otay:onii, aka Lane Shi, is a Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist, originally from Haining, China, by way of New York. She explores deep topics ranging from humor to the difficult realities faced by immigrants from developing countries, sharing Eastern perspectives with Western audiences in an effort to bridge cultural divides. Also known for fronting post-punk/shoegaze band Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Shi’s solo work spans music, performance, installation, and film composition that draws on everything from electronic and ambient to sound collage and noise. 

Album releases like NAG (2018), MíngMíng 冥冥 (2021), and Dream Hacker (2023) defy conventional structures and draw its philosophies from lived experience. Shi’s most recent album, True Faith Ain’t Blind, released via WV Sorcerer Productions in 2024, challenges the established norms of what defines classical and metal music by presenting them in stripped-down arrangements for acoustic piano and voice. Her performance pieces have been presented at Harvard University, CTM and Roadburn Festival, as well as “Unwrap!,” which exemplifies Shi’s concept of “bio instruments,” at Ming Contemporary Art Museum in 2021.

As of July 2025