K-pop is ever-growing in popularity, but a British East and Southeast Asian perspective is yet to be seen! As the #StopAsianHate Movement campaigned against Covid-19 related racism, a popular music video emerged – Asians Have Feelings Too. This feel-good song is about being East Asian, LGBTQIA+ and being raised in the UK.
On the 28th April, British-born Chinese, queer, trans-masculine, non-binary performer and songwriter The Mollusc Dimension (Missing Parts, 2016; Adventures in Times and Gender, 2020; Breaking the Spell of the Armada Portraits, 2020) will screen the premiere of his brand new music video Asians Have Feelings Too. He will also perform live and this will be followed by a panel. Diverse dancers, musicmakers and innovative artists will be speaking about the song’s universal message of belonging, community and the inspiring power of live music!
As the team prepare we’ve spoken with The Mollusc Dimension about his work and what he hopes Asians Have Feelings Too will achieve for audiences.
For those not familiar with your previous work, could you please introduce yourself?
Hello! I’m a Classically trained pianist turned DIY artist. My pronouns are he/him.
My work ranges from the deep and serious to the absurdly humorous and is savoured by quirky people with open minds. I write songs and poems, draw comics, self-publish zines, make videos and have over 15 years of piano teaching experience. I LOVE performing and my shows feature audience participation but lockdown affected this in complex ways. As a survivor of many things, I believe that creativity for mental health and decolonising education has crucial benefits for people of ALL backgrounds and ages and I try to convey this in my creative practice.
Where did the inspiration for Asians Have Feelings Too initially come from?
Like many other East and Southeast Asians (ESEA), I experienced coronaracism which I wrote about in a blog piece for besea.n. (It’s accompanied by my comic drawings). Sadly, it was not the first time I had encountered racism and bigotry. Jamie Chi’s film “Safe Distance” explores the intersection of homophobia and sino-phobia. I do not feel safe where I live, or welcome. Imagineers and dreamers are underrated but innovation, expansive thinking and inclusion are crucial for the progress of all.
Funnily enough, most of my songs and art spring from frustrating or sad feelings. Using humour to transform bad thoughts is a coping mechanism as well as a satisfying means of entertaining my community and people everywhere. I feel proud and moved that people aged 9-74 years attended the event I ran. Together, they listened to the song and drew beautiful placards which will appear in the music video alongside k-pop-inspired dance moves and my animation! I am an artist for audiences with a global mindset.
As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, how does it feel to be preparing to perform this inspiration song for a live audience?
At the moment it feels quite nerve-wracking but I’m also very excited. I’ve almost got enough songs for an album and can’t wait to share my new lyrical sounds with my audience. This will be my first gig since the very first lockdown as I’ve been saving myself for the show. I’ve even said “no” to playing a few shows and many social invites as I wanted to shield. So I’m just bursting with music and ideas to share with you all again!
We feel it’s right for this particular show that the shimmering delights of the track itself will be conveyed via the music video as we’d love people to enjoy the effort we’ve put into the visual worlds we created!
Can you tell us a little about what audiences can expect to see from the live panel after the performance?
I am very excited about the live panel as there will be four gender non-conforming people, and in the current climate of transphobia, it is vital to invite trans voices to speak in safer spaces. You’ll get to find out a bit more about us! We’ll spill the beans on how it is to be Asian and LGBTIQA+ and how we found it working together on this project! I suspect we’ll also talk about food – because we are Asian after all! We’ll also take respectful audience questions so please come along and find out!
The panel will be chaired by actor Mei Mac (Call the Midwife, 2012; Faa IheIhe, 2016; Sifu, 2022). On the panel, we’ll have my vibrant music video dancers, Tim Lytc and Lusty Lovelace plus the multidisciplinary playwright, EnxiChang and myself, as well as our amazing Producer, TuyếtVân Huỳnh.
What do you hope Asians Have Feelings Too will achieve for its audiences?
As with the rest of my creative productions, I passionately hope that the track, music video and show will uplift people and open minds! Bigotry is harmful but it stems from ignorance and erasure.
So I want to see more ESEA leaders and representation in all fields – the arts, pop music, literature, science, the media, sport and education – especially LGBTIQA+ people. We do exist!
Many ESEA and British ESEA parents still do not consider the arts to be suitable or worthy careers for their children. But ESEA artists contribute to creativity, entertainment, educationand many aspects of society. 13 out of 17 of our creative teamare ESEA while 9 of us are LGBTIQA+.
While this could not have happened without funding, my amazing team of professional artists and the efforts of my dedicated followers, I also want to remind people that sadness and rage can be transformed into affirmative action. I’d like to encourage people to write and draw placards, email our MPs to inform them, sing our songs – resist and connect with ourselves and others.
If you could share one message you learnt during the pandemic, which would you pick and why?
Oooh.. JUST ONE? That’s so hard! Well let me think.. Queer and trans people have been around for millennia… Yes – that fact really needs to be stated more often! One of the recurring messages in my song and music video is the phrase “Be yourself”…
You know what, it’s going to have to be.. “ASIANS HAVE FEELINGS TOO”!
The performance and live panel will take place at The Rich Mix on Bethnal Green Road on Thursday 28th April. For more information or tickets click here or call the box office on 020 7613 7498.
Images courtesy of Vanessa Ng.
CentreStage 