Music – Kollaboration Blog Archives

Trace Repeat’s Indiegogo Soul Revival

After a month-long online campaign, Kollaboration finalists Trace Repeat recently finished crowdsourcing their debut EP with over $8,000. Along with meeting their initial $5,000 goal, the band will now perform at South By Southwest and produce a behind-the-scenes video of the recording process.

The six-piece Oakland, California band began two years ago by Zach Hing and Wesley Woo, and was originally a side project for all the members. What began as a cover band of Motown and classics like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and James Brown, Woo said that Trace Repeat began to draw on those influences to write original songs, creating their own style of funk band. In May 2016, the band met Kollaboration San Francisco staff member Lauren Lee and last November, they represented SF as the city finalists at the Kollaboration STAR showcase. Representation in the arts is important to the band, and their multiethnic Asian American identities played a large part in the band’s Indiegogo story.

Zach and Wesley told much of their story in the campaign video, and on page they wrote, “We believe Trace Repeat can affect change in Asian American representation.” As one of the few— and often only— Asian American bands in the Bay Area, Trace Repeat recognizes how important it is to see accurate representation in the media. By focusing their campaign on the mission of empowering their communities, Hing said that this first record just happened to be about Asian American empowerment.

“Us being a practically Asian American band has kind of attracted certain negative connotations from people who see us on stage and don’t really get it,” Wesley said. “I don’t just want to ask people to give money for a record, I want to ask people to give money to a cause that really matters.”

Giving is not without its perks. To fit the band’s throwback aesthetic of older days filled with postcards, polaroids, and typewriters, Trace Repeat’s perks for donors featured a number of those very antiques. For $10 backers got a typewriter-written thank you note, $75 gets an engraved pocket watch, and $200 gets a vintage case made from repurposed suitcases and “comes fully loaded with CDs, stickers, flyers, and other Trace Repeat memorabilia.” And for $1,000 and the chance to “own a piece of the album,” Zach and Wesley are giving away their guitars and bass used to record the album (though no one has claimed it yet.) The band wants their debut EP to recall the days of finding an old-school vinyl gem, and they put a lot of thought into perks to reflect the band. The idea for the actual items came to the them on a road trip.

“We were in a very small car, with no air conditioning, driving through the hottest part of central California,” Wesley adds. “And I personally love collecting vintage things, just weird things no one wants anymore. We wanted to make interesting rewards, so why don’t we find really old stuff and turn it into new stuff.”

With less than 24 hours to go of the campaign and a fully funded studio album on the way, Trace Repeat is most excited for fans to hear the album. Their recording studio, Watershed Sound, has helped the band not feel stressed out about producing the album while they work on mixing the songs. The six songs on the EP are all Trace Repeat originals, familiar to fans who have seen the band perform before, but the EP won’t sound old hat.

“I feel like one thing that’s cool about the album is that the album really is going to be in itself something pretty new,” David Kaiser-Jones, Trace Repeat’s trombone player, said. “They’re going to be something that’s going to be really exciting to share with people.”

Along with the EP, Trace Repeat is taking their new songs on the road to Austin as one of the band’s stretch goals. David acted as one of the biggest cheerleaders for the band to accept an invitation to play at the Red Gorilla Stage at the Austin, Texas festival after they reached the first stretch goal of $6,000. During their four day stay in Texas they also plan to play for the first time in an Irish pub on St. Patricks Day.

“Guys, we’re gonna learn a Dropkick Murphy’s cover,” Zach said.

With Trace Repeat’s first EP is on the way, the band looks to set themselves apart as a funk band. Zach and Wesley agree that the main focus of the Indiegogo campaign isn’t to compare or compete Trace Repeat to other Asian American groups, but to add the band to the mix of Asian American artists. Wesley says that when Trace Repeats performs, he doesn’t think of the band as making a certain statement about Asian American empowerment when they get on stage. He only sees Trace Repeat as “a really awesome funk band.”

“All we’re saying, and this goes plain and simple in our Indiegogo campaign, is that there’s just not enough of us.” Zach said. “Bands like Run River North and Far East Movement are great; I really, really stand for what they do. It’s that key word— there’s not enough of it. We want it to become something that isn’t the anomaly anymore, we want adequate representation.”

Trace Repeat’s Indiegogo campaign ended February 11 with $8,165 from 194 backers. The album can be expected later in 2017, and Trace Repeat can be seen on their YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram.

Kollaboration is going to SXSW!

If you’ve been following Kollaboration in 2016, you’d know that we’re headed to this year’s South by Southwest Conference & Festival in Austin to host a social impact panel on Asian American representation in media! A massive 10-day multi-media event consisting of a music festival, film festival, and interactive conference, SXSW is where trends are launched and the next big thing is discovered, and we’re excited to be a part of it. Our panel, “Asian Americans Break the Silence & Stereotypes,” will take place during SXSW Interactive on Sunday, March 12 at 5pm and will feature a discussion between Kollaboration Executive Director Minji Chang and a panel made up of Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man), Jenny Yang (Disoriented Comedy), and Dante Basco (Hook, Avatar)!

And as if that wasn’t huge enough, we’re also excited to announce that Kollaboration will be producing the first ever official showcase of Asian American musical acts at this year’s SXSW Music Festival! Taking place on Thursday, March 16 at Lambert’s Downtown Barbeque, our 2017 lineup include Run River North, Megan Lee, Big Phony, and Melissa Polinar! Only about a fourth of acts who apply for the festival are granted a performance slot and Kollaboration is proud for the opportunity to showcase these amazing Asian American talents to the tens of thousands of festival attendees in Austin, “Live Music Capital of the Word!”

Whether you’ll be joining us in Austin or supporting us from home, help us spread the word that Asian Americans are bringing the noise to SXSW 2017! And for those of you interested in either covering our events, or sponsoring them, shoot us a message at info@kollaboration.org

Meet the STAR Finalists: Trace Repeat

Kollaboration San Fransico’s Trace Repeat, Wesley Woo and Zach Hing

Wesley— Zach and I started this band two years ago. It started out as a side project, all of us were working on solo stuff and it sort of evolved into a much larger thing over time. It developed from a side thing to a real thing, and now it’s like a seven-piece band. It finally got out of hand after a while.

How did you find Kollab?

Zach— Well Wesley has kind of known about you guys for a few years now. But if you want to talk about how Trace Repeat got involved, we actually ran into Lauren (Lee) at the Asian Heritage Festival that happens in San Fransisco, back in May. Kollaboration comes around the same circle of people that we all know, like if you’re Asian American making music in the Bay Area then we all know the same artists that are doing all the Asian American music because there not really that many of them. Kollaboration, being a part of that community, was sort of a natural thing that happened.

What does it mean to you and the band that you’ve gotten this far?

Wesley— It’s kind of ridiculous in a lot of way. I didn’t expect it to happen. We sort of ran into Lauren at the Asian Heritage Festival, and I had done a couple of thing for Kollaboration a while back, I think I auditioned once or twice as a solo act, but I never go that far with it. Then we ran into Lauren and she was like, “I’m doing all these really cool things with Kollaboration and I really want them to hear new music and find new sound.” Well, we’re new sounds. Then it just sort of snowballed into this huge thing and we never expected it.

Zach— In terms of our feelings on the matter, we’re more than excited, we’re really stoked being on board. I think like Wesley said, Kollaboration is sort of exists as that community that we definitely want to be a part of. Getting this far in itself is already a really, really good accomplishment in our book, and I think you guys have been very good about the support and welcoming us with open arms. To have gotten this far in the competition, we couldn’t be happier. So, thank you.

Is Trace Repeat one of the few Asian American bands in San Fransisco?

Wesley— Yeah, always.

Zach— There’s only really three or four of us in the immediate Oakland-San Francisco area, not counting San Jose, but we’re basically it.

Wesley— Especially in regard in finding musicians who really take it seriously, making a career out of it. That’s more difficult to find at all. I feel like I know most of the musicians in San Fransisco, at least the basic singer-songwriter community, and of that community I can count on one hand the Asian Americans who are a part of that.

What is the band’s style like?

Wesley— It started out at its very earliest conception as basically a funk band. We were playing a lot of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, James Brown, a lot of Prince covers. It wasn’t really working well because we weren’t really a cover band, so the covers didn’t sound good. Then we started writing music instead, and the songs took their own shape, and in the end we drew a lot of influence from the songs we were covering. In a round about way, it’s a funk band, but a funk band with a lot of other very random influences.

Why do you think representation in the arts is important?

Zach— I think that representation in the arts is extremely important, especially for Asian Americans. There’s just not as much representation, there’s not a lot of adequate representation. The way Asian Americans have been portrayed in the stereotypical emasculated, work hard, study hard kind of stereotype. I think that to be able to play music or be an artist, to go against the grain and have a shot to show what it really is we’re capable of is extremely important for a lot of people. I think influence and being able to inspire people because you’re a little bit different, at the end of the day gives us a voice and a lot of freedom to be able to choose our owns ways. Which in a lot of ways is at its core a given right.

Wesley— I think that also touches on one of the big things for why I’ve always found Asian American empowerment to be something to talk about. Especially as a musician, especially as a funk musician. We’re breaking down barriers and we’re breaking down stereotypes and as a musician we’re already breaking down the stereotype of what everyone expects you to be as an Asian American. But at the same time we’re also breaking down another barrier because we’re not playing the same kind of music people are expecting us to play. When you’re Asian American there’s a very specific thing that people are expecting. When we get up on stage, it also speaks volumes about sounding different.

Do you think it’s easier to break stereotypes of Asian Americans in music as a band or on your own?

Wesley— Everything is easier a a band, because with more people in you have a support system. It’s really hard being on your own, making all these decisions, showing up on your own, playing shows and controlling a room. It’s a lot more difficult than when you get up on stage with six other guys that are like you’re best friends in the world. Even if the show sucks, and you have a good time with your friends, when you’re having a good time with your friends that kind of makes the show a good show.

Zach— Speaking to the growth of that, I want to add that as a band it’s definitely easier, but because there are more of you, it gives you a sense of identity. I think that my growth, not just as a musician but as an Asian American socially aware person, has come from playing in communities where you can’t help but be surrounded by like minded individuals. That only helps become who you are. A lot of my Asian American tendencies that I want to are sort of a by-product of the people I’m around.

What’s your advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

Wesley— Don’t be afraid to fail, that’s really the thing I’ve been thinking about a lot. You’re gonna suck for a long time, that’s fine, it’s fine to suck because everyone sucks in the beginning. That’s kind of what’s fun about it, being bad at what you do for a long time. Then once you are terrible at something for a while, you eventually get pretty good at it and people start to actually dig what you’re doing.

Zach— Share your dreams with people too. That’s an important thing, you’ll find people who want to go on the wild ride with you. I think that only helps you get started a lot more swiftly than if you were to dive into the unknown by yourself.

Follow Trace Repeat on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and be sure to see the whole band at their performance at Kollaboration STAR.

Meet the STAR Finalists: Kaptivated

Kollaboration Atlanta’s Kaptivated, rapper

My government name is Edward Sun. I’m Chinese American, I was born and raised in Atlanta, I’m 22 years old. The meaning behind the phrase “Kaptivated” is that a lot of who I am today has to do with my faith. Captivated by love that God has shown me, and because of that I do a lot of what I do. The things that I talk about, the Asian American experience and who I am in general, is all wrapped up and comes out of that idea. It’s just spelled with a K so people can find me.

How did you find out about Kollaboration?

I have a friend who did Kollaboration, his name is Josh Fu he’s part of The Fu Muisc, who were competitors. Both of them went to my church, and I heard about it when they started making music, and looking through stuff that they’ve done I saw that they’ve performed at Kollaboration. I started thinking about auditioning, and then I did it. That’s when I auditioned for Kollaboration Atlanta last time. This is the second time.

How do you feel that you’ve gotten this far?

It’s crazy. I remember specifically the first time I auditioned for Kollaboration Atlanta, I remember a friend of mine asked, “what if you win?” Then another friends of mine who was there said, “You’re not gonna win.” That was a couple of years ago, and it’s really crazy to see that now I have that exact opportunity that I didn’t think I could get or have. Plus, it wasn’t even all by myself, it was the people who have been seeing me do what I’ve been doing for a long time voting for me and supporting me. It’s not just that I’ve been given the opportunity by you guys, which I really appreciate, but it’s also I never really understood how much my fans really support me. I feel so blessed.

Why did you decide to audition for Kollaboration Atlanta again?

The first time that I did it, it was a great experience. I really think I grew a lot from it and I met a lot of great people. It was the biggest show I’ve ever been to, and I always was thinking maybe I’ll try again. I think it was mostly the fact that during the first time I auditioned, I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know my musical identity, what I really wanted to accomplish with my music, and I realize that it didn’t really make sense what I was trying to communicate. What can I do with this audience, an Asian American audience, that I can’t do anywhere else? So I wrote a song about he Asian American experience and that song really aligns with Kollaboration’s mission, and does something that can only be done with this specific audience. Not only have I grown into what I believe I really know who I am now as a musician, but I think it’s just a greater purpose than just me getting greater exposure. I feel like redoing it with those things in the right place is worth doing.

How did you get started in music?

Two things happened at the same time: my older brother started rapping first, and me getting my first iPod. So I got my first iPod and started listening to a lot of rap, and one song I listen to was “Stand” by Eminem. That song made me realize how powerful hip-hop could be, so while I had that realization, I watched my brother start to rap. I had the relaxation the hip-hop is very powerful, and also anyone can do it. That kind of compelled me to do the same thing and start writing. That was around freshmen year of high school, and I started writing two songs a year. It was no big deal for me, but then I started to show my friends my music and they would all say, “You need to record a CD!” Freshman year of college they bought me the microphone, and that’s when I started doing Kaptivated.

When did you start taking Kaptivated for real?

I kind of got started my freshmen year of college, I’m a senior now, it was three years ago and my friends put together a bunch of money to buy me a microphone for my birthday. After that I’m like, “I need to take this seriously, so I’m going to do this for real.” So I started recording and then I released my first mix tape that year, and that’s when I started pursuing it for real.

How do you describe your style?

I think it’s pretty precise, it’s not like Lupe or really relaxed. I tend to be less poetic and more this is what I’m trying to say. It came from listening to a lot of specific kinds of hip hop. I guess there’s a lyrical side of hip hop and there’s a more conversational side, and I listen to those kind of rappers. For example, when I was just getting into hip-hop I listened to a lot of B.O.B. and the Cray, Logic, and Drake, and all of them just say what they’re trying to say. Like Lupe Fiasco, you have to really listen to what he’s trying to say. I think it was just what I was exposed to is what I was trying to do and imitate.

Why do you think representation in the arts is important?

I think it’s because Asians exist in America. If there were no Asian, I wouldn’t care. But because we exist, there are a lot of issues that we experience that I think are unique to us. We don’t have anyone to look up to, we don’t have anyone who is leading and how to deal with that kind of experience. If we do have those people, they’re not in media, which is the best way for us to even observe. Also, people just don’t know our experience, and because there’s no representation, you get broad misunderstandings of who we are, what we think, how we feel. That manifests itself in stuff like stereotyping and racism. Ultimately, I think it’s better for society as a whole if these people exist, they should be represented.

What’s it like being a rapper when there aren’t many Asians in the field?

Music could be made by anyone, but it feels like I have a lot of space to do what I want to do and be myself. I have a lot of freedom, as in I can only copy other people to an extent because it’s never been done. And if it has been done, it’s only been done one way. So I think that I have a very unique privilege when it comes to speaking— especially through hip hop because it’s very dense a genre. You can say a lot more in hip hop than you can in other genres and one of the biggest things about hip hop is its authenticity, more so than most other genres. The tool that I have in my hand is very powerful, and for me to be able to use it with a unique perspective for a unique audience and share a unique story, it’s great. It’s exactly what I think we need, so it’s really good to know that I’m filling a need.

You said your brother raps too, so how has it been telling your parents you both want to do this?

At first it was a lot of, “You guys have to understand this is just a hobby. You’ll never be the best so you might as well as do something else to be the best as like doctor or lawyer. But after I started putting together shows and performed at Kollaboration… I think the tipping point was more when I needed all this equipment and my parents said, “Is it a necessity? Because I’m not buying it for you.” So I worked at Apple and all of the money I got I spent on music equipment. I guess it made them realize how serious I was, and at that point they’ve been a lot more supportive. They will never really say, “we want you to do this for a living.” but they will come out to my shows and share the stuff that I post. They’ll understand that I care about it.

What’s your advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

Yo, if you have a gift or a passion, do it no matter what. I think like what you like, and do what you want to do. If you do it well, and some areas it’s going to be harder to get full time than in other areas, but you can do it if you work hard enough. Just do it, be yourself.

Follow Kaptivated on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Soundcloud, and be sure to catch him perform at Kollaboration STAR 2016!

Meet the STAR Finalists: Timothy John

Kollaboration Los Angeles’ Timothy John Gonzales, singer-songwriter

I’m 22 and I just graduated from University of California Irvine, half of my college career was mechanical engineering but I ended up with business economics. I decided to do this whole music thing legitimately, and all my passion goes toward that and mechanical engineering was sucking my life out of my body. I’m Chinese-Filipino, but culturally I’m fully Filipino. I’m not originally not from California, I was born and raised in New Jersey. I moved around a lot as a kid, then I came to California in the middle of my ninth grade year of high school.

How did you hear about Kollaboration?

I had a friend who won Kollaboration LA in 2013, but I didn’t think I was ready to play until this past Kollaboration. Actually, that’s a lie— I was ready to play last year, but I missed the audition. I actually know quite a few people who have played for Kollaboration but I wasn’t really ready at the time. This year, I’m actually glad I didn’t do it last year because now I feel like I’ve actually developed a sound and something that I’m proud of.

What does it mean that you’ve gotten this far?

In terms of Kollaboration, I couldn’t be more humbled to be there. I’m just glad that I was able to play. I didn’t really expect much, there’s some photos that I was pretty shocked that I won. STAR is going to be great, we have a bigger line up, it’s going to be good. I’ve been kind of going by what one of the judges at LA told me— she was explaining that when we play, it’s always as if there was nobody else in the crowd, we’d still be playing the exact same way. That’s what I want to stay true to. It’d be nice to win, but I’m honestly just grateful for the opportunity.

How did you get into music?

I started playing guitar when I was 12, my dad is really into music and my whole life I’ve been singing. I’ve always been around a lot of music, a lot of my family members play instruments and sing. It wasn’t until I moved to California where I kind of developed my sense of what I thought music was and what is was to me, the self expression and the art versus a sound. It was a lot of darker times, moving here, it was a heavy time where I was able to discover myself as a songwriter. It wasn’t until becoming a songwriter that I really fell in love with music and the ability to create something out of nothing. I love having an idea in my mind and seeing it come to fruition, having a tangible product.

Who are some of your influences?

Definitely my family, I wouldn’t be here playing music without my dad or my brothers. In terms of artists, I love old American folk songwriters. I’m kind of late to the game, but I fell in love with blues when I was 17. That’s been my bread and butter, I love to express in terms of guitar playing the most. People say I sound like Hozier, James Bay, and the guy that I love right now is Matt Corby, he’s a huge influence for me. A lot of inspiration from blues and soul, and a focus on songwriting.

Do you normally play covers or your own music?

I barely ever do covers, I write all my own music, arrange and write. I like covers, but I’m not a huge fan of playing covers because for me I lose a sense of myself in playing other people’s music. It’s kind of like this romance in playing your own music, you’ve been with it, you’ve cherished it. Especially when you’re writing, it’s really intimate because you have to keep playing the song a million times to get it right. It’s really special to me to play my own music.

What’s your advice for songwriters?

Anyone can really do it. I describe myself very much so as a songwriter, so if I’m going to be completely honest, I’d say to be aware. When you’re writing a song, you’re trying to tell a story. I think a lot of the time people forget that your melody also tells a story. If your lyrics are telling one story and your melody is telling a different story, it’s not going to go together.

How was it to release your own EP?

So the intent was not to sell records, I just wanted a tangible product to give to people to listen to or for something to hand to people. It was interesting, I learned a ton about myself as a musician. I wasn’t entirely happy with the EP, but it was great because I learned what I want my sound to be like. I learned that I’m an artist that actually sounds better live. People talk about, “I wish you could put the emotion that you portray into a record,” which now I’m working on making another record and I would love to dig deeper into how to do that. It was a low-budget EP, and I’m proud of it for sure. But I know I can always do better.

Why do you think representation in the arts is important?

I think it’s definitely something that’s been neglected, or overlooked. It’s not so much there isn’t anybody around, it’s just nobody’s paying attention or giving any opportunities. I’m all about Kollaboration and I love that they’re offering a platform for Asian Americans to play. I think we’re in the times right now, especially in America, there’s a bridge now that we can cross and we just need to make enough names to change stereotypes. At the end of the day, I really truly believe that if you’re just good, people can’t deny you. Especially as a musician, if you hone your craft, and you’re passionate, people can’t ignore the sound.

Do you have advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

If I’m going to give advice to Asian Americans, I would say, write. A lot of the time the focus is put on covers, and we need to create original content. People will see that Asian Americans are creating, versus just like twisting. So I would love for younger Asian Americans artists who are looking for advice to think to the roots of creating art. Writing songs, composing music, it’s becoming a lost art.

Follow Kollaboration Los Angeles to keep up with Timothy John and be sure to catch him at Kollaboration STAR.

Meet the STAR Finalists: Jason Vinluan

Kollaboration Chicago’s Jason Vinluan, violinist

I’m Filipino, I grew up in Milwaukee, went to school in Madison, Wisconsin. I moved to Chicago for music in 2000, so I’m pretty familiar with the music scene and I wanted to get more into the Asian American scene.

How’d you hear about Kollaboration?

I found Kollaboration through one of my Filipino friends, they’re kind of infiltrated in the Chicago scene, so I talked to the head guy and he wanted me on his showcase.

How does it feel that you’ve come this far?

I feel honored. Just knowing and competing with the talent we have here (in Chicago) I was pretty intimidated. I feel very lucky to do this, and I didn’t really expect that this was going to happen. I kind of just took it as it’s never going to happen, and then when it did I was just kind of shocked. I feel kind of concussed right now. I’m excited for this whole thing, I want to tell my whole family.

When did you get into music?

I’ve been playing since I was young. I played a lot when I was a child, my parents made me practice all the time, it sucked, I hated it. In college it was great, I was able to meet so many different people, people that really enjoy music, enjoy violin. It’s something that I wanted to pursue, and I knew I had the work ethic. I moved to Chicago because there was a band that I auditioned for, and I came out and started playing with them.

Has it been hard to pursue music as career?

Yeah for sure because I was on the pre-med path, I majored in micro biology in college. It was tough, but the success I had coming out of college, I was really surprised with the success I had, and I was able to make enough that I was able to make my own decisions. I feel like Asian influence and the pressure, I think it’s so extreme, the backlash is also huge. Like when I was 18 and I finally left the house, I felt like there was a beast inside of me. We’re balancing things out with my dad. I’m back in school, and he knows that I love music and that I don’t want to give that up. But you can always do more.

What was it like going from pre-med to pursuing music?

The summer after college I studied to take the MCAT, I did good enough to get back into Wisconsin for school, but I thought I’m going to try out music for a little while. Of course I was young, and the romantic idea of touring the country and getting paid to play music was so great. Now, I’m old enough it sounds like a pain in the ass. I’ve traveled a lot and it’s hard, it’s not the easiest thing in the world, and you start to miss home.

How do you describe your style?

I have influences in jazz fusion, the classical violinists, and modern music with violin. For me right now, I think I like songs. I don’t care what kind of style it is, if it’s a good song. I think that’s the kind of style I’m going for.

As a more established musician and a violinist, do you think your approach to STAR is different?

What I do is a little different because I’m not up there playing guitar and singing. The game I’m playing is different. I feel like playing guitar and singing, there’s a lot of talented singer-songwriters out there, if you’re good, you’re good and you know it. That’s something you see all the time so you can compare yourself, you can kind of etch your way into that kind of style. For me it’s hard because the sky’s the limit. I’m working so my audience doesn’t get bored, they must never get bored during a performance.

Why do you think representation in the arts is important?

I think it’s incredibly important because in pop culture, you think about Asian icons in the States, and I think I can name like three of four in the last thirty or forty years. Everyone knows like five or six Asians they can name off, and three of them are NBA players. Any culture, there’s beauty in it, in a lot of different aspects and I feel like it hasn’t been expressed. The more we can do that the better.

Advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

Love what you do. Be patient because if you don’t have patience you can be destroyed pretty easily.

Advice for people who want to start out but don’t know how to tell their parents?

Show them that you love what you’re doing. It could be simple as if you’re a songwriter, write them a song. Whatever it is, express why you want to do that and hopefully if they see it, they’ll understand.

Follow Jason on Facebook and be sure to catch him this year at Kollaboration STAR.

Meet the STAR Finalists: Samica Jhangiani

Kollaboration Boston’s Samica Jhangiani, singer-songwriter

I’m from San Francisco, California, born and raised here. Then I decided that since I was born and raised in California, I wanted to explore what else is out there. That’s why I applied to Boston University and at BU I was just a confused child, I literally studied everything. I tried dentistry, bio, and then junior year I’m just going to business because it’s the most vague thing. Then I finally got the degree, made my parents happy, and somehow convinced them to give me time to try and do the whole music thing.

How did you hear about Kollaboration?

At BU my roommate founded the BU International Society, and asked me to come to her show. So I played a few songs, and two people from BU Taiwanese American Student Association found me and asked me to play their show. When I went to that show, and it was a collab with Kollaboration Boston. I won that and then I met Jane (Pak) and she told me about Kollaboration, the whole community, and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. There’s so many people that are so similar to me, that have the same kind of story. I just fell in love with it and wanted to be a part of it. Jane invited me to come play at the event they were having and then they nominated me to come represent Boston in LA. It was crazy, everything was a domino effect, one after the other. I was like, “Wow, this is something I should really be a part of.”

What does it mean to you’re going to perform at STAR?

It’s so funny, I was just telling my mom yesterday that this is a really big deal. It was just so new to me, I researched so much about it, and it’s a big deal so I’m super excited by it. I feel so #blessed to be the one to represent Boston, I have to much of my pride there, meeting all the people there, and getting a chance to be a part of it was just a big deal. In Boston I would do little things here or there, but I’ve never been a part of a huge competition, it’s definitely my first time feeling like I’m competing against so many people. It’s a bit nerve wracking but it’s also a bit exhilarating.

How did you get into music?

My sister sings as well so we’ve grown up with music. Both of my grandmothers sing, so they really taught us how to sing Indian music and then we picked up English music being here. When I was really young, I had this super baby guitar, so music has always been with me growing up. Even in high school my thing was choir, I was the cool choir kid, I did musicals.

What are some of your influences?

Both my parents are Indian, my mom grew up in Chicago, and my grandparents also live here. So my grandma sings all the time, in the temples and stuff like that, so she’s so good! I wish I could be that good! She sings strictly classical Indian music, stuff like Bollywood, and she taught that to me and my sister. What I try to do, since I am both, is mix the Hindi and Punjabi lyrics with English so it represents me and both cultures. I have a bunch of singles written but never played for anyone, or put them out there yet. I play quite a few of my originals when I write them, and if there’s a show I always like to mix the two.

What’s the best way to describe your style?

I would say probably low-key rebellious. Really low-key rebellious. If you meet me in person, I’m super bubbly and stuff. But because as an Asian American you have to follow a certain path that’s set up for you— engineering, doctor, and especially in the tech world, you become a computer science major— that’s just standard what you do. I feel like I am the only one that’s not on a paved path. I’m making my own path doing music. It’s hard to tell your parents, “Hey you just spend 200 grand, but I’m going to go try and pursue this and see what happens.”

Why do you think representation is important in the arts?

No one really listens to Asian American music sunless you are Asian American. I think that’s just because there isn’t really much of a representation as the should be. I think that it’s harder to reach more ears, and now that there’s so many more people coming in, there’s so much more diversity between all of us. It’s kind of cool, that I’m an Indian girl and then I see Priyanka Chopra. Your’e just like, I’m not separated, I’m not divided between being just American and being just Indian. I can can actually really blend the two. You don’t have to choose between the two which one you want to be, you can mix the two and make it your own, and so creative that other people can relate to it.

What’s your advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

I feel like I’m still starting, but I can say what really helped me was putting myself out there. I never really put myself out there until I started putting it on social media, posting videos to YouTube, on Instagram, little things. Really getting that started, that’s what really helped me, even with my parents. That’s one of the biggest challenges for me growing up because they never really saw the opportunity in it. I started posting stuff online, and then people really liked it, and I would tell my parents. They were like, “Wow, you’re really taking on the challenge yourself.” If you do it for yourself, you kind of get it started and aren’t waiting around for something to happen, and just take the plunge. I think that’s the best thing you can do, and sometimes it can be hard, but it’s really important that it happens.

Follow Samica on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and be sure to catch her performance at Kollaboration Star.

Meet the STAR Finalists: Brian Bui

Kollaboration D.C.’s Brian Bui, singer-songwriter

I’m a singer-songwriter, 21 years-old, half-Vietnamese and half-Chinese, I go to George Mason University in D.C. I’m studying marketing and hopefully I can work in the music industry somehow through marketing. If I’m not an artist, then I would want to be behind the scenes.

How’d you hear about Kollaboration?

I followed it for a few years, my sister told me about it, and I knew this girl named Alice Park who auditioned and got pretty far, and so I just heard it through friends. This (year) just so happened to come up and one of my friends told me, “The deadline is in like three days, you need to apply!” So I just went for it.

What does it mean that you’ve gotten this far?

It means a lot because I’m mainly doing this for the experience. I actually never thought of myself winning… I mean, I want to win. But the main point of it for me is the experience, meeting new people, and getting to know a lot more other Asian American artists who are in this industry and want to pursue this as their passion. Hopefully through this I could maybe work with people who do music production, or collab with them. But winning, ultimately, would be great.

How did you get into music?

I always had an affinity towards music from a young age, and then I started doing chorus in elementary school and all up until the end of high school. It didn’t really hit me until seventh grade (and) I started getting recognized for singing. As a middle schooler, a high school teachers asked me to be in the high school musical Les Miserables. I played Garvoche, and then from that I gained more confidence in singing. Then, at the end of eighth grade, I was following Melissa Polinar on YouTube and I really got inspired by her, so I started to pick it up and see where it took me.

What’s the best way to describe your style?

This isn’t really a genre, singer-songwriter. I’m kind of Ed Sheeran-esque, it’s more of like pop with jazz influenced vocals. I do both (original songs and covers), and at STAR I’ll probably do one original and one cover. I’m still working on what I should do, I’m not sure if I should repeat what I’ve already done for Kollaboration or steer away from that.

How do you incorporate your influences in your sound?

I follow a lot of their guitars styles, you can see a lot of Ed Sheeran, Tori Kelly, Melissa Polinar, they are only just a guitar and a voice. I look to that for influence. As for melodies, I usually go for a really easy flow— when I just play something and whatever comes to mind, I’ll sing it. I don’t think of a concept before I do it, that’s just the general feeling that I have, it’s like a real-time kind of feeling.

Why do you think representation in the arts is important?

I think it’s important because it showcases a lot of the diversity in our nation, and the world especially. In the U.S. Asian American minorities are the fastest rising group, so it makes sense for them to get showcased. It’s getting more prevalent in TV, but it’s not really hitting he music scene as much.

How do you feel since there aren’t a lot of Asian singers in the mainstream?

There’s not many Asian singers at all, it makes me kind of sad. The entertainment business mainly focuses on white, and black and Latinos, and don’t really focus on the Asian population because it’s not “popular.” You don’t see us as often in media, so we’re not going to be shown, they’re not going to put effort into promoting these new artists. I think it’s just sad, so hopefully through non-profits like Kollaboration there’s more of an opportunity to show what we can do.

Do you think it would be easier for Asian Americans who are getting started to do it independently or through the traditional route?

I think now, even though it’s been progressive through the entertainment business, I think it would be better to be independent. Also going through an agent and the industry, they want you to write about certain things. You’re not a creative as you can be. Like I said before, the music industry looks for a specific look or voice, and Asian Americans aren’t really sought after. I think doing your independent thing, growing a following, is a lot better.

Do you have advice for people who want to get started but are too scared?

Even if you don’t think you’re going to make it, determination is probably the number one thing that you have to think about. There have been doubts in my music career, and I thought as an Asian American, I wouldn’t be able to to showcase my talent. Because you don’t see people who are in the media who are like that. But you grow a following by yourself and just keep doing what you’re doing. You just have to do what you love and hopefully people will recognize your talent.

Follow Brian on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter and be sure to catch him November 12 at Kollaboration STAR.

Kawehi Talks Her Most Collaborative EP to Date, “Interaktiv”

Kawehi is best known for being a DIY singer-songwriter, beatboxer, and one-woman orchestra. First going viral with her cover of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” her YouTube channel of 9.6 million views showcases her vocal, instrumental, and looping abilities via covers of hit songs and original work. She is known for melting faces at shows all over the country, including Kollaboration SF 5 in 2014, for which she acted as a headline. She can recently be seen in the “Experience Amazing” commercial for Intel, where she’s briefly seen giving a modern take on Beethoven’s “5^th Symphony.”

Within the last four years, she’s released EPs of her own music and on February 26, she dropped her seventh work, “Interaktiv.” In an interview via e-mail, Kawehi discusses the making of this new body of work and how over 900 people got involved in the creative process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP5NKn68S50

How would you describe your new EP “Interaktiv” (in terms of sound, style, subjects, tone, etc.)?

It’s a no genre EP – more like a conversation/discussion than commercialized singles. The song subjects were all decided as a collective – the 900+ people who made the project happen and myself.

Every EP you’ve created has always been under a specific theme. How did you come up with the theme for this one?
Themes! I know. We’ve done so many different themes – an all vocal EP, an EP made with toy instruments – I wanted to come back home with this one. I make it a point to do as much personal interacting with my fan base as possible, by answering as many e-mails/Facebook comments/wall posts/tweets as I can. I thought it’d be great to include them into the creative journey as well.
You had your Kickstarter backers heavily involved with the creative process of “Interaktiv.” Why did you decide to do that?
Everything about doing EPs through crowd funding, if you think about it, is interactive. At least I think it should be. You have fans who believe in your craft so much, they’re willing to shell out their hard earned money to make your dream a reality. While I try to make my incentives as cool as possible, I think the bottom line is that people get involved in my projects because they believe in them. That’s a huge f**king thing. So Paul (my husband) and I thought – well, if the fans are making this project happen, shouldn’t they get a say in what I create? Shouldn’t they be involved in the process? That’s how “Interaktiv” came about. It’s incredibly important to me that I stay connected to my fans/supporters. I wouldn’t be here without them.

With such big input from your fan base and backers, did you have any difficulties at all over the course of creating the EP?
It was definitely more work. While I usually write based on my own personal thoughts/rages/happiness, it was different this way. It was a consensus. We didn’t always agree on everything. I had to stay incredibly organized – going through each backer’s responses and making a list and putting things to a vote – it was daunting at times. But I learned a lot about my fan base, about myself – and I felt incredibly connected to them as a human being. That feeling of knowing you’re not alone – it’s inspiring.

In what ways did this experience help you grow as an artist?
As a rule, I always look back at each project and think – did I grow from this? And the answer is always yes. That’s what I love about being a musician – there are always places to improve, things to learn. I never look back at these experiences and think, “Yup, nailed that one. Can’t get any better than me right now!” Feel free to kick me in the tooth if I ever do. The day I look back at a project and don’t feel that growth, I’ll know it’s time to throw in the towel. I hope that never happens.

This is your seventh original release within the last four years. What are your thoughts about your journey so far, and what do you predict will happen in the future?
The journey has been incredible. Yes, there were times when I wanted to punch myself in the face – but at the end of the day, I get to do what I love – I get to make music my way and keep a roof over our heads, and pizza and wine on the table. I’m living the dream, yo.

Kawehi is currently on tour for “Interaktiv.” Be sure to check out which city she’s headed to next, as well as ticket information.

Cover image via Kawehi

8 Life-Threatening Facts About Run River North (that you never knew you wanted to know)

The afternoon sun blazing overhead, I trudged up a set of stairs and, upon entering the foyer, was met with a bubble of voices and laughter, which filled up the cozy interior of House Roots Coffee. It was here where I met Alex Hwang, vocalist of the Los Angeles based band Run River North. Warm coffee mugs in hand, we retreated to a quieter room, where I learned more about the band and the inspiration behind their new album Drinking From a Salt Pond (available for pre-order now).

1. RRN band members’ entire being encapsulated in three words. Interpret as you desire:

Daniel Chae (violinist, guitarist): “Renaissance, running, tones.”

John Chong (drummer): “Drummer, model-esque, and uh, this is tough. Black & white, is that a word? I’ll use that.”

Sally Kang (keyboardist): “Demure, goofy, and big head”

Jen Rimm (violinist): “Little sister, vogue, and um, incredibly tough. Yea, tough.”

Joe Chun (bassist): “Four arms, four arms, and four arms.”

Alex Hwang (singer/songwriter): “Okay, who am I missing. John, Jen, Joe, myself? Okay, myself. Um… Monsters Calling Home.”

2. If the bottoms of your feet have been itching to know the reason behind Hwang’s lack of shoes on stage, here’s the nitty gritty: It’s just more comfortable.

Hwang on his exposed extremities, “As an Asian, you grow up in your house not having shoes, and I think of all the most comfortable places I’m in – like the shower, the bathroom, my home… I’m the most relaxed there. And the common thread for most of them is, I’m either alone, or I don’t have shoes on. So since I can’t be alone on stage, if I can take my shoes off, that’d be great… I just feel more connected to the ground.”

Growing up in a Korean household in which the shoes stopped where the carpet started, I can completely relate with Hwang’s desire to kick off his shoes for the sake of comfort. I’d hesitate to jump up and down with bare feet on some of the grodier stages that RRN’s performed on, but to each his own!

John Chong (from left), Sally Kang, Joe Chun, Alex Hwang, Jennifer Rim and Daniel Chae of Run River North. Photo by Doualy Xaykaothao, NPR

3. Stories from fans are sources of inspiration for the band.

“We’ve been really lucky to go on tour and travel the country like two, three times now, so we’re meeting people from Iowa, Michigan, Tennessee. We’d never have imagined that people would like our music. And when we do, we show up, and we have time to talk to them and there’s a lot of stories out there that seem to resonate with our stories, and it’s not too different,” says Hwang.

4. Hwang has impeccable taste in music (Subjective, perhaps. Keyword: perhaps).

“I’m really digging this one song off the Fitz and the Tantrums album. It’s called The Last Raindrop. It just came up while I was running, I think it’s just a fantastic song,” says Hwang as he searches through his iPhone. He also loves The Killers, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, and Death Cab for Cutie.

5. Music and food is what keeps the band together. Literally.

With two girls and four very different guys, the band’s been hard pressed to find activities to do together.

“We bowl sometimes,” Hwang jokes. “We eat a lot as a band, we eat out pretty well, but not too much… Daniel and Sally like to drink a lot of coffee or go to coffee shops. Joe likes to climb a lot, and tries to get the rest of the band to love it, but he just loves climbing… John and Jennifer recently got into surfing, so I think we’re going to try to get out and do that more… I think music is what we’re barely doing together.” Making music together may be their only common denominator, but the synthesis of these six diverse friends creates a sound that captivates audiences during their soulful live performances.

10850021_838524212834917_7333584654750810029_n — Run River North at Kollaboration Star 2014. Photo by John Zhang

6. Fact is, Run River North came about because of Kollaboration.

Hwang had been volunteering backstage during Kollaboration’s live shows, throughout college and during his first two years out of college. “I really loved what they were doing, and I met some of my closest friends through Kollaboration. I loved helping out and I just wanted to see what it was like backstage before I put myself in front,” reflects Hwang.

In 2011, Kollaboration was having their show at Nokia Theater, and Hwang decided to take advantage of the opportunity to perform at one of their largest venues: “So I just asked a bunch of musicians that I knew. First, I wanted to see if they liked the song [Monsters Calling Home], and if they wanted to audition with me. It wasn’t that we were gonna make a band and just do this. It was more like, ‘You want to play in Nokia Theater on stage? Let’s do this.’ And it became the first five people that are in the band.”

7. RRN’s second album is coming out by the beginning of next year, and it will be starkly different from their first.

Drinking From a Salt Pond is scheduled to be released in late January or early February of this coming year. The album will herald an end to the alternative folk sound that has become synonymous with Run River North, in large part because of the sound of their self-titled debut album, Run River North.

“We’re in this spot where it’s been a really tough year for the band. Just trying to come up with songs, and since this is our full-time job, if we’re not playing gigs, we’re not making money, so that’s a pretty big strain. And after having to tour for three years, you see everything about each other. So, all of that – put into a pot – it’s really easy for all of us to be short-tempered and toxic in our relationships,” Hwang reflects.

Yet in spite of that fact that they’re “hanging around a stagnant salt pond that’s not giving life,” Hwang explains, “somehow we’re able to make some pretty fresh stuff.” RRN seeks to strip down everything to the core in order to be as raw and honest as possible.

“I think that’s what drinking from a salt pond is like. You know this is wrong, and you know this isn’t what it’s supposed to be, but you have to take that sip, and you have to admit that there’s something wrong… just to be honest I guess,” says Hwang. “It’s not, ‘Everything’s going great.’ No, everything kind of sucks right now, and yet, even though everything kind of sucks, things are still growing and things are still fruitful, things are still good. So in the midst of crap, there’s still something going on.”

The music production is also stripped down to the bone, devoid of excessive effects. “We’re really putting a mirror to who we really are, and not trying to put any filters, or cool Instagram filters, or cool reverb, or even my voice in the record,” explains Hwang. “We’ve stripped out a lot of effects… There’s a little bit of delay on it, slap back, but a lot of the times, our vocals, and a lot of the takes too, are just really raw, and it’s exactly what we’re doing. This is who we are as a band. Sometimes it sounds kind of shitty, but I think that’s what we want – to kinda portray that we’re not the most talented, skilled people. We’re a band, and out of what we have together, here’s what we have.”

Watch the music video for the first single from the new album below!

8. And finally, some great news for fans in Asia.

The goals for the new album remain as ambitious as the last album’s – to play wherever they can, and at the biggest stages possible. Hwang also expresses that the band desires to play abroad, particularly in Asia.

Hwang explains that the band’s identity is flexible and cannot be contained into a racial category. “It feels like we’re kind of a world band,” says Hwang. “We’re not this White, Korean band, and we’re not this Asian, Korean band. So I think we can go to both places and be like, why don’t you tell us what we are, when we play?”

And he’s absolutely right. When I first heard “Monsters Calling Home” off their first album, I couldn’t believe that I was listening to a folk rock band composed entirely of Korean-Americans. Ignorant on my part, probably, but my surprise also goes to show the rarity of Asian front men in certain music genres, let alone a band composed entirely of people like me. People who harbored a duality in identity: we are neither Korean nor American, but at the same time, we are fully both. We cannot be shackled into a single racial category, but we embrace this flexibility.

And that’s exactly what Hwang and the band is doing. So kudos to Run River North for breaking racial boundaries, setting milestones, and embracing that complex blend of their identity as Asian Americans.

Feature image & video courtesy of Run River North