Why I’m Entering the Grammys’ New Asian Pop Category Despite the Backlash (Guest Column)
Miist Elvis Yang, a Chinese-born, US-based singer and Recording Academy voting member, has written a guest column explaining why she is entering the Grammys' newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category despite criticism from some artists and fans. She acknowledges valid concerns that the category could pigeonhole Asian artists after years of campaigning to be judged simply as pop musicians, and questions whether a language requirement can fairly define what counts as "Asian" music. Nonetheless, she argues the category's real value lies in discovery, giving lesser-known Asian-language artists a chance to reach Recording Academy voters who might otherwise never hear them.
Yang, who has charted on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Airplay chart and recorded in Mandarin, English, Spanish and Italian among other languages, says Asian pop is far broader than the small number of global superstars who dominate Western perceptions, citing untapped talent in J-pop, Mandarin-language music and diverse strands within K-pop. She insists the new category should complement, not replace, Asian artists' eligibility for top prizes such as record, song and album of the year, and welcomes the Academy's move to consult more widely with musicians as it refines the category's rules.
- Singer Miist Elvis Yang defends entering Grammys' new Asian Pop category.
- She admits concerns about pigeonholing and language rules are valid.
- Argues category aids discovery of overlooked Asian-language artists.
New here? Start with this
Miist Elvis Yang is a Chinese-born, US-based singer and a voting member of the Recording Academy, the organisation behind the Grammy Awards. This year the Academy introduced a new prize, Best Asian Pop Music Performance, aimed at recognising pop music from Asian artists and languages. Its arrival has proved divisive within the industry.
Some artists and fans have criticised the category, arguing that Asian musicians have spent years pushing to be judged in mainstream pop categories rather than being separated out, and that defining "Asian" music by language is a difficult and imprecise exercise. Yang has written publicly about her decision to enter the category anyway, setting out both her reservations and her reasons for taking part.
The debate matters because it touches on how the Grammys, one of music's most prominent award shows, categorises and recognises artists from different backgrounds, and on wider questions about representation, visibility and fairness in the global pop music industry.