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Electronic pop-rap group Far East Movement made their major-label debut in 2010. Founded in 2003, the outfit was originally a trio comprised of high school companions Kev Nish, Prohgress, and J-Splif, all of whom had grown up in downtown Los Angeles. DJ Virman Coquia joined the lineup a few years later.

Far East Movement made their recording debut with the Audio-Bio mixtape in 2005, followed by a full-length album, Folk Music, in 2006. The band's big break arrived that same year, when the Folk Music track "Round Round" was featured on the soundtrack to the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Two years later, Far East Movement released their second indie album, Animal, and began earning more buzz for singles like "You've Got a Friend," "Lowridin," and "Girls on the Dancefloor," the last of which reached the Billboard charts. As a result, Far East Movement were offered a major-label recording contract with the Interscope Records subsidiary Cherrytree Records.

After touring overseas as the opening act of Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour and hitting the studio with the Stereotypes (the producers credited with "Girls on the Dancefloor"), Far East Movement made their major-label debut with "Like a G6," which topped the U.S. singles charts during the summer of 2010 and went either gold or platinum in four countries. They became the first Asian-American group to top the Billboard Hot 100. The song, along with the Top Ten follow-up "Rocketeer" (featuring Ryan Tedder), appeared on Free Wired, the band's full-length major-label debut, which was released later in the year. Dirty Bass followed in 2012, with the Justin Bieber collaboration "Live My Life" issued as the lead single.

Far East Movement spent the following years working on their fifth album, traveling between Asia and the United States and producing tracks with Asian artists. In 2016, the group -- by then a trio without J-Splif -- returned with Identity. The internationally inspired album included appearances by K-pop stars like Chanyeol (EXO), Jay Park, and Tiffany from Girls' Generation, as well as R&B artists like Tinashe, MNEK, and Macy Gray, and rappers like Soulja Boy and Big K.R.I.T. In 2018 the group issued the single "Bamboo," which featured Jason Zhang and Kina Grannis. ~ Jason Birchmeier

Chinese vocalist Tia Ray is known for her cross-pollinated blend of pop and R&B. She initially came to the public's attention in 2012 on the TV vocal competition show The Voice of China before releasing her 2014 debut album, T.I.A. She has garnered global attention, collaborating on songs with Kehlani, Jason Derulo, Far East Movement, and others. In 2018, she released her sophomore album, Tiara.

Born in 1984 in the small village of Huai Hua in South-West province of Hunan, Ray became interested in music growing up and eventually moved to Beijing to study performing arts. Influenced by artists like Mariah Carey, Jill Scott, and Beyonce, she launched her career in 2004 working as a backup singer for artists like Jane Zhang and Ma Tianyu. In 2012, she came to wider recognition, appearing on the televised singing competition The Voice of China. Following her time on the show she released her debut album, T.I.A. In 2017, she competed again on TV, appearing on the show The Singer. Also that year, her song "Be Apart" was used as the theme to the hit Chinese movie The Ex-File: The Return of the Exes. The following year, she released her sophomore album, Tiara. She also joined singer Kehlani on the song "Just My Luck." In 2019, she returned with the EP 1212. She also guested on Far East Movement's song "Paint the Clouds," and paired with Jason Derulo on "Champion," the official 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup song. ~ Matt Collar