It’s finals time for many students across the country, which could account for any irresponsible and recent YouTube blowups. Some may have just Bruined their image (sorry, I just had to). Instead of stressing, let’s stop, take a breather, and smell the roses! And by roses, I mean all the budding talent among Asian Americans that are helping to empower the community through entertainment.
Last Sunday, Jonathan Kim, 17, and Nessa Rica Ramos, 20, were among those who auditioned for L.A.’s upcoming Kollaboration Acoustic 5, a U.S. and Canada showcase where the finest singer-songwriters, instrumentalists, spoken word artists, and other acoustic Asian American artists perform and compete.
Jon Kim and his band released his first single "Dear Mrs. Beautiful" Island Def Jam digital recording last February on ITunes.
Kim is a Torrance local who picked up acoustic guitar, singing, and songwriting abilities while going back to his clarinet days in high school. The Korean American heard about Kollaboration Acoustic through a friend and YouTube stars Clara Chung and David Choi. “I think this can help spread word about the AA community in the media, especially with such talented people such as AJ Rafael and Gabe Bondoc. [They] and many of the AA artists on YouTube inspire me to do what I do,” says Kim.
