The highly anticipated “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” is out and K-pop fans have more than just the movie to look forward to!
On September 3rd, Marvel released its long-awaited “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” and along with it, released the soundtrack album titled “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings: The Album.” This 18-track album is curated by a diverse pool of musicians, featuring some of the most promising new generations of Asian artists.
The huge yet prestigious responsibility to oversee and executive produce the album is carried by 88rising, a hybrid music and management collective that houses many rising Asian and Asian-American musicians. The album features numerous artists, namely Rich Brian, NIKI, Warren Hue and Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brother’s Masiwei, along with renowned K-R&B and K-pop artists: Mark Tuan (GOT7), BIBI, Seori, Zion.T, Henry Lau, DPR LIVE and DPR IAN. Eminent artists such as Jhene Aiko, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Swae Lee, DJ Snake and Gen Hoshino, along with Anderson .Paak, Guapdad 4000, hip-hop duo EARTHGANG, Saweetie, Audrey Nuna, keshi, JJ Lin and Simu Lui (Shang-Chi himself) have contributed to this album.
Let’s take a look at the soundtracks featuring Kpop and K-R&B artists for this historic MCU movie!
1. JACKSON WANG :
Starting with a bonus track, which, unfortunately, isn’t officially featured on “Shang-Chi’s” OST album, is the official teaser trailer track “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Teaser Trailer” by Jackson Wang (GOT7) & Calid B. Even though the track isn’t officially on the album, for the fans, it is very much considered a part of the movie.
Opening with heavy drums and Jackson’s weighted yell, this track perfectly complements the power in the trailer. As Jackson sings, “You come for mine, now you see me rise,” in his deep, textured voice, you can feel the impact of the track. This trailer soundtrack has done complete justice at introducing the ‘sound’ of the very first Asian superhero Marvel movie.
Although there haven’t been any confirmations regarding the teaser trailer track yet, there is no denying that it is a banger.
Check out the track below!
2. DPR IAN & DPR LIVE- “Diamonds + and Pearls” :
The second track of the album, “Diamonds + and Pearls” is curated by DPR founder DPR IAN (Christian Yu) and rapper DPR LIVE (Hong Dabin) along with peace. Sampled from French singer Isabelle Adjani’s “Beau Oui Comme Bowie (1983)” this rock track is one of the most iconic tracks on the album. It is a blend of DPR LIVE, DPR IAN and peace’s personal styles with electronic rock, giving it a unique sound of its own. And it right away gives off Daft Punk-esque vibes, adding to its retro charm.
The track opens with 88rising’s signature “You are now listening to 88rising” followed by DPR LIVE’s classic (yes you guessed it), “Coming to you live.” And not to miss his “IITE COOL!” right before the track closes. In addition, the popular French electronic duo JUSTICE (Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Auge) have also contributed to the production of this track. Regarding which the DPR crew has shown immense excitement about working with JUSTICE, under the YouTube comments of the official music video.
“Diamonds + and Pearls” is definitely one of the tracks that you can jam to all day, every day! Check it out below!
3. ZION.T- “Nomad” :
Zion.T, one of South Korea’s most prominent R&B soloists in collaboration with Japanese singer Gen Hoshino recorded “Shang-Chi’s” soundtrack “Nomad.”
“Nomad” is a retro R&B track with heavy bass and synth, sung both in English and Japanese. It is a refreshing track, perfect for listening to during long drives and road trips. You can probably even picture yourself enjoying the song on a long drive, as the cool breeze washes through your face.
Don’t believe me, check it out for yourself!
4. MARK TUAN & BIBI- “Never Gonna Come Down” :
GOT7’s Mark Tuan together with soloist BIBI have worked on “Never Gonna Come Down” for “Shang-Chi’s” soundtrack album.
“Never Gonna Come Down” is an upbeat pop track, complemented by the smooth blend of Mark and BIBI’s textured voices. This is one of the most fun and poppy tracks on the album that’ll lift your mood. With such rich voices coming together, the track definitely lives up to your expectations.
On a side note, “Never Gonna Come Down” also marks Mark Tuan’s very first OST ever.
You don’t want to miss out on this track. Check it out below:
5. HENRY LAU- “Baba Says” :
It is no surprise that the multi-talented Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer, who possesses superhero-like powers when it comes to music, is featured on the soundtrack for Marvel’s first Asian superhero movie. Henry Lau, along with Chinese hip-hop artists Adawa and Shayiting EL, wrote and recorded “Baba Says” for “Shang-Chi’s” soundtrack album.
“Baba Says” is a trap-influenced hip-hop track with a mix of synth-pop. The song opens with Adawa’s fierce rap verse followed by her groovy chorus, singing, “Baba said that life ain’t perfect. Some days I don’t think it’s worth it”. Midway through the track enters Henry with the chorus, transitioning into Shayiting EL’s impactful verse. All three artists perfectly fit each other, keeping a smooth flow from the aggressive and soft parts of the track. As we move towards the outro, Henry’s delicate voice soothes our ears with his dreamy verse.
Many fans at first didn’t notice Henry’s involvement in the soundtrack as his name only appears on the credits on Apple Music and not on Spotify, but he surely is a part of this awesome track.
I’m sure that you will find yourself listening to this track on repeat! Do check it out!
6. SEORI- “Warriors” :
Concluding this epic album is the 18th and the final track “Warriors” by fresh, promising artists Seori and Warren Hue.
“Warriors” is a high-paced, powerful track that has a sweet touch to it. Opening with soft flute and chimes, this track sets up a dream-like atmosphere which pops right as the beat drops on Seori’s sassy chorus- “Warriors with a big heart, no fear, come alive.” What follows next, is Warren flawlessly riding the beat with his suave verse. Midway through the track, as you begin to think that it couldn’t get any better, Seori returns with her angelic voice perfectly complementing the dramatic music in the bridge. Closing with Warren’s outro, the track concludes on a softer note, creating a full cycle moment.
This is a track that will compel you to press replay! Trust me, check it out!
This album is truly a representation of diversity and has genuinely embraced Asian artists in portraying “Shang-Chi’s” universe through music. All the artists involved in the album have done complete justice to the MCU franchise.
Check out the complete album “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album” below!
Let us know in the comments section if you’ve already watched the movie. Also, let us know your favorite song from this album.
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