Yu Yan Chen was born in China but moved to New York City at the age of thirteen. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. Her poems and literary translations have appeared in the US, UK and China. Her first collection of original poetry, Small Hours, was published by New York Quarterly Books in 2011. Her poetry received the Singapore Golden Point Literature Award in 2015.

Her translation of The Chief Cellist and Mr Horton’s Violin are published by Balestier Press. She currently resides in Singapore.