INSIDE THE LIBERATING WORLD OF SU LEE
One way or the other we’re trapped in our own imaginary box, terrified of releasing our worries and inhibitions. That’s why if you can’t talk about it, sing about it. Such is the case with Korean musician SU LEE.
This Seoul-based singer songwriter is not afraid to write songs about being sad, socially-awkward, alone, tired- basically everything that we’re too scared to admit that we’re feeling especially during the pandemic. Su disguises her honest and cathartic lyrics with synth, beats, and perfect harmonizing that will leave you bopping and agreeing to every word that she’s singing.
PHOTOGRAPHER: LAUREN DESBERG
“Songwriting is one of the most fun, therapeutic activities for me. It’s a way for me to look at some of my painful experiences and emotions through a fresh, more humorous perspective,” admits Su about the songs that she comes up with. There’s something about her quirkiness that will leave you addicted, not realizing that you’ve already spent hours in front of your screen watching her home-made music videos.
Su is finally out from her “box” at home. And speaking of box, she just released her EP aptly entitled The Box Room Dreams. “Socially Alive,” a track that she released a few months ago, is included in said EP. It’s about missing the social interaction that was robbed from us by the pandemic.
Exclusive interview with South Korean music artist SU LEE on her EP entitled THE BOX ROOM DREAMS,
Music, song writing, pandemic, and what she looks forward to in the near future.
How are you? What were you doing before you started answering these questions?
I am doing very well, thank you! I was editing my upcoming music video just before coming to answer these questions :)
Having watched some of the videos that you uploaded on your YouTube channel, you exude perkiness. Where do you get your energy?
I’m usually not a very fun person to be around – especially during my free time. I spend most of my time alone watching anime for hours haha. But when I’m in my creative zone, I just let out all the energy I’ve been preserving inside of me. And I guess that’s how I sometimes appear to be more fun and outgoing in my videos.
Your songs are very relatable especially now that we’re still battling the effects of the pandemic. How often do you write your thoughts that some you turn into songs?
I record tons of voice memos of song ideas throughout the day. And sometimes there will be this one particular melody or lyric that would get stuck in my head. I usually have these little bits as a starting point and keep elaborating on them until they become a song!
What made you become a musician? Who influenced you?
I’ve always fantasized about being a musician – shooting music videos, performing, working with other artists, etc. But I was always too scared to actively pursue it, because I didn’t think I had the talent to make good music. And then I discovered artists like Joji, Tyler the Creator, and Jack Stauber- musicians who are genre-breaking pioneers. Their music gave me a lot of courage to just go for it and never feel too pressured to make everything “perfect” and polished.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SU LEE
K-pop is very popular nowadays, not only in Korea, but the music gradually penetrating the worldwide scene. What made you veer away from pop and leaned towards more indie and synth?
It wasn’t really much of a conscious decision. I’ve always wanted to make music that I feel good about regardless of which genre it would fit into or how relevant it would be in the current music scene.
What is your song writing process like? How do you know that you wrote a good song that you would like to share to everyone?
The process always changes with each song. Sometimes I’ll be playing around with my keyboard and find a cool chord progression that I then sing on top of. Other times, I think of a theme and write a little poem, to which I later add some melodies.
In regards to choosing which songs to share with people, if I’ve either had a LOT of fun making the song or I’m proud of the melodies or the message it contains, then I think that’s enough of a reason to share with people.
You present the songs you make enjoyable but when you listen to the lyrics intently, it shows your vulnerability. Why do you choose to compose more upbeat melody for most of your melancholic words?
I think it is part of the cathartic effect that music-making has on me. I find that writing about some heavy, low moments to an upbeat, fun track takes away the pain a little bit.
You’ll be coming out with an EP called the box room dreams. What was your inspiration on making this EP? Briefly take us through your creative process on this?
I wanted to make a little package of songs written throughout last year, which was during the peak of the pandemic, but also my very first year of making music. I didn’t realize at the time of the making of the songs, but looking at all them together in one place, I thought they summed up my experience being stuck in my bedroom quite well.
Any plans of doing online shows to promote this EP?
I’m considering it. I’m still very, very new in the realms of playing shows and performing live. But I’ve
been doing little private showcases and virtual performances on Twitch to practice performing.
You’re very fluent in English.
Many Koreans start learning English as our second language quite early on. I learned to speak English around the same time as Korean. And I also used to watch a lot of kids movies in English haha. So, I think the early exposure probably had something to do with it.
Will you be writing songs in Korean too in the future?
Yes! I’ve already written and released one song that’s entirely written in Korean (called “Shining”), and I had such a blast writing the lyrics and recording the vocals for it. So, I’d love to do more of that in the future.
What will you be doing first after this pandemic?
Probably try going to a music festival with friends. I’ve been to concerts but never a music festival. I think it would be such a fun post-pandemic experience to try for the first time.
What can we expect from you the coming months?
The Box Room Dreams EP comes out on August 26th :)
After this, I want to venture out and try more collaborations and working with other creative people to make something a little different from what I’ve been creating on my own. I’ll hopefully also try playing more live shows!