It's only been a year since Heo Hoy Kyung emerged onto the scene but she's already captured the hearts of many. The Korean singer-songwriter makes the kind of music that immediately draws you in, be it with her ethereal voice or her honest lyrics that hit close to home.

Whether she's singing about finding love amidst hatred or comparing our lives to the fickle weather, Hoy Kyung has a way of relaying a sense of comfort and healing through her songs. 

Like a lot of aspiring artists, Hoy Kyung first shared her music on SoundCloud where she eventually got discovered. Since then, the singer has signed to the indie label Mun Hwa In and released an array of singles. Most recently, she dropped 'Hug Me Tight', a cosy track about finding the good in the bad. 

Bandwagon caught up with Heo Hoy Kyung to talk about her musical journey so far and the creative process behind her comforting singles.

You’ve only started officially releasing music, what has the experience been like so far?

At first, I didn’t even know how to feel about all of this because things were pretty hectic and everything was new to me. But with this new release 'Hug me tight', I started feeling quite blessed and I am so grateful for my friends and staff who have been helping me so much and just being there for me all the time. 

How would you describe the music that you make and what impact do you hope it has on your listeners?

I would say the music I make is just my trust honest self. I hope my music can give comfort to my listeners and give them inspiration as well.

Who are some of the artists that you look up to?

I’m a fan of The Black Skirts and Coldplay.

Congratulations on the release of ‘Hug Me Tight’, could you tell us more about the song and what story it tells?

‘Hug Me Tight’ talks about love in hatred and resentment, though such emotions arise because of wanting love.

Walk us through what your songwriting process usually looks like. Where do you get inspiration from?

I usually just try this and that while sitting at my desk—and yes, of course, I end up procrastinating a little. And I get inspiration from both my everyday life and cultural life.

What does music mean to you?

Of course, making music can be pretty tough at times but music helps me forget all that because it also gives me happiness. It is my only means of expression, and I’m not really good at expressing my thoughts on social media because I feel it’s a little embarrassing so I try to put all of them into my songs instead.

In five years, where do you see yourself?

I will still be keeping up with making music!

Outside of music, what do you enjoy doing?

I enjoy watching films and American TV shows. To add, I like looking up film reviews and I just like watching things in general, regardless of genres. And I am not an extensive reader but I like reading books from time to time. Speaking of, I just realized that most of my hobbies are something I can do without actually moving so much, haha!

Share with us any upcoming plans you have for your music.

I would like to continue my musical journey and make a good impact on people’s life. I will make efforts to stretch my limits and grow as an artist.

Listen to Heo Hoy Kyung's latest single 'Hug Me Tight' here.