Herhums is an indie artist who recently renamed herself. Her original stage name was Greenblue. Her album ‘Humming in Chaos’ was released at the end of January and we were lucky enough that Herhums agreed to answer our questions.
●You recently changed your stage name from greenblue to herhums. What inspired the change? Is there a difference in storytelling or focus?
Someone else started using the same name and everything got mixed up online, so I wanted to change it while I was trying something new. Some songs in this new album are made in a totally different way from the way I used to make music.
The biggest change I went through was to accept that I am not good at writing lyrics. It’s very stressful and I can really get obsessive about it. Therefore, I was thinking of filling my album more musically and using less lyrics. But I still wanted my vocals to be the main material. So I tried to layer them harmonically in some ways that I never tried before.
● Herhums, tell us a little bit about your new album ‘Humming in Chaos’. What story are you sharing with the listener? How did the full sound come together?
From a microscopic view, it’s about the album itself. While making this album I had a few major slumps and dug deep into it which is one of the reasons why it took me so long to finish this album. It literally felt like humming in chaos.
I was scared of publishing my music and wasn’t confident about it. I bet every other artist has gone through the same phase, and so I just wanted to share that chaotic process of fear of failure with anyone who might sympathize.
Since this is my first full length album, I struggled a lot while matching the pieces together, to make it as a whole. Putting nine independent songs in one album was not an easy job for me. By the end of the process, I had to dump almost half of the songs and make four new songs all over again. So I guess it was all about finding the right matching pieces.
● ‘Modern Chaos’ feels almost more like a poem than a song. What was the inspiration for the lyrics?
‘Modern Chaos’ was the first name I thought of as the album title. I think we all try to run away from our own thoughts of chaos. For me, my priority has always been tranquility so running away from chaos is kind of like my eternal destiny.
● Can you tell us a bit more about the meaning of the song ‘Old Wind’? It feels like there’s a lot of anxiety swirling around in the instrumentals.
I recently moved to a very rural area where there aren’t any houses or buildings around. It’s quite exposed. In winter, there comes this massive wind from the huge mountains surrounding this region. And this blows directly into my house. I thought it would blow my roof away and kill me, I was so terrified and felt so powerless. I’ve never felt so anxious. You said it perfectly in your question.
It was like a very loud and constant bellow which gave me the idea of the song.
The lyrics have layered meanings so even though it’s quite metaphoric, people might not actually know that it is very much about the wind.
● In the track ‘Andante’, you repeat the word over and over. Can you tell us a bit more about the meaning and creation of the song?
I’m always in a rush because I think time is coming after me, like it’s chasing me. So this song is kind of like a spell I wrote for myself to take things slow and somehow let it go. I hope it works for others as well.
● What do you want people to take away from ‘Humming in Chaos’?
I want people to feel anything, something, like I did. And express themselves. Don’t fear being emotive listening to this. There’s a lot less opportunity to feel as you grow old. Everything gets numb. And I think that’s where music/art should come in. To make you feel alive, to make you feel something, at least. I hope you feel alive listening to my music.
● You write both English and Korean tracks. How is writing in either language? Is there a preference?
I usually write drafts in English. I think it’s easier to express vague words in English than to do it in Korean. Usually I keep some of the keywords from the draft if there’s anything good, and turn it into a mood or a story. I would choose whichever language that would better express the song.
● How is the full process of creating a track? Do you usually start with a melody or with the lyrics? As you write, compose and arrange the songs, do you have a favorite part?
Usually I make a very short chord progression and start with the melody and lyrics at the same time. Always record the vocal that comes out for the first time. I think this step gives me a certain idea of the theme of the song.
Once I have the idea to build the song around it, I start doing things simultaneously. Since I work alone, I compose and write lyrics, arrange, and mix in no particular order. Anything good adds on to the song. So for me it actually isn’t a separate job, but I think each one is a unique field and I enjoy every part!
● How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
Slow, kind of dark, Indie, seasonal.
● Can you tell us how you started making music?
I love cinema. After watching one of my favorite films ‘Synecdoche, New York’, I was so deep into my emotions and didn’t know what to do with it. I had to pull it out and do something about it. That’s when I chose to write a song. ‘Heal’ is still one of my favorite songs that I’ve made.
