by martina rexrode
photo courtesy of universal music korea
Bestowing a title like “global pop star in the making” onto an artist is no small feat. Thankfully, South Korea’s HEYOON isn’t just any artist. With a solo career that’s less than three years old, the attention she’s already garnered and the widespread audiences she’s already reached are incredibly impressive. Her latest release, an EP aptly titled seriously unserious, is a feat of addictive beats and lyrics that invite listeners to shake off their worries and lose themselves in the music. Following her own pattern, she also dropped an EP of remixes that elevate the original tracks to an unparalleled level. We spoke with HEYOON about these tracks, her involvement in the studio, and her collaboration with Brazil’s Lou Garcia.
Congratulations on the release of seriously unserious! How does it feel to have this EP out as your first release of the year?
HEYOON: “Thank you and it feels good! I feel blessed to be releasing this EP!”
For many listeners, this might be their first impression of you as an artist. What do you hope new listeners and seasoned fans take from the EP’s high-energy tracks?
HEYOON: “I’d hope they take this album quite literally like the title. Have fun with it and feel some sort of freedom and adrenaline.”
Of the four tracks, which stands out as your personal favorite right now and why?
HEYOON: “It changes all the time. Today’s fave is ‘swipe’ — it’s such a manifestation of a song and carries the attitude in the way I’m trying to live my life right now.”
You have a co-writer and co-composer credit on both “swipe” and “switchhhhhh.” Can you describe the creative process behind these specific tracks and what it was like for you in the studio? What does it mean to be involved in the creative process behind your own music?
HEYOON: “Both songs came to us really quickly. We were all in a flow state. ‘switch’ was written by jumping around in the middle of the Alps, and ‘swipe’ came through conversations about manifestation while just vibing. Creating music is all I can ask for in this life — it’s such a special experience to be able to share that with others.”
How do the original EP and the newly released remix EP differ from one another in their energy and overall atmosphere?
HEYOON: “I always wanted to have a sick baila funk track and this EP seemed like the perfect opportunity to experiment with that. Huge shout out to CDC for making that happen, and the remix is a little bonus gift for the fans. <3”
What led to the collaboration between you and Lou Garcia on the focus track, “swipe?”
HEYOON: “I met Lou last year during my visit to São Paulo. She’s such a down to earth artist. We clicked instantly and Lou loved ‘swipe!’ She taught me a lot about the partying culture in Brazil and we were able to melt that energy onto the song.”
Were you surprised to learn that you had such a strong fan base in Brazil?
HEYOON: “Brazil fans have always been there since day one. I wouldn’t be here without them. <3”