Korean-American, Lizzie Blue began playing the piano at the age of three. A graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Scotland and the École Normale de Musique de Paris, 
she produced a first album of nine tracks in 2015. Since her second album, she has combined beatmaking with her talent as a classical music improviser and musician of church. 
Recently she just released “Bluerain”, a third instrumental Hip-hop project surprising in its maturity. Interview with a young artist uninhibited by genres.

INTERVIEW EN FRANÇAIS EXTRAIT DU STAR WAX N°73_CLIQUEZ ICI

Can you tell us about your cultural background and origins, and explain how you discovered the many musical passions that drive you? 
I was born in Seoul, South Korea. My mom discovered me playing the piano by ear at my age 3 and started teaching me the piano. I always have been a kid who plays the piano, cello and sings. I grew up in church and fell in love with gospel and choral music. Outside of church and school, I was heavily into hip hop and R&B that I listened all day and night. I majored in piano performance from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where I hold a master’s degree and an artist diploma from Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. Currently deferring the Doctorate study due to focusing on teaching music and directing a production as an adjunct professor at Morgan State University while actively performing and producing. As a classically trained pianist who loves improvising, I found a different sense of freedom in expressing in Jazz, Gospel and Hip-hop and I could not ignore the value I felt and the love and respect that I have in those. So that is how it got merged into my musical journey, unintentionally but gratefully. 

Can you tell us about the challenges you faced adapting to prestigious institutions like the National Opera Institute in Washington and the Gabriel Faure Institute in Korea? 
Maybe introducing myself at the orientation? I suck at talking in the crowd and get a severe anxiety inside. I did not have other challenges, I fully enjoyed and had so much fun working with both! 

What inspired you to create « Paradise » an instrumental beat tape? How did you select the sounds and moods you wanted to highlight through « Bluerain »? 
Hip hop has been a big influence to my life, it’s rawness and honesty resonate with me. I don’t focus on categorizing my style such as old school, trap or lo . But I focus on expressing what I am, so I’d say what inspired me is to be honest and not being afraid to see the raw side of me. Sounds and moods depend on the very moment. But I’d like to highlight a moderate sentimental mood and warm sound selections. 

You worked with the artist Lee Belle in South Korea at the Gabriel Faure Institute. How did this collaboration influence your music? 
Lee Belle is my long-time best friend and it was such joyful and warm experience to collaborate with her. We both love a beauty of creatures and the creator, God. So I came back to the states with uplifting and warm energy, which helped me to complete « Bluerain » with recharged and refreshed mind set. 

You describe yourself as a multi-passionate artist. How do your different passions infuence your music, particularly your project « Bluerain »? 
My passion in different genres and expertise give me ideas to merge them together. For examples, “Clouds of Doubt” starts and nishes with the performance of me and my friend playing a Violin Sonata No. 5 “Spring” by Beethoven and “Joker’s Face” is a sample of my playing of “Graceful Ghost” by Bolcom. Which both have an infuence by classical music. 

You talk about playing everything that’s deeply inside of you. Can you tell us more about the creative and personal process behind this project? 
This project is very personal that each beat directly has it’s own behind stories. There wasn’t a particular creative process that I purposely put it on, but I was very tapped into my feelings and letting it out in a beautiful form. 

Is there a special track on « Bluerain » that resonates with you the most?
It changes often but these days, probably « Bluerain », « Fall » and « P.s. Love you Cheddar ». 

You mentioned wanting to analyze each beat and share the stories behind them. Could you give us a glimpse? Is there a story related to one of your tracks? 
Yes, every beat has it’s own story, I can share brie y about my last track. It was written looking at my dog, ‘Cheddar’ in the most difficult time of my life so far. Unfortunately, due to my circumstances, Cheddar is not with me anymore, but I get to hear about his well being sometimes. Cheddar is always in my heart and the amount of love that I have received, and I have had for him will remain in my heart forever. 

How did the transition between your project « Paradise » and your more recent « Bluerain » go? Are there common elements between these two projects, or are there significant evolutions in your musical approach? 
The common elements could be melody being still heavy in both projects. A significant evolution might be I am more in touch with my emotions & it is more loudly there in « Bluerain ». Also, I feel like I found the sound that I look for through my mixing, it is more balanced in my last project. 

As a beatmaker, what are your favorite production tools?
I like the sound from Maschine, but Logic Pro is what’s more comfortable for me so far as I record my playing a lot. 

How do you incorporate the piano into your beatmaking process, and how does this instrument blend with your approach to Lo-fi Jazz? 
I don’t approach aiming my sound to be lo jazz at all. But what I feel or play seem to t into that genre from the listeners view and I appreciate the feedback. I tend to prefer not too extravagant or too naïve sound but a good balance with a hint of ‘it’ that can be jazzy, churchy, warmth or witty whatever would be. I think It’s more into before the lo became a genre. In the roots of this genre, I’d say Nujabes, Substantial, J Dilla. Outside of Hip-hop musician, Maurice Ravel is one of my biggest inspirations. 

Jazz and Lo-fi are genres often conducive to improvisation. What role does improvisation play in your creations? 
Actually, Improvisation might be the entire process of my beat making! 

As an artist exploring various aspects of your personality, how do you find harmony between these different musical influences? 
I accept it as whole. I don’t have to separate what kind of musician I am, just being to t to a certain community. When I allow myself that it is ok to be all of that and that’s who I am as a musician, it naturally harmonizes it because there is no weary, concerns, discomfort or hate. I become truly the musician I am. I love all of these genres and have an expertise in certain areas because these all touched and influenced me in a good way. So it cannot not harmonize as these all meant good. So, I can confidently say I am a classical musician, church musician and hip-hop musician. 

What challenges do you face as an independent producer in today’s music landscape? 
When music is losing its authenticity. When music doesn’t speak for uplifting each other anymore and people don’t even look for music for that reason. 

For you, what are the main differences between composing an instrumental track and writing a song with lyrics? 
Instrumental track comes way easier to me. I am more of an introvert. Sharing feelings without an exact word or verbalizing make me feel safer and freer. It also gives people a room to interpret, so my sound can create many different stories as they feel their own way, like an abstract. For writing a song with lyrics, it directly gives them a story, it’s like a book, movie or portrait which I think it is also amazing. 

Do you have any collaborations planned, or would you like to work with other artists for your future projects? 
I don’t have plans for collaborations as of right now due to the packed schedules ahead. But when I have more time and space, I definitely have artists that I’d like to work with. 

Looking at your journey, from your collaborations in South Korea to your performances in the U.S., what are you most proud of in your progression so far? 
I’d say performing at Carnegie Hall as a concert pianist and came across with MC & producer Substantial and Poet Anacaona and have worked together. 

Working in South Korea and the United States gives you a unique international perspective. How have these different cultural and musical environments infuenced the way you compose and produce? 
Absolutely. The Asian side of me, also being a pianist, I tend to catch the melody first. But the American side me looks for the depth that hits my heartbeat which is drums and runs under my lung like thick bass. 

With experiences in such diverse genres as Jazz, beatmaking, and opera, how do you navigate these varied musical worlds while staying true to your artistic identity? 
A great question! I used to separate myself like I have three different personalities. It confused me for a long time like there are walls that block my flows. Not long ago, I decided accepting the truth that all of them are me and not being afraid to be exposed. Since then, I feel much comfortable for being who I am, and I can feel that my music flows better. 

Are you more of a Side A or Side B person? 
I think, I am in between. 

What place does vinyl have in your musical universe? 
On the top! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 
Imperfection is ok, stay truth to yourself. Blessings. Peace!

Thank you so much for your time, Lizzie. Merci beaucoup. A special mention for your tracks “Memory Book,” “Introvert Anxiety,” and “The Last Scene”. Congratulations again on this wonderful project. Peace & Zen.

Interviewed by Shogoun Noir / photo by Eric Sellers.