Inspired #308 - nijuu
Korean indie dream-pop artist nijuu has just released her new EP ‘nijuu in the forest’ via The state51 Conspiracy. This collection of seven tracks is sung in both Korean and English - showing natural growth from her first EP that came out in 2020. She took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind the EP and her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Ahhh it was so hard to choose the top three, because I love all my favourite artists.
Emiliana Torrini
I found her when I was 18 or younger, and I loved her voice and music. As time goes on, I don't remember some trendy, hot music which I loved 2 years ago. Some just released really cool music and then disappeared. But Emiliana Torrini - she keeps making music and she's not just doing the same thing but also trying new stuff. That inspires me all the time.
Feist
Same as Emiliana Torrini, I love her music and her so much. When I hear her music I can draw lines with paintings in my mind. Her music makes me draw, makes me want to make, makes me want to sing, makes me want to be a better artist! I want to sing like her, her singing is like a string instrument, violin, viola, cello.. or something like that. That's amazing.
Carpenters
How can I tell how much I love them? I love them so much, their music reminds me of all my memories that I even haven't experienced. They make me think that I used to live in the 80s, when I listened to their songs, I felt like I became my mother, when my mother was just a little girl who wanted to be pretty and wise. That feels so warm and sad because I felt like I got a new opportunity to live as a youth. I hope that makes sense. So their music makes me feel I'm alright, I'm a good person...because I believe my mom is a good person and I think when she was a little girl she was struggling to love herself. She might get through similar paths with me and my friends. But look at her, she became a mom and a great grown up.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
The Science of Sleep. I love all of Michel Gondry's films, he inspires me a lot. The Science of Sleep is my favourite of his films. I love the film the most, Because it's about dreams and Michel made Stéphane so lovely. Stéphane looked like a child who is dreaming infinitely, all of his thoughts and dreams are so cute and made me want to have that kind of purity in dreams. Also in the movie I love the way dreams are. He used lots of boxes, papers, colour vinyls, something like craft activity. That is so realistic and I love it more than beautiful 3D or AR things. It also applies to music as well, we could use lots of vst which pretend the real sound in midi, but I want to record some "real" sounds like a craft activity. So like this, his film inspired me in a lot of ways.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Lisbon. I could say Seoul or London because I spent most of the time in both. But I know what real life in Seoul or in London. So I'd say Lisbon. When I went to Lisbon, I felt like I just came into the film. I didn't really think that this is real and.. it was a trip. I only spent 1 day there, I saw lots of colours, even transportations looked so cool. Egg tarts, I ate over 20 I think? aha. Maybe I want to go back one day? But I know it won't feel the same in that time. But the memory of I spent in Lisbon is so beautiful and always inspired me.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
My grandma. She is so creative and she is so funny. She writes a diary everyday. She wakes up in the 5am morning and she just makes some work and just do it. She keeps her routine over 80 years. I admire people who are having a routine in their life. I don't want to judge people, I don't want to be prejudiced. I want to love all the people at the same time I want to have healthy life. I want to write lots of songs and being creative. That is so hard. I know that life is complicated and I admire people who are not just alive, but who are sincerely try to do something, who are loving other people, who are loving their lives. I love broken people, I just love my grandma because she's got through life. And that inspired me a lot.
What were your inspirations when writing your new EP?
Growth, especially compare with first EP nijuu in the sea, I wanted to be more confident, independent person in new EP. Look at the forest, there are lots of trees and you can see the sky. I love the clouds, I love the breeze. And since I was young all of nature encouraged me to go forward. So it was quite obvious thing to be inspired by the forest when I want to be "stronger".
How would you like to inspire people?
I have a dream. The dream that I want my music make people to move, and make them want to do something. For example, even makes people want to eat, eat something healthy. Or want to go out and walk around to see trees. And I hope that small changes will help them get some inspirations. That's what I want, in big way I want to make people to have their dreams.