Live Nation Women. 
  • In November 2024, Asian Tones was awarded a grant from Early Career Promoter fund from PRS Foundation and British Arts Council. This funding will be put towards 4 out of London shows to expand our reach and ability to support these communities.
  • Our 2025 partnership with Liverpool Sound City, where we specifically asked not to have a separate showcase stage, but rather that our artists are integrated into the wider line up. While having our own spaces and events are super important, it is also important that our talents are showcased and have opportunity in the wider festival scene and event line ups alongside our peers.
  • A recipient of the Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme for 2025's International Live Music Conference
  • Working with other grassroots platforms including Discover Live (Jodie Bryant), Generation W and State Is Flow

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Starting on Instagram, the platform was created as a personal effort to find and support music artists of a shared background. The initial idea was to share those artists with an already emerging following, however at that time it would have meant that the platform would have run out of posts quite quickly. We started reaching out to newer artist (and they, us) to see if they'd like to be featured. Since 2021, Asian Tones has featured 200+ artists and growing across various stages of their musical journeys (These can all be found via our Instagram).

We believe in the importance of every individual finding and nurturing their own identity in a way they are most comfortable - without putting themselves into boxes based on expectations. Many people from the diaspora struggle with their dual identity, especially in a space that doesn't generally include our community. Asian Tones wants to create a music space where the Asian diaspora can come as they are and connect with like minded people - While Asia heritages are vast and there are a lot of nuances between communities, at the roots we share more than we probably realise. 


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Photo credits: If not stated on the post. All images/artwork have either been provided by the artist without who to credit or found via Google/artist's social media pages. Please message if you would like an image removed/to add credits.