Pien talks about her music journey and creative process in a candid interview. She blends genres and explores emotional themes in her music.
Pien © 2023
Pien values instinct and vulnerability in her songwriting and hints at exciting upcoming projects with unique blends of genres and vocal exploration. Authenticity and unpredictability drive her as an artist, making her one artist to considerably watch and follow!
GH: Hey Pien! Great to have you on Goathead today!
Pien: My pleasure!
GH: What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and when did you first realize you wanted to be an artist?
Pien: I was one of those kids who basically came out singing, haha! I’ve always been very sensitive to music and its power; I noticed that at a very early age.
What inspired me to pursue this career was the gut feeling that told me that this is what I needed to do and this is why I’m here. I’m not a very spiritual person, but I do believe we're all here for a reason, and I believe I’m here to share my stories to inspire other people and shine my light in this world.
GH: Your music is known for blending various genres and incorporating unique soundscapes. How do you approach songwriting and creating your distinctive sound, particularly when it comes to your vocal palette and naturally crafted emotive vocals?
Pien: I do everything in my life based on instinct—on that gut feeling I’ve been talking about earlier. I rarely plan a writing session; there needs to be a feeling or inspiration to get it all started. This can be any time of day, music first or lyrics first; it varies every time. Thank God for the voice recording app on my phone; without it, I wouldn’t remember any of my songs. Or would even have the chance to listen back to them on the subway or bus and make mental notes. And vocally, it’s all about connection and concentration. I have to surrender mentally and physically to the song to be able to produce the right vocal.
GH: Your music often explores deep emotional themes and experiences. How do you balance the desire to be vulnerable and authentic in your music with the need to protect your own privacy and emotional wellbeing?
Pien: Most people know me as an open book; anyone can basically ask me anything. I’m not ashamed of my past or of who I am; it’s my story, and it brought me here. I couldn’t be more thankful for my life journey so far; even the most painful parts taught me so much about myself.A couple of years ago, I totally lost myself during a breakup, and when I’m looking at it now, it kind of feels like a present. When do you ever get the chance to build yourself up again from scratch? I think what I’ve learned from that challenging time is to put myself first and to really dedicate my life to the things I want to do and the things I want to achieve (career-wise). I try to write my lyrics with an open and honest mindset because I know it will help other people heal from their experiences or traumas (it did for me). And of course, there are certain things I won’t share in my songwriting, like very specific details about certain situations, but besides that, I’ll share basically anything in my songs.
GH: You've recently collaborated with Synergy on the project "I See Sound," which merges your voice and lyrics with Synergy's dance 90s-inspired music. How did this collaboration come about, and what was the process like for combining music and visuals in such an innovative way?
Pien: I’m always up for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new, and this collaboration was definitely something totally out of my comfort zone! This collaboration came together because I saw Synergy’s profile on Instagram and I was thinking of doing an electronic dance remix of my song ‘Mascara Tears," and I sent him a message to see if he would be interested in doing that. He rather wanted to work on an original song with me, and the ball started rolling from there. For the music video, I worked with Joe White from Against the Grain Visuals, and I have to give all the visual credits to him for directing such a cool video. That’s the thing I love the most about music—how it brings people from different places and genres of music together.
GH: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your song "Mascara Tears"? How does it tie into your larger artistic vision?
Pien: During that traumatic breakup, I didn’t sleep much. I was just crying and overthinking everything that had happened in those last few months, and then the inspiration started to kick in. This was the first song I wrote for my EP ‘3.0," and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the EP and the kind of lyrics I wanted to write from then on. For me, lyrics come first, then the vocal. I think during the making of this album and revisiting that song, I realized that’s how I want my work to be, and that’s the level I always want to strive for and improve on.
GH: Can you give us any hints about what we can expect from your upcoming singles or projects? Are there any particular themes or sounds you're excited to explore?
Pien: I’m experimenting at the moment within the dream/indie pop genre. I’ve always been a very curious person and have been attracted to weird sounds or effects like lots of reverb or the use of objects like a book to see how many different sounds we can get out of them. I’m already working on my next album (which will be out in 2025), and it’s been so much fun so far! What people can expect from my new music is more interesting blends of genres and vocal exploration (range-wise). I just never want to be predictable or boring. I think that’s the thing I strive for the most.
GH: Thank You For Being Here, It was a pleasure to meet you, Pien!
Pien: Thank You For Having Me!
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