Interview Truekolors (ENG)

1. Introduce yourself to our readers ( real name or stage name, age, where you come from?

and your occupation).

Hi! My name is Kyu, and I go by my stage name truekolors as a record producer. I was

born in New York, and grew up in San Francisco, Seoul, and Los Angeles.

I am 32 years old. I am also an electrical engineer in the wireless communication industry.

Excited for this opportunity to talk to you all!

2. When did you decide to dedicate yourself to music and why? What was your first approach to it?

I was musical pretty much my whole life but it wasn’t until I fell in love with house

music in my late 20s when I decided to take music more seriously. I started

watching music production tutorials and jumped on it right away.

The reason why I started to pursue music was, artists performing their songs on a stage seemed to be the happiest people I’ve seen.

Sharing emotions and ideas with a crowd that enjoys them, it feels magical.

3. Has music been your dream since ever or as a child was your dream job different?

Growing up, I’ve always wanted to be a musician but I was not brave enough to

pursue it back then so took an easier (?) route to be an engineer which I also enjoy a

lot.

4. You had the opportunity to live in different cities, did this influence you and your music?

Definitely. I lived in South Korea from age 8 to 14 when I listened to a lot of K Pop, before

it was cool! I was lucky to have been exposed to K Pop at an early age which integrates a huge variety of genres such as Ballad, Hip Hop, R&B, and EDM, sometimes in a single song. I tend to make more mainstream songs compared to traditional house music and I think that is why. Going to high school in Irvine helped me play in string orchestras and fortify my music theory.

Later I devoted myself to rock and roll music and was performing semi-professionally in bands in San Francisco which has a deep history in rock and roll. Then I moved back to Los Angeles which is of course the party central, and I was exposed to a lot of electronic music. Once I got into house music, clubs in Hollywood and Las Vegas were the places where I dreamed to be a producer. I am thankful for all the experiences I’ve had to be where I am now.

5. What are some of your favorite genres, I figured that House and EDM are part of it, but is

there anything else?

I listen to a lot of rock, from the Beatles to Guns n’ Roses. Some Korean hip hop and

pop here and there. The production quality in Korean music these days is exceptional.

6. Is there an artist that has particularly influenced your music?

Moon Boots, Disclosure, Oliver Heldens, Tchami, Shaun Frank, and Cosmo’s Midnight would be my biggest influences.

7. What’s music for you , what does producing music mean to you?

It’s a way of self expression, deeper than words. Producing music is translating the musical ideas in my head into reality, and sometimes a lot is lost in the process which keeps me learning all the time. I love that there are always new things to learn no matter where I am in the game.

8. You collaborated with different artists, who did you like the most?

Amy Lyons! We were good friends before we w

orked together so things went smoothly.

9. What song would you recommend to someone that has never listened to your songs?

I’d say “Love Me Better” first since it’s my debut song that is fully by me.

10. Can you play an instrument? If yes, which one?

I play guitar, bass, drums, violin, viola, and am learning to play piano.

11. “Love Me Better” was your debut song. For how long did you work on it?

Can you tell us about some of the unforgettable moments of its production, what’s the meaning behind it?

I worked on it for about 5 months. I finished the instrumental first and spent months looking for the right vocal samples but wasn’t able. So I ended up choosing two of the best ones and edited the vocal tones and applied processing so that it sounds like one person singing the whole song instead of two, and when I told some people about this, they were surprised that the vocal parts are from two different singers.

The lyrics talk about a toxic relationship in which you are not receiving all the love you deserve.

12. Can you talk about your latest project?

Amy Lyons, my friend I met in a marketing class, is a singer-songwriter from Sydney who asked me to remix her song Over and Over. You can go check out her original version which is more lyrical and emotional. I like to put melancholic vocals on heavy basslines which is exactly what I did, and the end result is a groovy and bassy track that also has some soft sides to it.

13. Describe yourself in 3 words.

Passionate, creative, giving

14. If you could choose an artist, from the past or the present, to do a collaboration with who would you choose?

Dua Lipa! I love her voice a lot.

15. When you’re having a hard time is there a phrase or a quote that you use to give yourself courage?

There isn’t really a phrase or a quote, but instead I do remind myself often that my time is finite and life is too short to accomplish everything I want.

16. How/Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

To be signed to a label so I can focus only on making music rather than of promoting music and managing myself all together.

17. Do you know Italy? Have you ever been there?

I hope to be in Italy as soon as I can to try some good pasta and pizza! I really cannot wait.

18. What’s the last song you listened to? Have you ever listened to italian music?

Kungs - This Girl I used to listen to some good Italian DJ/Producers! Benny Benassi, Giorgio Moroder, and Meduza more recently. Growing up I listened to a lot of Italian composers like Vivaldi, Paganini, and Luigi Denza.

19. What’s your biggest dream and your worst fear?

My biggest dream is to be performing in Las Vegas and Hollywood, and my worst fear is ...acrophobia 😂

20. Other than music do you have other hobbies?

Photography and abstract painting! I love visual art very much.

21. If you could wake up in the morning with a superpower what would it be?

To control time which goes along with the next question.

22. If you were given a time machine which place and era would you like to visit?

Japan in the 70s. It seems like a magical time and place with culture, art, and music.

Instagram - @truekolors.music

Truekolors Music - Over and Over