After breaking through with her brilliant debut single 'Last Love Letter' last year, Korean artist fayaway is back once again to deliver her shimmering new single 'Tilted Chemistry'.
Teaming up with fellow artist Mark Kang for the new release, 'Tilted Chemistry' makes for a beautifully rich and tender listen throughout. With their dual vocals layered across a smooth and breezy R&B-inspired aesthetic from start to finish, they are certainly looking to turn plenty of heads with this one.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I ever loved was the cello. My mother was a professional cellist—an exceptional one. I remember coming home from kindergarten to the sound of her cello… It is one of the dearest memories of my childhood.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
This might come as a surprise, but I was a theatre kid when I was a teenager. When I was attending Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, I was a theatre major! I soon realized that I do not have the overwhelming energy it takes to really pursue theater, but musical theater definitely influenced me a lot. All the acting and movement lessons became valuable assets to my stage presence.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Though I was raised in both Seoul and in the States, I spent most of my childhood and early teenage years in Korea. It is impossible for a young girl in Korea to not be a K-Pop stan. I think the first album I ever owned was BigBang’s Alive album, which was released in 2012. I was such a fangirl… I still love G-Dragon. What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself? I wish I could write old school hip-hop. I love hip-hop—most songs in my playlist are hip-hop music. But I’m sadly just… not a great rapper.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I guess this is where my inner theatre kid kicks in. First, I set my phone on, do not disturb, get myself a cup of tea, and turn the lights down. Then, I get into character. Who am I in this song? To whom am I talking to, and what do I want to say? After I answer those questions, I start writing a letter. It’s just a rough, wordy letter with no format at all. I just write everything the “I” in that song would say to the “you” in that song. Then, I read through the letter out loud, to see which lines can become lyrics. Honestly, I typically get one or two lines from a page-long letter. But at least I get a starting point! And I get to understand the whole message I want to communicate.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I love Tommy Richman these days… His songs are just undeniable bops, and they’re just so catchy. I can’t get them out of my mind. I also love, love, love Billie Eilish. I think she is an amazing lyricist with a heavenly voice. She has been one of my favourite artists since her debut.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
There are many artists I would love to open for, but if I had to choose one, I would most definitely choose Frank Ocean. Yes, I am one of his many fans who have been influenced by his music in so many ways. It would be a great honour for me to be on the same stage as him… I would also love to have conversations with him backstage, given he is such a mysterious person.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
I’m a simple person. I feel the most rewarded when I get complimented. Whenever someone comes up to me and says, “Hey, I listened to your song. It’s great, I love it! It’s on my playlist now,” that is the best feeling. I love that I can share a part of me with the world and receive love for it.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Wow, I could write a whole page on this question. If I had to choose one thing— setting aside destroyed posture, loss of sleep, and the constant battle with technology—I would say the most frustrating part about being a musician is that there is no answer. Which is ironic of me because that is also one of the reasons why I love music. I love that music is free, open-ended, and creative. But I think music is also very emotionally taxing. I have to constantly peel my heart, layer by layer, and draw out emotions and words that can reach other people’s hearts. The scarier part is that you go through that emotional turmoil over and over again without knowing how the future might look for you. There is no stability promised to musicians, and sometimes that’s scary.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
“You have to love your music first.” A few years back when I was extremely low on self-esteem, I experienced a horrendous slump. I couldn’t write anything because everything I wrote felt like trash. I lost all confidence and hated my music. Then one day, a very wise friend of mine gave me that advice, which changed everything for me. I realised that writing for myself was the best I could do as a musician. Until this day, I write whatever feels right to me, whatever I can relate to and genuinely love.
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fayaway's new single 'Tilted Chemistry' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.