It’s not news that THP are lowkey some of the biggest Seori fans around. What is news, though, is that we’ve gotten to speak with Seori again for this exclusive interview!
We caught up with Seori just days before the release of her brand new EP, Fake Happy, so we dived into the album’s creation and Seori’s goals, as well as what she gets up to when she’s not making some of the best alt-pop around! We’ll let you dive (or maybe we’ll ‘Dive With You’) straight into it: here’s our Seori interview!
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us, just a week before your second EP comes out! How are you feeling in the run up to the release of Fake Happy?
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me! It’s been a while since my last album release, so I’m feeling quite nervous and excited at the same time. I have to admit that I’m particularly curious about the fans’ reactions. With the extended comeback, I’ve dedicated myself to creating an album that holds significance for both myself and the fans.
How did you decide that Fake Happy would be the album name and title track? What can you tell us about that song in particular?
I chose Fake Happy as the album title because it really sets the tone and message for each song. Moreover, its catchy melody has a charm that makes you want to sing along! This track reflects on moments of doubt that come up while living life. I got the idea from flipping through an old diary of mine. It’s all about questioning ourselves with ‘Am I doing okay?’ until it ends with the thought that happiness might be closer than we realize.
We love that the closing song, ‘and Me,’ was a completely solo effort – written, composed, and produced by you. You always write your own lyrics, but what made you decide to create ‘and Me’ entirely by yourself?
In this album, ‘and Me’ embodies the color of my music that I have been doing and symbolizes my deepest inner self. Working on it, I felt such a powerful pull. I’ve always wanted to take on the challenge of completing and releasing a track on my own, and this song provided that opportunity. I aim to continue pursuing such challenges in the future.
It’s been a while since the release of your debut EP, ?despace ohw, way back in 2020. What do you feel are the biggest differences between the two albums?
I think ?despace ohw represents my musical style and creativity well. I’m really happy to debut with this album. Fake Happy holds significant meaning for me as it honestly portrays my personal experiences. I also love that it incorporates elements of the rock genre that I’ve enjoyed since childhood.
We love the pre-release, ‘Broken,’ so much! You always pull from such diverse influences, and the brit-pop, anthemic energy here is amazing! What can you tell us about the creative process behind ‘Broken?’
I feel like ‘Broken’ is the most emotionally explosive song I’ve ever released. Sometimes, especially when I started making music, I used to feel envious or compare myself to others, sinking into sadness. I always wanted to confront those emotions someday. It was indeed a challenging process, but through this song, I finally faced those feelings. I feel like I’ve become a bit stronger as a person.
Imagine that when new fans discover you from Fake Happy, you can only recommend one of your older songs to listen to. Which one would you recommend and why?
It’s hard to choose just one, but if I had to, I’d pick ‘Dive With You.’ While ‘Fake Happy’ expresses a disheartened heart, ‘Dive With You’ portrays a pure and passionate spirit. I think the contrast between these two themes will add an interesting dynamic.
You’ve worked on OSTs for the likes of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and Netflix’s Doona and Songs Of The Bandits, but are there any shows or movies you’d absolutely love to work on the soundtrack for?
I would love to participate in an animation soundtrack, as well as the musical movie genre. I enjoy it so much. Just the thought of watching those movies excites me as they offer both enjoyment and musical challenges!
Do you still read detective novels? Maybe we should get you to create the OST for a detective show! We’d love it if you could recommend a book that you’ve enjoyed recently?
Right now, I’m reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. While I do explore other genres from time to time, I always find myself drawn to mysteries! I also really enjoy watching dramas like Sherlock and love their soundtracks! I would love to be involved in such projects as well!
The Honey POP has been lucky enough to chat to you before, way back in 2021. What do you think have been the biggest changes in you as an artist since then?
This album delves into emotions I didn’t want to reveal, so I guess as an artist, I’ve become braver than the me of 2021.
Way back then, we also asked you about your lovely cat, E-ji. How is he doing these days?
Thanks for asking how E-ji is doing these days! He is doing really well! He always follows our family, walks around with his tail held proudly, walks around the living room energetically, or takes naps. He seems to like it when our family talks, so Eji talks a lot too.
Have you checked out Fake Happy yet? What were your takeaways from our interview with Seori? Let us know on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! Or, if you’d rather, you can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!
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