This is Karlea’s second year at Emerge and after listening to the upbeat anthems of Karlea’s debut album, its interesting to learn about her small, farm town life in SE Kansas to working as a proud Asian-American among industry leaders throughout Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Being first generation, Karlea was told stories of how family members fled their homes in China to seek opportunity at a better life. Having dreams of their own but no resources and unable to speak the language, her grandparents spent their lives managing multiple jobs and raising 8 children and then grandchildren, all under the same roof. Many Asian-American families share similar stories of self-sacrifice in order to give us this new foundation to chase our dreams.

Karlea looks to be the voice needed to encourage fellow Asian-Americans to create more and support those who are actively creating.

Getting to work along side fellow Kansas-native producers, who have each created hits with Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Justin Beiber, and Rihanna–Karlea is excited to share the music and vision she has been building and crafting with the release of her first single that is beaming with empowerment, ‘Bitches Be Like–‘ #BBL