Sunkis And Yung Kai Found Brotherhood At ‘Head In The Clouds’ Festival

It’s a hot Saturday afternoon at the 10th annual Head in the Clouds Festival. Singers Sunkis and yung kai greet each other with a hug as they arrive at the press room for some interviews ahead of their scheduled individual performance the next day—the two laugh and joke among themselves as they walk towards the tables.

It’s hard to believe it was only a year ago when the two began interacting with each other on social media. They both had admired each other’s work throughout their careers, with the 22-year-old kai following Sunkis since his school days in China.

“I’ve always known [Sunkis] because he’s big in China,” says Kai, who spent his youth at an international school in Shanghai. “I always knew his music.”

As for Sunkis, the 27-year-old Chinese American singer recalls that several friends and team members sent him clips and videos of Kai after his hit song, “blue,” went viral. Curious, Sunkis scrolled through kai’s TikTok and found an instant connection with him.

“I dug into his music a little more in his profile and thought, ‘Oh wait, he’s so cute and his music is so good,’” says Sunkis. “I’ve got to link with him. I haven’t known many other Chinese [descent]

doing music in English. So, having him really did feel like having a little brother.”

It wasn’t until they were both announced as performers for the Head in the Clouds Festival that they decided to collaborate on a song, produced by 88rising.

Sunkis had reached out to Kai over Instagram to congratulate him on his success and the fact that they’re both having their HITC debut. One thing led to another, and they began working on the music and lyrics. kai had always wanted to record a song in Mandarin and felt this was the best opportunity, with the right partner, to do so.

“[88rising] wanted us to do a song for Head in the Clouds, so I started thinking of ideas,” says kai. “I was like, ‘wait, I’m Chinese. [Sunkis] is Chinese. I want to make a Chinese song, and it worked out perfectly. It all just aligned.”

That’s when “where the sunlight glows” was created.

Sunkis, best known for his R&B and pop background, had the beats sent to kai, who then began adding his own indie bedroom pop into the mix. Sunkis has always wanted to tap into that acoustic genre.

“I feel like collabs are such a great time to discover a new sound, especially with someone as talented as kai,” says Sunkis. “I know my things tend to lean more R&B and stuff, but I love me some stripped-down acoustic music as well. After hearing “Blue” and knowing his style, this was a perfect chance for me to showcase another side of me that people may not see often.”

When listening to the song, there could be many interpretations about finding one’s place where the sunlight shines for them the most. Sunkis says the song has a deeper meaning for him: it’s the feeling of belonging. It’s hard to find friends in the same industry who have the same background as him, like kai.

“It’s essentially what we want listeners to hear, feel, and internalize that there’s something always greater for you,” Sunkis describes. “Keep your head up because there’s sunlight on the other side that some people may not see. I guess having a friend who could give you perspective and remind you, when you’re overthinking or getting sad or depressed by yourself, that you are something [and somebody]. There’s a lot of light on the other end.”

kai agrees that the place where the sunlight glows is a place filled with happiness. He says, “Personally, it’s a mental space for me. It’s not a physical place. It’s just a feeling of home with someone, you know. Take me there.”

Sunkis says having the song be in both Mandarin and English was a “no-brainer.” The singer has always been proud and open about his identity as a Chinese American in the music industry. He grew up in San Francisco, surrounded by a large Chinese population. Still, it was only after living in Asia and connecting with the culture that he truly formed a relationship with Mandarin music.

“I grew up here in the U.S. and sometimes felt, like many Chinese or American-born Chinese, alienated at some point,” he says. “So, I think being connected culturally, it means the world to me, and having a song tie it all together is like me being at peace, knowing that I could be reconnected with my people and the people from my parents’ hometowns. Our language through music connects us back to our roots – and that’s the most beautiful part to me.”

kai, who admits his Mandarin isn’t the best, still felt immense pride being of Chinese descent. He’s previously used Chinese dramas as inspiration for several of his songs. He felt closer to his identity, incorporating the language into his songs.

“I’m Chinese,” kai laughs. “I think my parents will be happy too.”

As artists, the two do relate to working in the industry, but say they’ve talked more about life than anything else, like real brothers. Sunkis says, “Honestly, I feel so happy that I could share things that I have insights that maybe he can’t see, and receive insight from him that I may not see. It’s always a learning process because, ultimately, I do trust him a lot. We have each other’s backs.”

With Head in the Clouds being a festival centering around Asian artists, kai and Sunkis are excited and honored to be part of it. kai had known about the festival for many years, even before becoming a singer. He was living in Shanghai at the time and could never attend, but his first HITC will be him performing.

“It’s a dream to be here – watch the performances and even be able to perform,” says kai. “It’s crazy. This means so much to me. All the people I’ve met and all the experiences I’ve had are just insane. I appreciate everything. I’m also so glad to have met my brother. I found my blood brother.”

They pat each other’s backs lovingly, and laugh as they prepare for their solo performances and their set together.

Sunkis has always wanted to perform at the festival, because its focus has been on Asian and Asian diaspora artists from all over the world coming together to share their stories and culture through music and art. He gives 88rising a shout-out for their diverse line-up of talented Asians from all over the world.

“It really means a lot,” says Sunkis. “This is my first ever Head in the Clouds. I knew it would happen someday. Little did I know, it happened this year, and I couldn’t be more ready to go on stage, especially having a good friend like kai on the lineup this year. It’s such an honor to share the stage with someone you know so well and who is such a good friend.”