Lee Hi's Harper's Bazaar Interview

Lee Hi Harper's Bazaar Interview

June 2019 Issue

Photos from DC Gallery

Photos from Harper's Bazaar ig update 

Q: Is this an interview after a long time?
- I think it's been three years. This is my first interview since my last album.

Q: Is there something you must say in today's interview?
-My new album is coming out soon. Although there's no exact release date yet, but its some time in the near future and its a different side of me from what you've seen so far it will be a more mature image and songs for this comeback.  You'll see how I've changed through doing the music I wanted to do. My new album matches the mood of this pictorial. 

Q: How are they similar?
-Kind of like an oriental feel. When I was making the album I thought about how can I make a song that's oriental. The songs that I like and listen to often is western music but the more time I've been as a singer, the more I was finding for something oriental. So the lyrics are just our language. There's English but it's easy enough to understand. 

Q: The latest song you released was a feature for Code Kunst's XI. You matured in many ways than before, I was surprised. It's a song where you were directly involved with the lyrics, it looks like Lee Hi has grown more mature. 
-He's older than me and naturally more mature. I didn't want it to look like it's been put together, I wanted it to look naturally mature. 'XI' is a song I'm personally satisfied with. Originally, Code Kunst's 'X' and 'XI' was to be put in my album. 

Q: In your coming album, do you have any mature songs?
-One of the reasons I started getting noticed is because I have a mature voice for someone so young and that has been a constant worry for me. When I was young I kept doing mature music or I just didn't know how to do cute songs, I don't know. Right now I'm not a kid anymore and not yet an adult, I think somewhere in the middle. I guess it's the same when you're older. For the past three years I had a lot of thoughts and concerns and I poured it all out in my new album. 

Q: In your new album, do you have any self-made songs or songs you volunteered (helped in making) in? 
-I chose the songs in the album, and I wanted to put all my thoughts into it. I wrote lyrics, listened to the songs I composed, and when I look through it again, there is more than meets the eye. I wanted to show how Lee Hi wants to do colorful music. When you listen to the album, you'll see how much I've grown. I would like people to see a more mature side of me, specially my fans who has cheered me on and known me since middle school (KPOP Star).

Q: When you were a part of KPop Star you were 16 and now you're 24. Do you have any concerns about your age?
-I've been there once. I forgot my age and just lived. I think I always live like I'm 19. I'm the youngest at home too. At the beginning of this year my mom asked me "How old are you this year?" and I said "I think 22?" and she went "You're 24. Why are you cheating?" (laughs) It's been like this since I was young, guests come over and get surprised when I say I'm 24. That's how the concept of this album started. 

Q: When the album comes out, is there any feedback you'd like to hear?
-"Lee Hi has grown in a colorful way" thinking about it, that would be nice. I think this album contains all of my colors, and a more mature image if you look at it. Rather than "Oh she grew up" or "It's really the same," more like "She's growing naturally," something like that. 

Q: It's been three years since your second album <SEOULITE>. You said in an interview then "During my three year break I thought, is being a singer is really the right path?" How was it for this hiatus?
-That time, the break was really hard for me. I was young when I debuted so more and more I learned that it wasn't easy. For this break, I tried to be a more solid artist. I made music and sent all the lyrics I wrote. It's different now. I'm still young and I thought there's no need to rush. I took music as my hobby and I enjoy it.

Q: Looking at your Instagram, you often post cute things?
-I like to show what's pretty in my eyes. That's what everybody does. It may be pretty in my eyes but not to others. It's an expression of what looks pretty to me. So I post my drawings, my collages, and beads. Even my hands, I want to be someone who could do everything. Actually, it helped with recording the album, I learned from doing this and that. I like cute and feminine things. 

Q: Even when you weren't promoting, your songs are doing well, 'Breathe', 'It's Over', etc. Have you seen other artists cover your songs?
-It's amazing. I came from an audition program and you sing to the world when you sing a song from an artist you like and this time artists I like are singing my songs and I'm grateful. When I debuted I thought "Who's gonna sing my songs when the time comes?" I knew I had to work hard for it. 

Q: The comment "Mature and charming voice" are the words you got from everyone from the very start until now, are there any more compliments you'd like to hear?
-"A voice I like to hear over and over again." Although to hear someone say you're voice is good once is nice, if someone says I have a voice they'd like to constantly hear and not get tired of it, that would be nice.

Q: For your songs, do you think the first verse is the most dramatic moment in your songs rather than the climax or is it the first time we hear your voice? 
-This time it's very surprising. I always thought the first verse is the good part. For me I listen to a song from start till the end, there's no song where I didn't. It would be nice if I can be an artist you can listen to from start to finish.

Q: <KPop Star> From the start of season one to the early days of your debut, what kind of person was Lee Hi?
- I think I was a mature child. But I was still a child. I may have looked like a calm kid on TV but on the inside I was shaking just like any normal kid so I made a lot of mistakes. Now that kind of exaggeration passes and I'm more composed. That time I didn't know anything, when I made a mistake I will apologize and I keep getting caught. (laughs) It was hard when you think about it.

Q: So is the 24 year old Lee Hi an adult?
-Uhm..I think it would be nice if you see me as an adult when I'm 25. (laughs) By that time, I'll be more prepared. To be honest, it's the best when you're a kid, there's much less responsibilities. I can feel more and more sense of responsibility now.

Q: Since you said that, it feels like you're an adult
LH: Nooo (laughs)

Q: "To me, it's all about music" you said this in an interview when you debuted, is this still valid?
-Music is the only thing I won't get tired of. When I was young, I tried this and that and in a week I'll get tired of it. So my mom told me "whatever you do, you have no persistence." She told me these kinds of things but no matter how much I sing and listen to music, I never get tired. I'm still like that now. I don't even worry much these days. Even for this comeback I think, "What response will I get?" and I'm very optimistic. 

Q: In the future, what side (of you) or image would you like to show?
-From this day on, I think just being happy in many ways. For now, enjoying music and life to my heart's content. In the past, when I stand and sing on stage, I had fun but didn't have a lot of time to do so but now, it's not fun when I get off the stage. But now even if it's singing or my daily life, I enjoy it. The image I want to show the most is my free self. I think being free on stage is the coolest.

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trans: @kstlkn