The song UNIT 731 became a phenomenon in China with over 250 million views, 16 million likes, and a #1 position in the Chinese charts on NetEase and QQ Music within days of release.
Dutch-born, Chinese-raised creator Sander Kole, now living in the Netherlands and one of China’s most-followed foreign social media personalities, has taken an extraordinary step to bring a forgotten chapter of history to the global stage. His commissioned song Unit 731, performed by Tim Moyo, is believed to be the first English-language song to address Japan’s covert WWII biological warfare program in occupied China, and has become a phenomenon in China with over 250 million views, 16 million likes, and a #1 position in the Chinese charts on NetEase and QQ Music within days of release.
Sander’s motivation was clear from the start: “Abroad, almost no one knows about this,” he explains. After researching the topic, he found there had never been an English-language song about Unit 731, Japan’s covert WWII biological warfare program in occupied China, and decided to make one.
The project unfolded publicly across his Douyin, Xiaohongshu, WeChat, and YouTube channels. First, Sander posted that he was searching for a musician to tell the story. A week later, he announced that British artist Tim Moyo had created the track. When he heard the final version, Sander says he “got goosebumps all over” and calls it one of the most emotional moments in his career.
To ensure the song could reach as many people as possible, Sander later purchased full rights to the track. He intended to make it freely usable by anyone, anywhere in the world, so that the story could be shared without restrictions. “This is a critical piece of history. I hope that no matter what country people are from, they can know about it,” he says.
Released on all major music platforms, including Apple Music and NetEase Cloud Music in China, Unit 731 is now set for a global push under the banner “From China’s biggest social feeds to the world’s playlists.” With Sander’s worldwide reach and Tim Moyo’s evocative performance, Unit 731 aims to ignite conversation, connect cultures, and ensure a once-obscured history is heard, discussed, and remembered.
About Sander Kole
Sander is a Dutch-born, Chinese-raised digital creator whose unique East–West background has made him one of China’s most-followed foreign social media personalities, with nearly 20 million followers and a top ranking among international influencers on platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and WeChat. Growing up between cultures, he developed an instinct for telling stories that resonate across borders. From his base in the Netherlands, Sander connects daily with millions of followers in China through platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and WeChat, blending cultural insight with authentic, personal storytelling.
Known for his curiosity and ability to spark conversations on complex topics, Sander has used his platform to share a wide range of experiences, from cultural history to everyday life. His work bridges continents, turning cross-cultural understanding into a shared journey for his audience.
About Tim Moyo
Tim Moyo is a British singer, songwriter, and producer whose soulful voice and evocative storytelling have earned him an international following. With Zimbabwean and Egyptian heritage and roots in Sussex, England, Tim Moyo blends R&B, pop, and electronic influences into a sound that is both modern and deeply emotive. Over the past decade, he has collaborated with acclaimed artists and producers across the globe, including high-profile releases on Monstercat. He has graced primary stages such as Paris’s Accor Hotel Arena. Known for his ability to convey raw emotion through melodic, immersive performances, Tim Moyo brings a powerful and heartfelt dimension to Unit 731, delivering a vocal performance that captures both the song’s haunting history and its contemporary resonance.
Lyrics – Unit 731
Verse 1
There’s nothing behind the eyes of the tortureI wish I was numb in the skin but I’m human Monsters that caught me don’t see me as equal My blood on their hands I’m injected with evil
Pre-chorus
Cries in the night They whisper life never told Man and the knife Child and a wife never old
Chorus
My name is a number Know my time is over When they call my number I will be under
Verse 2
Silence is safety the truth is my death I wear this white now I’m red nothing left Drown out the screams with a voice in my head We studied the pain that was burned in the end
(Pre-chorus)
(Chorus)
Listen to the song here on Apple Music
