Premiere: Dyan Tai - 'Ni Hao'
The self-described “Gaysian Empress of Sydney” drops their latest cut of exploratory hyperpop - take a first listen
Image credit: Juune Lee
From humble beginnings in Malaysia to finding a niche on Sydney cabaret stages and now making a name for themselves as an electronic producer and vocalist, Dyan Tai (pronounced 'Dee-yan Tie') is coming in hot with latest single Ni Hao, premiering a day ahead of release on Pilerats.
A dense, layered production of pulsating percussion, squelching synths and sub-shaking bass, Ni Hao fuses trappy drums and hyperpop into an addictive two-and-a-half minute package. With lyrics alternating between English and Catnonese (Tai is trilingual), Ni Hao sees Dyan taking on the casual racism they face through a humourous, tongue-in-cheek lens and artistically liberal use of autotune.
Ni Hao comes ahead of Tai’s upcoming (and incredibly named) Dragon Balls XL: Queer Lunar New Year tour with shows in Sydney on February 10 and Melbourne on February 16. Tai will also be playing Gaytimes Festival (Victoria), Sydney Mardi Gras Official After Party, Fair Day and Biennale Sydney for a special double headline show with Lupa J.
Say Ni Hao ahead of its February 7 release: