Reshma Martin • Where My Asians At?

YEE YANG 'SQUARE' LEE | Music

$10,671 of $8,888.88 Raised

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92 Generous Donors

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The Project

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING OUT MY BOOSTED PAGE!

What’s this all about and how YOU can help:

I have a new single coming out towards the end of this year titled Where My Asians At?.

My team and I are reaching out to you to raise additional funds towards a music video for the new single. I’m asking for your support to fund aspects of my music video creation and release. In particular, I am seeking extra funds to (a) hire a dope as choreographer and her incredible dancers, (b) feature on fleek Indo-Western styling and wardrobe, as well as (c) promote this release and music video across Oceania and Asia.

It’s been an amazing journey working with my fellow Pan-Asian-Kiwi creatives on this project and while I have raised $10,000 from Auckland City of Music Equaliser Grants, I want to properly acknowledge (and compensate) our super hard-working and amazing team members.

The music video we want to create and produce for Where My Asians At? is especially important to us, because it is our way of building on the kaupapa of supporting and highlighting Pan-Asian-Kiwi artists in the NZ arts community.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT?

My director Jolin and I are committed to supporting the Pan-Asian-Kiwi creatives and crew that will be working with us on our music video for Where My Asians At?. Specifically, donations will go towards funding our choreographer, dancers, styling/wardrobe, marketing and PR teams.

You can support:

By making a donation towards this project (big or small);
By sharing this Boosted campaign with your friends, family, strangers, work colleagues and folks in your communities;
By sharing this link on all your social platforms.

Thank you in advance – so damn much – for your support!

ABOUT RESHMA

Reshma Martin is a Malaysian/Kiwi powerhouse pop/alt pop singer and songwriter. Born in Kuala Lumpur and raised in Taranaki, she began her professional music career in 2016 after appearing on the final season of Malaysian singing competition Akademi Fantasia. She was the first female brown minority artist to compete, and placed 3rd nationwide. Reshma hasn’t slowed down since, going on to achieve notable success in Malaysia and also crossing borders, from touring in Japan to winning awards in Los Angeles.

Reshma relocated to Aotearoa in 2020 (to Tāmaki Makaurau via Whanganui!), with big dreams and even bigger plans. Following her participation in the 2021 reboot of NZ reality show Popstars, Reshma released her first English single titled Loneliest Girl, and is gearing up to release her next single, titled Where My Asians At?, an exhortation to the NZ music industry calling out the lack of Kiwi-Asian visibility, opportunities and representation in the sector.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Reshma recently won one of three Auckland City of Music Equaliser Grants (worth $10k): an initiative that pairs women creatives together (artists and music video directors). She received this grant alongside Jolin Lee, a Singaporean/Kiwi multidisciplinary filmmaker with a passion for exploring South East Asian, femme and diasporic themes.

This anthemic alt-pop song serves as a call-to-action anthem that encourages minority youths to consider the creative arts as a legitimate career choice, regardless of the inequities, societal stereotypes and parental expectations that abound in our Pan-Asian communities.

Having completed the studio recording of Where My Asians At? with producers Han JaeKyu (South Korea), Darren Teh (Malaysia) and Mazbou Q (NZ/UK/Nigeria), featuring different languages she grew up with (English, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese and Tamil), Reshma is now on a mission to:

(a) raise additional funding to fully bring Jolin and her music video concepts to life; and

(b) to cover some of the costs of releasing and promoting both the single and music video in September 2022, in NZ, Australia and across Asia (especially South East Asia).

ALL DONATIONS RECEIVED WILL GO TOWARDS:

1. Collaborating with New Zealand’s K-Pop queen Rina Chae:

Rina Chae is an internationally renowned Korean-Kiwi dancer and choreographer. Aligning with our kaupapa, Rina represents Kowi success in the NZ arts and music industry, having worked with the likes of Beyonce and Justin Bieber and choreographed for BoA, Stephanie Kim, SF9 and Monsta X among others. She has performed at the Billboard Music Awards, X Factor NZ, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and many more. At the heart of it, Where My Asians At? seeks to empower and uplift Pan-Asian creatives worldwide and especially in Aotearoa and Malaysia, both countries Reshma is deeply connected to, so having Rina on this project is integral. Her expertise, skills and direction will contribute towards having a dope asf music video that accurately expresses Reshma and Jolin’s vision of this music video.

2. Marketing and Publicity – Local and International:

The message behind Where My Asians At? is a universal one. Hence, we wanted to make sure that both the single and music video would transcend borders, both geographic and cultural, to communities that can relate to this message; with targeted impact in both Oceania and Asia. To help us achieve this, we need to hire separate marketing teams: one based in NZ/AUS and one based in South East Asia. Your donations will help make this possible, allowing this song to reach and be heard by those who need it the most.

3. Styling/Wardrobe:

Identity is a key theme explored in the creation and release of the single and music video for Where My Asians At?. We wanted the styling and wardrobe for the music video to visually express the fusion identity represented by Reshma having a home and her career in two countries: by focusing on Indo-Western wear.

4. Team Hospitality Costs:

The Where My Asians At? MV team comprises of Pan-Asian-Kiwi creatives and crew who have come on board inspired by what this song means to them. We want to support the team with transport and catering costs, and to ensure there is adequate hospitality on shoot day.

WHO'S INVOLVED?

Jolin Lee (MV Director and Equaliser Grant Recipient alongside Reshma Martin)

Jolin is a Singaporean-Chinese Multi-disciplinary filmmaker. Jolin’s career goals are to explore South East Asian, femme, and diasphoric themes. Jolin’s film Ur Dead to Me earned glowing reviews and audience awards across the globe.

Nikhil Madhan (MV Producer)

Nikhil is a stills and video producer. He works with clients, creatives and production companies to manage all aspects of productions from inception to completion, and produces content to support creative advertising, marketing and communications projects.

Rina Chae (MV Choreographer)

After having an outstanding career in the US, Rina moved to Aotearoa and is now one of NZ’s leading exponent of the K-Pop dance scene here in Tāmaki Makaurau. She is the owner of En Beat Dance Academy on Auckland’s North Shore and founder of the Street Candee Dancers.

SquareSums&Co (Artist & Project Management)

SquareSums&Co is an Auckland, New Zealand-based arts/artist management and creative producing firm that represents a bespoke roster of performing artists, storytellers, entertainers and works, with a special interest in crossover, cross-cultural and cross-genre work and talent.

Where The Asians At?! (Aotearoa)

WTAA‽ was established as a Facebook community group in September 2021 to search for, connect with, and gather insights from Pan-Asian-Kiwi musicians in Aotearoa. It evolved into an independent label in February 2022 with the release of two singles for Pākehā-Chinese sister pop duo Ersha Island 二沙岛, and is now shaping up to be an artist and label services bureau for Pan-Asian-Kiwi artists in Aotearoa. WTAA‽ is proud to be supporting Reshma on the release of her next single Where My Asians At? and hopes the waiata will become an anthem for the WTAA‽ movement and kaupapa.

PROJECT TEAM