Like many post-social media popstars, Vae Xu's long climb to stardom began with demos posted on the internet. But while covers might have landed him on the radar, the man's own sense of musicality—marked by fervent vocal delivery and modest productions—made him a golden boy on the independent circuit. When he's not captivating with mesmerising lyrics ("The White Horse Is Not a Horse"), Xu holds the listener's attention with his youthful, carefree charisma ("I Don't Care")—here's an artist who treads carefully between mass appeal and pop nonconformity.