Chinese singer-songwriter, producer, and pipa (琵琶) virtuoso Runyu Qian shares the official visual for her single “On.” Pairing juddering synths and sultry whispers with a dark, addictive energy reminiscent of early 2000s pop, the track’s new music video marks a bold statement of artistic confidence and global ambition.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music who has played the traditional four-stringed pipa since the age of seven, Qian seamlessly bridges centuries-old instrumentation with futuristic electronic production. Her sound spans dream-pop, house, and dark electronic textures, exploring themes of girlhood, identity, and fantasy. Having built a strong presence across Asia with performances at SXSW, Music Matters in Singapore, and a nationwide Chinese tour, the multi-instrumentalist continues to redefine how traditional heritage interacts with modern pop music.
The accompanying video highlights a major step in her visual evolution, featuring choreography developed with renowned creative director and choreographer Richy Jackson. Reflecting on the process, Qian shares, “Working with Richy for the On video was honestly such a special experience. We spent about a month developing and rehearsing the choreography for ‘On,’ and he also brought so many incredible ideas to the music video. I’m not a trained dancer, but because of his background as a musician, he knew exactly how to communicate movement to me through music. He’s an absolute legend, but beyond that, he’s been such a wonderful mentor and one of the kindest people I’ve ever worked with.”
Jackson echoes that sentiment, adding, “Working with Ruan Yu was an incredible experience. When we first met, she had never danced before, and we had just three weeks before shooting her first music video. I told her on day one, ‘By the time we get to that video set, you won’t even recognise yourself. You’re going to look like a star and dance your butt off!’ One of my favourite moments was seeing her in the blonde, pink-and-white look I designed. She looked incredible! Watching her confidence grow and seeing everything come together on set was amazing. That’s what artist development is about. It’s not just teaching someone how to perform. It’s helping them discover the star within themselves.”
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ON is out now: https://lnk.to/mindpalace
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