At this point, it's no secret that South Korea's music scene is impeccable. And while it's mostly the catchy electronic beats and glittering melodies of K-pop that come to mind first, there's a whole world behind it just waiting to be discovered. Enter LØREN's intense guitars and fiery choruses.
From writing and producing for revered acts like BLACKPINK and G-Dragon to leading a new wave of indie rock in the country, the Korean multihyphenate has become an unstoppable force. But it's only just the beginning.
As THEBLACKLABEL artist begins a new phase of his music career, he's unveiling some of the most vulnerable parts of himself for the very first time. In what was a cathartic way to "get it all out there", LØREN pieced together the many character-defining moments he's had through the years to create what is now his debut EP, Put Up A Fight.
The EP comes on the heels of his recent signing with 88rising and his performance at SXSW. Amidst the whirlwind of changes and new beginnings in his career, Bandwagon caught up with LØREN to talk about his music-making process, working on Put Up A Fight, and what's next.
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Hi LØREN! Tell us more about Put Up A Fight. What story, if any, does it tell?
I’d say it's more of a compilation rather than something with an overlying theme. I guess it’s a story of how I was at different points in my life during the past few years.
The EP shows you more vulnerable than you’ve ever been, with themes like mental health and isolation being prevalent throughout the entire record. What was it like tapping into those themes and experiences for Put Up A Fight?
I don’t think I necessarily intended to cover those topics, but rather they’ve always been embedded in me and naturally show through my records. It’s been refreshing to ‘get it all out there’ if you know what I mean.
What do you hope listeners take away when they listen to the EP?
I hope they take away whatever they can get. I’d rather have people have their own take on my music, over specific things I want people to get from it.
You’ve garnered a lot of attention over the last two years with your work in the K-pop scene and your own music. How are you processing all of that, especially with the release of your debut EP? Do you feel pressure, excitement, etc.?
I think a lot of it never quite got to me until recently, especially because I never released or played music for a while. The show I did recently was amazing and I’m very excited to both release and play music for people.
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You pride yourself on making and working on every part of the music you release. What’s one philosophy that drives your music-making process?
I do get a certain sense of empowerment from the fact that I create without boundaries since I only work with myself. Recently though, I’ve been trying to write with my band as well and it’s been a great experience to have those close to me take part in the creative process.
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Who are some of the artists that inspire you? In what ways do they influence the music we hear from you today?
Recently I’ve been very into Hot Mulligan, but some of the greats I always strive to be are probably Julian from The Strokes, Jack White, Liam Gallagher, and of course, Kurt [Cobain]. The amount of emotions I feel from their music is almost overwhelming, and it continues to motivate me to become a better artist.
Where do you hope to see yourself in the next five years?
I hope to release many, MANY more songs in the future. I also would love to do more shows, because I think they also deliver music in an entirely different way.
Watch the music video for 'Folks' here.
Listen to LØREN's Put Up A Fight here.
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