When I grew up in the UK as a teenager, I’d usually wait months before I saw a single east or southeast Asian (ESEA) face on TV. I clung to the few Asian faces that I saw in NME and filed them away for reference. I have Karen O, the Korean-American frontwoman of the indie band Yeah Yeah Yeahs to thank for the truly tragic fringe I once had done.
Today, British east and southeast Asian representation is everywhere. At this year’s Glastonbury, you could catch London-born rappers Natty Wylah and Jianbo and dance to DJs including Oh Annie Oh and Ying. Jamaican-Chinese singer Griff’s critically acclaimed new album Vertigo came out in July. Filipino-born Beabadoobee, who has headlined Radio 1 Big Weekend and supported Taylor Swift, has just released her third album This Is How Tomorrow Moves.
Central Cee – probably the most talked-about British rapper right now – is of Guyanese, Chinese and English heritage. In September, Margins United, the first music festival celebrating alternative east and southeast Asian culture, makes its debut in London, as does the ESEA Lit Fest which is being held at the Southbank.
On TV, British-Japanese actress Sonoya Mizuno burned up screens on HBO’s House of the Dragon. Salford’s finest, Benedict Wong, was one of the big leads in Netflix’s big-budget project sci-fi epic 3 Body Problem and A24 has found incredible success with shows and films all centering the Asian experience – Beef, Past Lives, The Farewell and the Oscar smash hit Everything Everywhere All at Once.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Uefa's voyage of discovery is a mystery tour for fans
It isn’t so much how the new-look Champions League is going to work as will it work at all, writes Miguel Delaney
No same-sex couples leaves routines looking flat-footed
This year’s Strictly’ cast is without any same-sex pairings. Ellie Muir mourns the loss of them and explains why they’ve made for some of the best choreography in recent history
'Everything I ever worked on is coming together now'
Conceptual artist, painter, mentor to the YBAs, overnight success at 55. On the eve of a Royal Academy retrospective show, Mark Hudson interviews Michael Craig-Martin
BACK TO SCHOOL
This season sees designers leaning into the old trades of tailoring and ladies’ occasion wear, as previously outdated modes of dress are revamped. The kids are suiting and scrubbing up, writes Joseph Bobowicz from backstage
Seductress of the century
Femme fatale Pamela Harriman was able to change the course of history by captivating leading political figures from Churchill to Clinton using a legendary kingmaking’ technique to devastating effect, as explained by Sonia Purnell
World news in brief
Billionaire back on Earth after walking in space
Seven dead as 'catastrophic' Storm Boris floods Europe
Month’s worth of rain in 24 hours hits several countries
Here's how Harris wins the swing state of Pennsylvania
Scranton’s first female mayor has lessons for the presidential hopeful, ahead of her visit to the must-win state this week
Navalny ally calls on West to invest in Russia's next generation to beat Putin
‘The vast majority of anti-Putin, anti-war Russians are not changing their minds, Leonid Volkov tells Tom Watling
Home news in brief
Tributes paid to mother and children killed in triple murder