Musician Nicheng Photos: Courtesy of Nicheng

"Beh ei jia tei luwei tei non glonm" means "jump into a wild pond to swim" in the language of China's Wa ethnic group. This line was included by ethnic Wa musician Nicheng into his hit single Alasong, a piece that describes his childhood memories from the Ximeng Wa autonomous county, Southwest China's Yunnan Province. 

Be it through lyrics or the sampling of ethnic vocals, Alasong describes the indigenous lifestyle of the Wa people, but it has "unexpectedly," in Nicheng's words, captured the attention of the global audience, resonating with listeners from as far afield as Japan and the US on platforms like TikTok. What elevates the single from merely "local" to truly "global" is Nicheng's unique blend of Afrobeats with his own Wa narrative tradition. 

Behind 'Alasong' 

Although most of Nicheng's music tells stories of the Wa people, his connection to Alasong is "deepest," he told the Global Times. In the Wa language, "Alasong" means "a place surrounded by stones," and it is also the name of Nicheng's hometown.

"Here [his hometown], piles of stones make it difficult to grow crops, yet these very rocks nurture and protect life, from my grandparents to my mother," said Nicheng, adding that the song is about "family and childhood." 

Opening with the pure sound of a child's voice set against an Afrobeats rhythm, in Alasong 36-year-old Nicheng reminisces about his carefree days as a mischievous little boy. He recalls foraging for wild honey with his friends in the mountains, climbing up hills to pick mushrooms, munching on wild olives dipped in chili sauce as a snack, and never heading home until the sun had set. 

These details may seem trivial, but to Nicheng, they sketch the very shape of his own home and reflect how his family supported one another. They are the reason why he "never forgot to tell his story" even after leaving his hometown.

"Beyond depicting childhood memories, what I also want to convey in Alasong is that one may encounter many choices in life, but he should never forget his cultural roots," Ni told the Global Times. 

Beyond folk songs 

Though indulging deeply in home narratives, the musician believes that inheriting ethnic Wa culture shouldn't rely solely on traditional musical forms, so he started exploring a more creative way to sing his Wa stories. 

Since his youth, Nicheng has been drawn to rock music and Western hip-hop, with artists such as 50 Cent who had profoundly shaped his artistic vision. Later, he began to experiment with rapping in the Wa language and gradually discovered that the groovy rhythmic patterns of Afrobeats harmonized with the natural flow of the Wa ethnic language.

Forging a unique sound of "Wa-style Afrobeats" has gradually become Nicheng's signature style. Over the years, his storytelling has gradually evolved beyond the concept of "home" explored in Alasong, and started expanding and narrating stories originating from different cultural backgrounds. 

On his 2025 album Accra, the artist documents his journey to Accra, capital of Ghana, drawing a parallel in his lyrics between a local African dish, "eggs with chili," and the familiar taste of "olives dipped in chili sauce" from his own hometown.

In another track, One World, the artist sings, "different nations share the same homeland," conveying that when we treat one another as friends, the distance between us suddenly becomes much smaller.

Rejecting the notion that music needs rigid definitions, Nicheng told the Global Times that ethnic minority cultures in China are characterized by inclusivity and possess room for reinterpretation.

"Through my music, I hope to break the stereotype that equates ethnic minorities solely with 'primitive' [music]," said Nicheng.

Musician Nicheng with children of the Wa ethnic group

Innovative artists

Although Nicheng clearly stated in the past that he had never sought to become a "star," his music has undoubtedly become very popular, particularly among young listeners. 

On NetEase CloudMusic, a Spotify-like Chinese music streaming platform, Nicheng's Alasong alone has been selected as a favorite by nearly 200,000 people. 

Cheng Lin, a white-collar worker navigating urban pressure, is one of them. She told the Global Times that Nicheng's music has been "healing" for her. At the same time, the artist's distinctive "local-to-global" style is also paving the way for other artists like him to promote China's ethnic minority art worldwide. 

In recent years, a growing number of Chinese artists such as Nicheng have been embracing their cultural roots through music. For example, the band KAWA, hailing from Nicheng's hometown, also started narrating their ethnic stories in innovative ways inspired by Jamaican reggae. Meanwhile, though based in New York, young musician Haotian blends ethnic Hani traditions with electronic music, creating the soundscape that invites listeners to forget urban noise and return to nature.

Based in Shanghai, young pipa musician Liu Jialiang, who also blends traditional Chinese music with jazz, told the Global Times that whether it's folk or ethnic minority music, they all represent China's indigenous artistic traditions. And as a young creator, he feels "a responsibility to ensure their continuity through innovation."

These innovative Chinese musicians are not only bringing their ethnic music to a global audience, but are also showcasing the allure of Chinese culture to overseas artists, encouraging them to create new works. 

Inspired by the music of the Dong ethnic group, Belgian pianist Jean-François Maljean became known to Chinese listeners through his album titled Dong Fusion. The album includes songs named after elements of the Dong ethnic culture, such as "Dong House," offering a fresh interpretive perspective on China's indigenous ethnic minority traditions.