5 Chinese R&B albums to listen to right now, from Kun’s Mystery to the explicit Pedestal by Ozi
- R&B is one of the fastest growing genres for Chinese music lovers, according to Tencent data, trailing only rap and electronica
- Here are five Chinese R&B artists and the albums we think are worth checking out, from Kun and his Mystery debut album to the funky Fresh Soul by Matt Lv
Chinese R&B has gone mainstream, and what used to be a niche genre is now gaining a following in China and overseas.
According to a recent report released by Tencent’s research institute – which mined data from streaming platforms QQ Music, KuGou Music and Kuwo Music – R&B is one of the fastest growing music genres in China, with 2021 recording a 4.5 per cent increase in number of releases over the previous year.
The genre trailed behind rap and electronica, which saw 13.8 per cent and 11.8 per cent growth, respectively.
Curious about its appeal? Here’s a list of Chinese R&B releases in the past year that you should check out.
Mystery by Kun (Cai Xukun)
Ex-Swin member Kun shed his boy-band roots and became a sophisticated solo artist with his record-breaking album Mystery, which sold more than 2 million digital copies within the first 12 hours of its release in April 2021.
