Interview: SHE IS HEESU
Nothing compares to the feeling of finding a new artist that you enjoy almost instantly. Falling down the rabbit hole of going through their discography, watching their live performances. That is how HALSUG felt, coming across South Korean artist, HEESU. At 14 years old, Heesu Yu relocated to the United States, and it was then that her musical journey took center stage. While studying music at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. It was there where HEESU found the sound that felt authentic to her. HALSUG got the chance to speak with HEESU, about how her past has greatly influenced her present state of creativity, and what she hopes to release into the world in the future.
Photo courtesy of HEESU
In February, HEESU released “ME”, a 4 track EP, including the leading single that shares the same name. The lyrics are about rediscovering yourself after giving your all to people who, essentially, did not appreciate it. Reflecting on the decisions she’s made and the energy she wasted on others, HEESU was reclaiming her time. A relatable topic that plenty have dealt with, making it the perfect submission for NPR’s Tiny Desk contest one year prior. Although she did not win the grand prize, she was selected as WBUR's Massachusetts Tiny Desk winner.
When asked what her initial reaction was to being chosen as Massachusetts' top pick, HEESU said "they announced the (NPR) winner, and at first I was like “Okay, it’s fine. I can try again next year. Then, 2-3 months later I got an email from WBUR. That was when I already graduated and moved to New York City. So when I opened my inbox I was like holy moly, this is crazy! We (HEESU’s band) had a little Facebook group chat, so I texted my band and was like we won! I’m a very positive person. I never say things that are negative, because it’s gonna happen. During the session while we were filming, I was like guys, we're gonna win this, we’re gonna get this!"
It seems as though HEESU was finding a sound she was most confident in. Back at Berklee, it was the neo-soul path that she and those around her decided to pursue. After realizing her love for electronic dance, HEESU took a sharp left turn on her road to success and went full force.
- “If you want it, you go get it. You don't wait for your success”
Describing her sound, HEESU expressed "I’m an electro-pop artist, I would say pop because it’s catchy, but it’s very dreamy with hints of traditional Korean sound. That’s my thing. Pop uses happy chords, I love jazzy chords. I think that’s where my neo-soul influence comes from."
Photo courtesy of HEESU
When listening to her tracks like Honey Eyes and ME, it is apparent that HEESU has fused her love for electro-dance and neo-soul together. Her airy yet dominating vocals on top of such upbeat and sultry tracks have given her a signature sound. A sound that has set her apart from her counterparts.
The Korean music industry, more specifically K-Pop, has taken the world by storm. With that comes ignorance. It is assumed that an artist who is Korean is making K-Pop when in reality there are so many artists, including HEESU, that are immersing themselves into different genres, including but not limited to, dance, hip-hop, and r&b. In her 2021 single “Honey Eyes”, HEESU sings completely in English, but there is an infectious instrument that plays throughout the entire track. The use of a 가야금 (gayageum), a traditional Korean instrument takes the song to new heights. It was then, HALSUG knew that HEESU was bringing something refreshing to the table.
Tapping into her culture is important, and will continue to play a key role in her career. "I’m influenced by a lot of R&B and dance artists, but I’m Korean. I really want to embrace my culture and heritage, because growing up my mom was a traditional Korean musician. I did not appreciate her music at all. It was boring and I would go listen to pop music. Then while I was at Berklee and was learning about music history, I wanted to dive into my roots. I don’t see a lot of Korean artists trying to do what I’m trying to do."
HEESU also talked in depth about her latest single (released November 9) which she confirms is completely in Korean. 청산 (CHEONGSAN) is directly inspired by a 13th-century Korean poem hailing from the Goryeo Kingdom written by Teacher Na Ong. CHEONGSAN, meaning green mountain in Korean, is an ode to freeing oneself, letting go of any negative thoughts or feelings, not fearing nature, but embracing all that it can bring you.
Photo courtesy of HEESU
"I have been working on this single for about 7 months, and it is very very special to me. I thought it would be the perfect release project because so many hate crimes were happening. It was just so heartbreaking and disgusting. I wanted to release something that’s very peaceful and positive. Something that radiates positive energy and good vibes."
Which you can say is what a lot of her music represents. Positive energy and good vibes. As HEESU’s discography continues to grow, HALSUG was curious to know what her favorite song was to write. “I think Honey Eyes was my favorite. I produced the whole track, and that was when I rebranded myself as just HEESU. My (current) favorite is the one I’m about to release (CHEONGSAN). I haven’t released a track fully in Korean. I love the melody, and the full production used traditional Korean instruments, so it’s a fusion”
HEESU produces and writes all of her music, taking pride in actively bringing her thoughts and emotions to life. Having creative control is a freedom that many artists in the industry have difficulty with. Despite this freedom, being an independent artist has its struggles. It was no surprise that in HEESU’s opinion, budgeting was the hardest part about being independent. "When it comes to music videos I’m pretty creative because I’ve been producing all of my stuff, and I have so many crazy ideas and I can’t do them because of budget (laughs) but I will get there! I’m still a growing artist, it’s a whole learning process."
HEESU is an Asian woman venturing into a predominantly white male industry. An industry where the goal post continues to move, especially for BIPOC artists. Which can definitely be discouraging for BIPOC women trying to break into the industry. HEESU made it clear that she was not going to shrink herself in order to appease those who try to box her in. “I just want to be me. Myself. No one can tell me what I can’t do because I’m in a certain box. As an Asian woman, I think we can do so much and have so much to bring to this industry. Culture, our perspective, and perception of the world. Rina Sawayama is a good example. Seeing an East Asian woman in a white male dominated industry is inspiring. Seeing good examples and having representation keeps me going”
Photo courtesy of HEESU
When needing constructive criticism and support, especially in the industry, HEESU shared that one of the people she always turns to is her mother. "My mom is like my role model. She’s like a zen master. Very peaceful, and I respect her. She wakes up at 6 AM every morning, meditates for an hour, and I’m like wow I need to do that. She always gives me the best advice. For life, music, and art. She was a musician so she knows how hard it is. She didn’t want me to be a musician for a long time, but she genuinely loves my music, she really supports me, and that makes me happy. I really want to make her proud. She’s already proud, but I really want to make her proud."
Watching an artist grow in real time is an underrated feeling. A feeling that only proves music’s purpose. To bring people from all walks of life together. Whether it is in English or Korean, how the music makes you feel surpasses any language barrier. HEESU is bringing her own vibe to the industry, and we can't wait to see what else she puts out into the world. HEESU’s music is currently available to stream on all music platforms, and make sure you give her a follow on socials to stay up to date on future projects and more.