Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Ong, born in 1996, had been performing in bands in the early 2010s, but in 2017 he made a bid for pop stardom as Falling Feathers with his peppy debut single, “Why so Serious.” His spry voice and easy melodies made him a streaming sensation both in his home country and abroad, and his singles and EPs showcase his musical versatility: The 2022 ballad “I Don’t Wanna Be Strong” is heartbroken folk-pop with knotty filigrees of guitar, while “Terrified,” from 2018’s Pipe Dreams, is an ambitious synth ballad that recalls OneRepublic. Falling Feathers’ overall outlook, though, is upbeat, as evidenced by the series of celebratory singles—including “Happy Birthday To You” and “Merry Christmas To You”—he released in 2022 and 2023.