Q&A: Seeking To Connect And Spread Love, Hae.zy Releases “Love letter”

Q&ASpotlightMusic

Apr 28

☆ BY SHARON LAZO ☆

AN ARTIST WITH A TRULY PURE SOUL AND AN EVEN BIGGER HEART — that’s who Korean-American artist Hae.zy is. With the release of her debut EP, Love letter, Hae.zy is introducing herself to the world, bringing along her brilliant voice that demands to be heard. Love letter includes 5 songs that represent and depict who she is as an artist and individual. Rooted in her Korean culture and spirituality, Hae.zy is not afraid to get personal in her music and express what she truly wants to say. Her debut EP features jazzy influences as well as hints of bedroom R&B, which can be heard in empowering songs such as “Just Sayin’.” Also giving the listener insight to who she is and the woman who created her, “Mong (dreams)” is a personal and beautiful song from the perspective of her mother.

In every song off Love letter, love is the main source. In “Love Will Be Found,” Hae.zy speaks on how love is the strongest, most powerful force that can fix all injustices and flaws in the world. With her song “The Lesson,” the listener is exposed to the reality we are all coming to terms with in the world we live in today. The smooth, velvety, jazzy-chill vibes found in the track establish a strong foundation for her to spill the truth with raw lyrics. You’ll be drawn into her world and have glances into her mindset and world around her. Hae.zy also adds special little touches to her songs, such as snippets of voicemails her mother had left in “Mong (dreams).” The tracks also include deep insight into her thoughts and feelings, such as in “Hazy Lines,” as she describes her feelings towards being an artist.

Said best by Hae.zy herself, “I believe that we are all a puzzle piece to the unity of this world, and everyone has their own timing to be heard and seen in their own unique way. This time specifically was made for me — to release my first love letter to the world — and I hope it delivers to those well.”

Read below to see what Hae.zy has to say about Love letter, her admiration for Amy Winehouse, how important her culture is to her, and the meaning behind songs off her EP.

LUNA: How are you doing these days? Any self care practices you’ve implemented that you’d like to share?

HAE.ZY: I've been in protection + preparation mode, which means I've been extremely careful with what I share and who I share my energy with. At the same time, I've been preparing myself spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally to interact and give my energy through this EP. I've been working out five times a week to build my stamina, thanking and praying to the Source every day, cutting [out] smoking weed, and making sure I get sunlight on a daily basis. Prioritizing these acts of self love has been crucial for me during this time.

LUNA: Your debut EP, Love letter, is finally — congrats! The project touches a bit on some superstitions within Korean culture. How has your cultural background shaped you as an artist?

HAE.ZY: My culture is a part of who I am, so it only makes sense for the traditions to mold me into the person I am today. I am a 1.5 gen Korean-American, which makes my role very important to our future. I am the bridge that connects the older generation with the younger ones and also the bridge that connects East Asian culture to Western culture. And I take this role as an honor and duty for all people of this world. I don't believe in coincidences, so the fact that Western media and billboards are exploding with Asian representation today is also not a coincidence. The road was paved for me, and I thank my ancestors and all the people before me everyday for this opportunity.

LUNA: The project really showcases a variety of sounds and feels from R&B to a bit more pop. Sonically, who were some inspirations for the EP?

HAE.ZY: I respect and love Amy Winehouse always and forever. She has influenced me and my music in ways that I never knew until I finished my first EP. Her rawness when it comes to performance is exactly what I embody during my performances. While performing, if I grunt, moan, cry, yell, or hum as an expression of the emotions that come over me, why would I hide that? That's something that people connect with because they are real. Amy's love songs, heartbreak songs, and songs about peace make us feel something because they are real. That is what I want to continue to represent in my music, artistry, and as a whole.

LUNA: If you had to pick one track of yours to best represent your sound at this time, what would you pick?

HAE.ZY: I would say my second track, “Mong (dreams)” would best represent my current sound. I've been interested in recording and performing with only live instruments ever since I began college, but these days I've been opening my mind and sound to be more in-sync with the times. Especially with the pandemic, I've been learning how to shift my musical delivery to fit in with the present and future. I'm beginning to open up on giving the people the sounds that they want, but lyrically filled with content that they need to hear. My goal as a musician is to continue to speak truths even if people don't want to hear it.

Something I noticed is that when I speak in front of people, I don't have everybody's undivided attention. But when I start singing, everyone’s eyes are on me. So this got me thinking to do the same with my original music. Kinda like, "You might not want to hear me speak facts, but you will definitely hear me and watch me sing it."

LUNA: I’m sure quarantine had its role in the making of the project, but can you share a favorite moment or memory from making Love letter?

HAE.ZY: Quitting my job. Quarantine was the final push I needed going into this musical journey full time. I've worked in the service industry for 7-8 years which only paid the bills and sustained my livelihood, but it did not fulfill my purpose on this earth. Doing music full time has always been my purpose since birth, but many fears held me back from going all in. This pandemic helped me get over those fears. I had no money, no stable home, no job, no friends — [I] just moved to LA from Boston — what did I have to lose? Exactly, nothing. So I just went all in and it's been nothing but blessings on blessings with much more to come ever since.

LUNA: Which track from the EP means the most to you?

HAE.ZY: Each track has sentimental value to me and each track speaks on different truths. But the most personal song is “Mong (dreams)” only because it is a story told by my mother. It's about the pregnancy dream she had when she was cooking me up in her belly. My mom told me this story during quarantine over the phone, and while she was storytelling I was taking notes, because I just had to write this in a song. Before this, I was going to complete the EP with only 3-4 tracks, then God spoke to me to include this story in Love Letter, and so it [came] to be. The feelings she felt and the visuals she saw were super clear so it wasn't hard to write. I just like this song because my role was the messenger of a mother's story.

LUNA: How do you hope to see yourself evolve as an artist?

HAE.ZY: I'm ever-evolving as a human being — we all have a sole responsibility to become more aware and better individually so that when we gather together as a collective, we are stronger than ever. I plan on continuing to be better and spread that love and positivity so that we can be stronger human beings together. I guess to answer this question, I, as an artist, will always be a reflection of me as a person.

LUNA: What do you want people to know about you as an artist?

HAE.ZY: At this moment, I care mostly for people to hear the stories and the truths within the music and lyrics. I could just lie and say I don't care for people to get to know me, but that would contradict the whole idea of connecting with people and honestly my truth. I have so much to offer to the world but because of experiences in my life I've become more careful. I've been working on opening myself up more which is why this is the perfect time for Love letter to go out. I just want people to know that I am an ordinary human being just like you, period.

LUNA: With Love letter out, what do you hope the upcoming months bring you?

HAE.ZY: I want the world to hear the content of the music in Love letter, I want the world to get a taste of what Hae.zy can offer and want more. I want more safe spaces for different faces, I want more bridges to connect the divided and bring forth healing. I want the messages to be delivered well and used to honor and glorify the Higher Source, our mother earth. I simply want more love to be present in this world, because that is just what we all need.

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