[Interview] 'Inspire Me Korea' : Interview with 'ARTLOVER (아트러버)' K-SPOTLIGHT (Special)

 

Inspire Me Korea : Can you introduce yourself to new listeners? What kind of music can we expect from you?

ARTLOVER : Hello, my name is ARTLOVER. I am a girl who loves a retro style and I want to communicate with people through my music. My music is pop-based yet still a bit experimental; like a mix of hip-hop, rock, jazz and soul genres.

 

Inspire Me Korea : How did you derive your stage name? Where did the idea come from?

ARTLOVER : I have always called myself ARTLOVER, because I have always been a big fan of art! And when time came to pick my artist name, I just thought that ARTLOVER felt right.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Who do you feel are your target audience and will enjoy your music the most?

ARTLOVER : I hope that it is for everyone! I don’t want to make assumptions about who my audience target is because I really want my music to speak to as many people as possible.

 

Inspire Me Korea : What was it like being a make-up artist for such well-known brands like ELLE and Vogue? Did it allow you to do quite a lot of travelling in your job? Did you have a busy schedule?

ARTLOVER : It was fun and in many ways it gave me a very creative feeling – that’s something I always enjoy. Especially when working with a magazine like Elle; you might expect them to take charge in making most of the decisions regarding direction but in fact, they are very open to suggestions and ideas. Being a make-up artist was a lot of hard work, with early mornings and lots of travel as well. For example I went to Dubai for a month to work.

Inspire Me Korea : What are your likes and dislikes about staying in London? What place would you recommend people visit?

ARTLOVER : London offers many opportunities for young artists and I like that it’s multicultural, but sometimes I will miss my family and traditional food.

If you want meet young artists in London, I recommend visiting Shoreditch.

 

Inspire Me Korea : How did you transition from fashion to music and what was it about music that prompted your decision? Did you have contacts in the industry?

ARTLOVER : I started preparing my music project a few years ago so it’s been a long process. I’ve made some connections over the years that have been helpful. I have wanted to become a musician for as long as I can remember. Then I made a decision to overcome my fears and just go ahead.

I brought my experience from the make-up industry into music, especially the collaboration part of things. Both make-up for fashion and making music is all about team work. Learning to work with others has been very helpful for me in my music career.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Will you be pursuing music full-time now? Or will you remain involved in make-up for the fashion industry?

ARTLOVER : I am not sure what will happen in the future but my idea is to combine K-pop and K-beauty. That’s my ultimate vision. I’m currently very focused on finishing up my EP and when I can better manage my time, I will keep doing make-up work, especially for the best magazines.

 

Inspire Me Korea : We’ve heard of many people wanting to become singers, but not as many declaring their love for rap, even less so from females. Were you always interested in rap?

ARTLOVER : I started with singing and rapping came later. I just felt that I had a natural feel for the groove. It was a good move to start rapping. For instance, it has helped me to find an audience who can connect with my music. Partly because it’s a bit exotic and different being a girl who raps.

Inspire Me Korea : How do you plan on standing out with your music? Is there anything you want to particularly focus on for later promotions?

ARTLOVER : From a K-pop standpoint, my music sounds very different and original, but I’m also very interested in the visual aspect of music and I believe that I have a fresh eye for it. Therefore I think that will be a very important tool for me to distinguish myself from others.

 

Inspire Me Korea : ‘Want U Back’ is a nice fusion of retro pop and rap elements. What involvement did you have with the composition of the single?

ARTLOVER : I wrote the chords and then the lyrics and melody with Swedish producer/writer Max Billion. Max has worked with a lot of dance artists such as Mike Perry, Cazzette and Paris Blohm so he brought a fresh perspective to the table.

Inspire Me Korea : What opportunities are available to you as a new artist? Is it more difficult for a solo act to gain traction early on?

ARTLOVER : It is a big challenge to gain traction but I’ve had great luck with blogs and magazines that have shown some interest in me. They are usually supportive towards new artists so if I were to give advice to someone trying to forge a new music career it would be to reach out to as many as possible.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Do you enjoy experimenting with your music right now, or do you have a specific style or sound in mind that you want people to associate with ARTLOVER?

ARTLOVER : We have a clear direction but we have also left a lot of room to try out different things and see what works best for me. I don’t want to limit the identity of ARTLOVER too much musically. I want my music to draw inspiration from a lot of different styles but at the same time, build it around a few trademark elements that are unique to me.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Who do you seek advice from? Who guides you in these early stages of your new career?

ARTLOVER : Max Billion has given me lots of advice, which is invaluable since he is a professional in the industry. And my label Trompe L’oeil Records do loads as well.

 

Inspire Me Korea : How are preparations for the EP going? Have you and your management set a target number of songs to be written?

ARTLOVER : The EP is going well. We’re currently in the process of finishing it up! We just write as much as we can do what feels right.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Is there any song released by another artist that you wish could have been yours?

ARTLOVER : Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it but I guess that most of Sia’s songs would have been awesome to release.

 

Inspire Me Korea : Are there any planned collaborations or do you wish to stand out strongly as a soloist first?

ARTLOVER : There are many different collaborations that I think would be amazing. When people ask about it, I usually answer G-dragon. But until that day arrives I will focus on establishing myself as an individual artist.

 

Inspire Me Korea : What kinds of activities can we expect from ARTLOVER for the rest of 2018? What do you hope to achieve in the near future?

ARTLOVER : I am looking forward to the release of my EP and playing some gigs in London. I have many small goals and love to make gradual progress every day.

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/3oioGZ0iMj2lNlju2hjw5k?fbclid=IwAR1glV_M4tT3etc_I9Y15ECBaj63pUrUO9xFkB7Ho7qIQhR4EcFYrKwVmdU

iTunes https://music.apple.com/us/artist/artlover/1346187846

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/artlovermusic

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mynameisartlover

Twitter https://twitter.com/artlovermusic

Press Release;

Inspire Me Korea https://blog.inspiremekorea.com/news/interviews/artlover-k-spotlight-special/