South Korean singer-songwriter LeeHi's voice is not one that you would forget easily.
Soulful and resonant, it has proved to be the perfect tool for telling stories or sharing messages that come from a very personal place. And one need not look further than three of LeeHi's biggest tracks to date — the ballads 'ONLY', 'HOLO', and 'Breathe' — to see its ability to transcend the language barrier to move anyone listening.
That same voice has also been used to take listeners on fun-filled rides in more playful numbers, such as the jazzy 'Waterride' and synth-pop-infused 'Red Lipstick' from the 27-year-old artist's 2021 studio album, 4 Only.
It is thus hardly any surprise that LeeHi has amassed such a large following since her days as a contestant on the first season of South Korean survival singing competition K-pop Star. Just last year, the AOMG act, whose real name is Lee Ha-yi, was joined by a chorus made up of fans as she performed live renditions of her hits at Singapore's Tiger Uncage Festival: Twist to the Night.
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Nearly a year after her set at the Pasir Panjang Power Station, LeeHi is gearing up for a reunion with her fans at the Lion City. Come 16 March, she will take the stage at MARQUEE Singapore, the city-state's largest nightclub, for a mini-live performance as part of the venue's OH-K! concert series.
Ahead of her return to Singapore, LeeHi spoke to Bandwagon about her latest single, 'My Beloved', where she draws inspiration from while penning songs, and what she has in store for her fans in the near future.
What do you look forward to the most about coming back to Singapore?
When I visited Singapore before, I was so grateful that many people sang along to my songs with me even though the lyrics were in Korean. I'm looking forward to [hearing them] singing along with me the most, just like before.
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You recently released your first single of the year, ‘My Beloved’. Tell us what inspired this song, how you personally relate to its lyrics, and what aspects of a relationship you value the most.
Originally, 'My Beloved' was 'My Beloved Mother'. So, deulrejang, the songwriter of this song, wrote the lyrics thinking about her mother at first. But with the hope that more people could relate to the lyrics, I changed it to 'My Beloved'. And I would say I value trust and communication most in a relationship.
The music videos for ‘My Beloved’ and your 2023 single ‘Alley’ are both cinematic short films that star Choi Hyun Wook and Hong Suzu. Could you explain the connection between the two videos and songs?
Originally, 'My Beloved' comes first, and the story continues through 'Alley'. I intentionally changed the release order to make people more curious. You may understand if you watch the music video that the story is based on a real couple's story with added imagination. Actually, you can watch the two videos in order or reverse order. It works in both ways.
Another thing the music videos have in common is that you do not appear in either of them. How do you think the experience of watching them differs from that of watching the music videos for tracks such as ‘HOLO’ and ‘Red Lipstick’, which you star in?
The difference is that 'HOLO (Alone)' and 'Red Lipstick' define me, while 'Alley' and 'My Beloved' are songs that started from my thought that I want to sing songs people could relate to more. So that's why the actors were featured in the music video so that the emotions could be conveyed better.
Credit: MARQUEE Singapore
What inspires your music these days? What do you do when you don’t have inspiration, and are there any particular habits when it comes to songwriting?
Mostly, I get inspired by my relationships. But when I feel like nothing inspires me, I usually go out, hang out with new people, or travel to seek inspiration. And I don't think I have any particular habits when it comes to songwriting. Sometimes I write the lyrics first, and sometimes I make the melody first. It depends on what kind of song it is.
What can we expect from you in the near future? Are there any music projects in the works?
There are many songs that I am still working on. As it has been quite a while since I released a full-length album, it would be nice to prepare a lot and come back with a new album.
Credit: AOMG
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