Pop

• Homegrown artists from Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand and the Philippines, are gaining traction as alternatives to the dominant K-pop formula. • While K-pop achieved unprecedented global mainstream success following Psy’s 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" and recent milestones by BTS and Blackpink, regional acts like YOUNGOHM and MILLI are now carving their own niches. • This shift matters because K-pop's global expansion proved there is a massive international audience for Asian music, paving the way for other regional artists to seek crossover appeal.

• A new generation of homegrown Southeast Asian artists, including Thai acts YOUNGOHM, MILLI, and Joey Phuwasit, are emerging as global competitors to the K-pop industry. • While these artists differ stylistically from the traditional K-pop formula, they are leveraging the blueprint of South Korea's cultural success to reach international audiences. • The rise of these artists follows the massive crossover appeal established by K-pop milestones, such as Psy’s 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" and BTS’s global collaborations.

• Jolin Tsai won the Album of the Year award at Taiwan's 37th Golden Melody Awards for her concept album Pleasure. • The album was inspired by the seven deadly sins and contributed to her success at the event held on June 27 in Taipei. • Singaporean Xiaohan also received an award for Best Lyricist for her work on the song Roommate, performed by Julia Peng.

• Jolin Tsai won Album of the Year at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards on Saturday in Taipei. • The awards are one of the most prestigious entertainment events in the Chinese-speaking world, with Taiwan's pop music scene having a significant cultural influence across East Asia. • Taiwan's pop music scene has an outsized influence despite the country's relatively small population of 23 million people, particularly in China.

• Macquarie predicts the AI investment boom will not experience a single crash but will instead unwind through "rolling bubbles" as different ecosystem segments fluctuate. • Global AI investment has surged to approximately $850 billion in 2026, significantly surpassing previous historical technology booms. • China's Z.ai and Tulongfeng systems are narrowing the technological gap with the US model Mythos to roughly 10–15%, leveraging a lower cost base to proliferate open-weight models.

• Madonna revealed that she felt "jealous" of pop star Kylie Minogue, despite previously showing her support by wearing a Minogue T-shirt at the 2000 MTV Music Awards. • The two icons recently collaborated during Madonna's 2024 Celebration Tour, performing "I Will Survive" and "Can't Get You Out of My Head" together. • During the performance, Minogue mirrored Madonna's past gesture by wearing a rhinestoned T-shirt featuring Madonna's name.

• Mandopop superstar Jolin Tsai won the award for best album at Taiwan's annual music awards. • The winning project, titled "Pleasure," drew its creative inspiration from the concept of the seven deadly sins. • This victory reinforces Tsai's status as a dominant force in the Asian music industry and highlights her conceptual approach to songwriting.