Ones to Watch: JIALING
In our Ones To Watch series, we spotlight exciting new producers who are shaking up the game and progressing dance music culture while they do it.
JIALING wears many hats. They’re a classically trained cellist, DJ, producer, artist and fly the flag for Baltimore’s club scene on the global stage. The Brooklyn-based, Baltimore-raised, Taiwanese-American artist is as versatile as they are innovative, but they’re best known for making hard and fast Baltimore club music, so energizing it’ll make your head spin.
Since JIALING’s debut release “THE GREATEST CITY IN AMERICA” in 2022, they’ve released dozens of tracks and EPs, nabbed residencies at Balamii and Hyde FM, and become an active member of Ayi Ayi, a Brooklyn-based party run for and by Asian American and Pacific Island folk.
Now, JIALING is a cultural mainstay in NYC, regularly playing the city’s most revered underground institutions including Elsewhere, Bossa Nova Civic Club, Paragon and more. With their recent killer set on The Lot Radio, a wildly successful tour of Asia, and a ton of new releases, it’s fair to say JIALING is on the radar of just about every bass head on the planet, and carving a unique space of their own in global club culture.
Where It All Began
Born and raised in Baltimore, JIALING learned cello as a child, and they found endless forms of expression through visual and sound art. “I studied fine art,” JIALING says. “And I went to a music conservatory, but after trying lots of things, I realized I like producing and this is my craft.”
Their early releases showcased Baltimore club at its most energetic, and set the tone for their club-infused rave-hybrid sound.
“2022 was definitely my formative year,” JIALING says. “No one knew me. And I decided to release something every single month for a year and give myself two years to go for it and if it’s not working then I’d change my path.”
The Breakthrough
JIALING was bang on the money with the timeline. 2023’s "RahJahLing" and 2024’s "WE DIP” broke through on the global stage, and caused basements to pop off across the East Coast.
2024 was undoubtedly their breakthrough year. It’s the year they released their debut album, “家 (jiā),” which sampled traditional East Asian instruments alongside family conversations. The album showcases JIALING’s skill in composition – with the first half of the album treading the line between low-tempo and ambient, while the second half acting as a bass music extravaganza.
2024 is also the year they shared their most widely acclaimed release: FREAKY HORNS. It’s a high-energy fusion of Baltimore club, UK rave, and house music, which honors their hometown while boldly experimenting with new genres. Tracks like "PERCOLATE ON ACID" reimagined acid house classics and turned them into rave anthems, while "GET OFF MY JOGWHEEL” transformed vintage Baltimore club into a trance-infused experience.
The Network
These days, JIALING splits their time between Baltimore and Brooklyn, but they have a huge network of friends and collaborators all around the world, including DJ Farsight in San Francisco and bastiengoat in Melbourne. In 2024, Farsight and JIALING collaborated on their WHISTLE TIP EP, which got played out at festivals the world over, and coincided with a little tour of the UK.
JIALING incorporates their classical background and love for composition into their music-making, taking elements from their training and applying them to the club space.
But JIALING’s network extends far beyond dance music. They have friends and collaborators in every corner of the art space. “I’m friends with people who rap in New York and Baltimore,” they say. "So just like classical music is adjacent to my music, so is rap, with edits and all of that. So I'm writing some beats for one of my homies, and we'll see what comes out. I don't have bars myself, but I do have ideas.”
Looking Ahead
That sums up JIALING’s approach nicely. They’re totally fearless in trying new directions and add new elements into their artistry. Whether it's classical cello, cinematic composition, Baltimore beats, NYC house or UK bass, JIALING never stops exploring new ways to express their creativity.
In late 2024, JIALING co-founded WOE (@woe.bmore) with a friend from school.
“I started a label with my friend Kade Young,” says JIALING. “It's focused on giving Baltimore artists a platform to share music on an international stage. We're doing a compilation of all Baltimore artists, new and old, and that's a collab with Clasico coming later this year.”
Perhaps the secret to JIALING’s success is the fact they aren’t in this for themselves – whatever JIALING does, they take their community with them.
“That's definitely what I am passionate about,” JIALING says. “We’re applying for a grant from the city so that we can mentor young, queer, femme, non-binary artists in the city. Throughout time, East Coast club music has been mainly male producers. And a major factor is accessibility to production. I make Baltimore club but I’m not a dude, I’m not black. I’m Asian, I'm queer, I'm non-binary, I'm femme. So I hope I can open doors to similar artists.”
For the latest news and updates, follow JIALING on Instagram.
