Shan Yichun’s New Year Playlist

Shan Yichun tells Apple Music she has one straightforward wish for the Year of the Snake: “I hope we’ll have great prospects in the new year and always stay in good spirits.” To start things off on the right note, the singer-songwriter has curated a Lunar New Year playlist designed for kicking back and unwinding. A jazz-heavy slate may come as a surprise from a Sing! China champion known for ballads that showcase her captivating voice. Combos from around the globe like Conic Rose, SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS and Kokoroko share space with crossover pop artists—including two tracks from WILLOW’s 2024 jazz-fusion album. “These selections are all recent faves,” Shan says. She’s also picked some cross-genre tracks of her own—the Afrobeats-fuelled “4ever in U” and opera-meets-R&B jam “纯妹妹” [“Lil’ Sis”]—plus Chinese-language favourites like Faye Wong’s bluesy Mandopop ballad “I Love You” and Karen Mok’s Mandarin/Hokkien lullaby “Love”. “I strongly recommend my own new song ‘还有什么更好的吗’ [‘Anything Better?’] as a mood-lifter for the holidays,” she says. “Play it when you first get out of bed in the morning to kick off a lively, enjoyable day.” For Shan, that means sleep and dumplings above all: “The holiday is a rare opportunity for me to relax uninterrupted by any sort of work. Sleeping in and then waking up to a piping hot bowl of jiaozi is pure happiness.”