In many East and Southeast Asian households, the first day of the Lunar New Year is believed to set the pace for everything that follows. The choices you make — what you eat, say, and even what you listen to — are thought to project through the year ahead. Growing up, I followed the widespread traditions of avoiding sweeping or cleaning on New Year’s Day so that luck wouldn’t be brushed away. Just as important was the unspoken rule around music — no bad vibes, only sounds that invite prosperity, joy, and good luck.
As EnVi gallops into the Year of the Horse, a zodiac associated with freedom and momentum, this playlist is about starting the year at full speed and in the right direction. While my parents’ Lunar New Year soundtrack leans heavily on the classics of their generation, this list spotlights recent releases in the past decade across the Asian diaspora that carry themes of abundance, blessing, and fresh beginnings.
Switchblade – NIKI
In many households, knives or scissors are avoided on Lunar New Year’s Day so as not to “cut” your luck. NIKI’s “Switchblade” flips that superstition on its head. As the second song on her 2020 album MOONCHILD, “Switchblade” is the wide-eyed wonder she carried when moving to the United States alone at eighteen, navigating a foreign landscape while searching for her own unique place. The track isn’t about severing anything at all. Rather, it speaks of taking the leap of faith to forge a new path.
The song itself is a synth-forward rush layered with glitchy pops and flickers. A playful, 8-bit shimmer lingering in the background keeps the track uplifted and propels it forward. In many ways, the sound mirrors the thrill of stepping into the unknown. By the pre-chorus — “The skies are vast, and none’s a familiar face / But I’m not afraid” — a “switchblade faith” emerges as a mantra. Meet change head-on with conviction, not hesitation. In the context of the Lunar New Year, the song is a sonic shot of fearlessness to get you ready to charge headfirst into whatever the Year of the Horse may hold. Just like “Switchblade” declares, “lining’s silver” and “grass is greener” whenever you’re “not afraid.”
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Matsuri – Fujii Kaze
If Lunar New Year is about inviting abundance, Fujii Kaze’s “Matsuri” is the sound of celebration in full swing. Translating to “Festival,” the track weaves traditional Japanese instrumentals with contemporary pop production to create a colorful jubilee. Even the most mundane moments hold discovery and delight, and Kaze is down to party no matter the occasion.
Kaze sings, “Flower festival, summer festival / You can pick whatever you want / And have ‘em bloom in your heart,” inviting us to open ourselves to happiness and let it flourish. As he declares in the chorus — “each day is a beloved festival” — staying present allows us to see and embrace the small things life has to offer.
For Lunar New Year, “Matsuri” works as both a soundtrack and a mindset. The holiday is a time that coincides with spring, when life is literally and symbolically in bloom. By approaching the months ahead as a celebration of what already exists and what is yet to unfold, we can experience abundance in all its forms. After all, the year you want to create begins with the perspective you bring — and “Matsuri” is a full-send festival fanfare for starting it right.
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Sailing – Ahn Ye Eun
Ahn Ye Eun’s “Sailing” is a track about forward motion — leaving the past behind and stepping into a new journey with renewed vigor. Blending traditional and contemporary textures, “Sailing” blends the dramatic intensity of pansori — Korean storied folk opera known for commanding vocals and resonant drums — and high-tension EDM pop-rock. Ahn Ye Eun’s fusion is symbolic of the past and present moving together, propelling us toward the edge of a new adventure.
There is a strong sense of excitement embedded in the sound and lyrics. Ahn’s voice acts as a compass and also a siren’s call, beckoning us to sail toward change. “For the day of new beginning,” she sings, “Raise the anchor, let’s sail away / Leaving the land covered with anxiety behind / Sing out loud, let’s sail away.” Of the twelve zodiacs, the Horse is renowned for its swiftness and freedom. Though the destination may be unknown, “Sailing” is a reminder that the fun is all in the journey. Trusting in the motion of the ocean and daring to embark on the seas at all is more than enough to take us exactly where we’re meant to be this year.
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Invincible – WayV
WayV’s “INVINCIBLE” has just the right balance of bravado and steady ambition to power you into the Year of the Horse in style. The track settles into a low-key dance groove, layered with sleek EDM influences. Video game-esque sound effects like achievement chimes feel like collecting coins mid-level, marking another progression.
Instead of pretending hardship doesn’t exist, “INVINCIBLE” acknowledges moments of doubt and fatigue. However, it refuses to keep its energy there. “Livin’ for the good life / It’s gonna be alright,” the lyrics proclaim, pivoting from uncertainty to self-belief. For Lunar New Year, one guided by the confident, driven spirit of the Horse, it’s a well-suited hype song. “Woah, it’s a celebration / So congratulations / No deadlines, no limits.” There’s no rigid timeline you’re required to follow or a single finish line that’ll define your success this year.
Challenges are an inevitable part of life, but if the past year proved anything, it’s that we can rise above them. So for this new year, celebrate your small wins and continue to stay “invincible.”
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Karera – BINI
With a new year on the horizon, it’s easy to get swept up in the pressure of resolutions, milestones, and self-imposed deadlines. BINI’s “Karera” is your gentle alternative. Full of disco glitter, this bubblegum electropop track is light and upbeat, but grounded in reassurance.
“Karera” centers self-care and personal progress over any comparison. “For every new day / Starting anew is already a victory.” The lyrics affirm that simply showing up should be celebrated as an accomplishment. “Just take it slow, life is not a race.” And neither is this year.
While the Horse is often associated with speed and vitality, it’s also known for perseverance and endurance among the zodiac animals. Progress isn’t only about how fast you charge forward, but how you continue. “No one is too slow, no one is too fast,” the song encourages, dismantling the myth of a universal speed. Success looks different for everyone. As you begin setting Lunar New Year intentions, hold onto BINI’s closing wisdom in “Karera”: “Just take a deep breath and remember / Your every step is in your hands.”
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Musim Semi – Naomi Olivia
Look no further for a musical, Studio Ghibli-esque anthem of perseverance than Naomi Olivia’s “Musim Semi (Spring)!” The track unfolds like a storybook, with soft, whimsical melodies. The layered, airy instrumentation evokes the cinematic sensation of moving through a magical landscape that’s full of possibility and wonder.
Lyrically, “Musim Semi” tells the tale of “slowly, planting dreams” and staying persistent until “everything is paid off.” The song recognizes the challenges of doubt and uncertainty, yet reminds us to view them not as boulders but as stepping stones along the journey. “Everything has results/ Nothing is impossible,” Naomi’s vocals soar. Each small effort you put in will push you further towards your planted dream. As she reaffirms, “Even though it feels slow / If you don’t stop / It will soon be spring.”
Perfect for the Lunar New Year, “Musim Semi” encourages resilience with the spirit of fresh beginnings. It aligns with the themes of abundance and renewal that the holiday celebrates, reminding us that the efforts we invest today can grow into prosperity and fulfillment over the year ahead. At the same time, it holds the hopeful optimism of trusting the process — embodying the unbound enthusiasm of the Horse.
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Mùa Xuân – TRANG
Lunar New Year Day holds more than the start of a new lunar calendar. It’s a time to return home, gather with family, give thanks to your ancestors, and embrace the promise of new spring beginnings. Vietnamese singer-songwriter, TRANG, captures this essence in “Mùa Xuân (Spring),” transforming it into a warm, heartfelt ballad that celebrates nostalgia, homecoming, and togetherness.
Through vivid, poetic imagery, the song paints a tender portrait of Vietnam’s capital, Hà Nội, awakening in the spring. From dew clinging to bare branches to sunlight filtering through the banyan trees, every detail of seasonal change and Tết — Vietnamese Lunar New Year — comes alive with the festive spirit of home and tradition. Scenes of family gatherings, couples strolling, and the soft pink petals of peach blossoms convey the communal joys of the season.
For a Lunar New Year soundtrack, TRANG’s ballad carries the same gentle optimism woven throughout its lyrics. Every line emphasizes mindfulness, presence, and appreciation of life’s small, mundane moments. Listening to “Mùa Xuân” on the first day of the year is a way to align with that humble spirit — to set forth into the months ahead with hope and gratitude. And most importantly, bring the warmth of spring into every corner of your new year.
TRANG Socials: IG | TK | FB | YT
If you’re looking for more songs to add to your Lunar New Year playlist, check out Team EnVi’s Year of the Dragon recommendations for even more tracks full of abundance!
