The music of quirky singer-songwriter Celeste Syn has a mind of its own. Having forged a love for the keys at a young age, the Singaporean studied and taught classical piano alongside dabbling in her own compositions and performing, until her discovery by Mandopop king Jay Chou’s label JVR Music. With all the work behind the scenes, Syn has really gained a sense of self, and her 2015 debut album Why invites listeners into a vibrant world of offbeat pop anthems and slice-of-life lyrics. Subtly rebellious—and bordering on weird—Syn is a breath of fresh air in the Mandarin-language music world.