When Evan, formerly known as Heeseung, announced he was leaving the K-pop group Enhypen, he made global headlines and shocked the K-pop community.
The South Korean singer-songwriter felt it was time to follow his own creative path, with a musical direction that was self-defined by his strong artistic vision.
Following his debut single, “Ride or Die,” Evan recently announced his upcoming debut EP, “Death of Me,” out Sept. 7.
Throughout the process of making the EP, Evan came to the realization that he didn’t know who he was anymore. Recording a new album became a therapeutic experience that signified a new artistic journey and a chance to discover himself in the process.
As part of his reintroduction to a global audience, Evan will make an appearance in the Grammy Museum’s Spotlight program on Friday, followed by a performance Sunday at KCON LA.
The artist spoke to The Times about the honor of performing at KCON, as the convention is a big moment for the Korean community around the world. It is dedicated to all aspects of Korean culture, from K-pop to K-food and K-beauty, alongside performances and panels.
What does an event like KCON represent and mean to the Korean community worldwide?
I think KCON is a festival that we have been enjoying for many years. It is a bridge that connects K-pop and K-culture with a global audience, especially with the fans in L.A. It’s a great honor to join the lineup for this festival and I’m delighted to share lots of special stages that I’ve prepared for you guys.
K-pop is a global phenomenon, but are there other aspects of K-culture that took you by surprise with its popularity in the U.S.?
“KPop Demon Hunters” was definitely huge and it made me realize how much love K-pop is receiving from all over the world. It was great because the songs were playing everywhere and everybody was singing along to the songs. Also, when I perform at concerts, I see that there are multiple nationalities and ethnicities in the audiences and that makes me realize how much love K-pop is receiving from many people from many different walks of life.
What is the biggest difference or challenge you’ve noticed when adapting to solo performances?
The attitude that you should have as a solo artist is very clear, you have to take the lead on stage until the very end. I also had to make sure that I expressed everything which I’ve prepared to the best of my ability. There’s an extra amount of effort that is required.
Evan describes solo performing pressures, hands-on songwriting and visuals, and a therapeutic search for identity that he hopes will resonate deeply with fans worldwide.
(Belift Lab)
What was running through your mind during that first solo show?
I still can’t believe that we got through the show. It felt very chaotic. I was really nervous and confused. I had to keep focusing and tell myself, “Don’t mess it up. Just stay focused.” I went on stage and performed and everyone liked it so I was satisfied.
How do you feel like you’ve been able to express yourself more clearly as a solo performer and how can we see this in “Death of Me”?
Through the new EP, I wanted to showcase a new side of myself whilst incorporating my signature vocals.
How has your creative process changed since embarking on this new artistic journey ?
It has changed a lot. I’m participating in writing lyrics and tracks and toplines. But even beyond music, I have a hands-on approach to visuals such as album covers. It’s a collaborative process with my team, we share ideas and see what works for the album.
What kind of feedback did you get from teams that helped shape the direction?
My team is super honest and open when it comes to feedback. When it’s a no for them, it’s a no. But if there are things that I feel passionate about and really want to stick to, I tend to push forward with them. We try to align our vision as much as possible to reach the best outcome.
The title of the EP is “Death of Me.” What does that symbolize for you?
There was a demo track titled “Death of Me” and it just grabbed my attention. I thought a lot about that phrase and my death hasn’t arrived yet, but there can be various types of deaths. For me, death is when my music is forgotten by all of the audience. That death hasn’t arrived yet and I wanted to incorporate that journey and storytelling into my EP.
Where did you find inspiration for “Death of Me”?
I was inspired by my own journey. I was being inspired by lots of different things, but during this process I realized I didn’t know myself. I had to get to know myself better so I traveled, ate good food and watched movies. With every character, I found parts of myself. I wanted this album to be a mirror and I can see myself more clearly through it on a deeper level.
You’ve talked about how writing music can help you find yourself. Do you think that this introspective approach to your music has a therapeutic feeling to it?
Of course. Also, the audience will also be moved by my songs because it’s a real human story. Through this EP, I hope we can understand each other and it will touch people’s hearts.
You received lots of attention when you announced that you were leaving Enhypen. How did you cope during those difficult moments?
In life, there are happy moments but also moments that are tough. That is just a natural part of life. I hoped that myself and the people around me would be well and happy. I didn’t stop thinking about the situation and how I could use the experience to develop myself and grow. That is what got me through that phase.
Did that give you a burst of inspiration for new music because you became more aware of yourself?
Yes, that’s right. It is the reason why I wrote “Ride or Die.” During that period, fans were really worried about me and I could tell it affected them on an emotional level. I needed a way to make them feel calm and that’s why I released the song.
Do you have plans for a solo tour?
I can’t say that we have plans, but I want to do my own tour. Even just thinking about it now, I want to do my own solo concert so we’re going to try to plan it someday.
When Evan, formerly known as Heeseung, announced he was leaving the K-pop group Enhypen, he made global headlines and shocked the K-pop community.
The South Korean singer-songwriter felt it was time to follow his own creative path, with a musical direction that was self-defined by his strong artistic vision.
Following his debut single, “Ride or Die,” Evan recently announced his upcoming debut EP, “Death of Me,” out Sept. 7.
Throughout the process of making the EP, Evan came to the realization that he didn’t know who he was anymore. Recording a new album became a therapeutic experience that signified a new artistic journey and a chance to discover himself in the process.
As part of his reintroduction to a global audience, Evan will make an appearance in the Grammy Museum’s Spotlight program on Friday, followed by a performance Sunday at KCON LA.
The artist spoke to The Times about the honor of performing at KCON, as the convention is a big moment for the Korean community around the world. It is dedicated to all aspects of Korean culture, from K-pop to K-food and K-beauty, alongside performances and panels.
What does an event like KCON represent and mean to the Korean community worldwide?
I think KCON is a festival that we have been enjoying for many years. It is a bridge that connects K-pop and K-culture with a global audience, especially with the fans in L.A. It’s a great honor to join the lineup for this festival and I’m delighted to share lots of special stages that I’ve prepared for you guys.
K-pop is a global phenomenon, but are there other aspects of K-culture that took you by surprise with its popularity in the U.S.?
“KPop Demon Hunters” was definitely huge and it made me realize how much love K-pop is receiving from all over the world. It was great because the songs were playing everywhere and everybody was singing along to the songs. Also, when I perform at concerts, I see that there are multiple nationalities and ethnicities in the audiences and that makes me realize how much love K-pop is receiving from many people from many different walks of life.
What is the biggest difference or challenge you’ve noticed when adapting to solo performances?
The attitude that you should have as a solo artist is very clear, you have to take the lead on stage until the very end. I also had to make sure that I expressed everything which I’ve prepared to the best of my ability. There’s an extra amount of effort that is required.
Evan describes solo performing pressures, hands-on songwriting and visuals, and a therapeutic search for identity that he hopes will resonate deeply with fans worldwide.
(Belift Lab)
What was running through your mind during that first solo show?
I still can’t believe that we got through the show. It felt very chaotic. I was really nervous and confused. I had to keep focusing and tell myself, “Don’t mess it up. Just stay focused.” I went on stage and performed and everyone liked it so I was satisfied.
How do you feel like you’ve been able to express yourself more clearly as a solo performer and how can we see this in “Death of Me”?
Through the new EP, I wanted to showcase a new side of myself whilst incorporating my signature vocals.
How has your creative process changed since embarking on this new artistic journey ?
It has changed a lot. I’m participating in writing lyrics and tracks and toplines. But even beyond music, I have a hands-on approach to visuals such as album covers. It’s a collaborative process with my team, we share ideas and see what works for the album.
What kind of feedback did you get from teams that helped shape the direction?
My team is super honest and open when it comes to feedback. When it’s a no for them, it’s a no. But if there are things that I feel passionate about and really want to stick to, I tend to push forward with them. We try to align our vision as much as possible to reach the best outcome.
The title of the EP is “Death of Me.” What does that symbolize for you?
There was a demo track titled “Death of Me” and it just grabbed my attention. I thought a lot about that phrase and my death hasn’t arrived yet, but there can be various types of deaths. For me, death is when my music is forgotten by all of the audience. That death hasn’t arrived yet and I wanted to incorporate that journey and storytelling into my EP.
Where did you find inspiration for “Death of Me”?
I was inspired by my own journey. I was being inspired by lots of different things, but during this process I realized I didn’t know myself. I had to get to know myself better so I traveled, ate good food and watched movies. With every character, I found parts of myself. I wanted this album to be a mirror and I can see myself more clearly through it on a deeper level.
You’ve talked about how writing music can help you find yourself. Do you think that this introspective approach to your music has a therapeutic feeling to it?
Of course. Also, the audience will also be moved by my songs because it’s a real human story. Through this EP, I hope we can understand each other and it will touch people’s hearts.
You received lots of attention when you announced that you were leaving Enhypen. How did you cope during those difficult moments?
In life, there are happy moments but also moments that are tough. That is just a natural part of life. I hoped that myself and the people around me would be well and happy. I didn’t stop thinking about the situation and how I could use the experience to develop myself and grow. That is what got me through that phase.
Did that give you a burst of inspiration for new music because you became more aware of yourself?
Yes, that’s right. It is the reason why I wrote “Ride or Die.” During that period, fans were really worried about me and I could tell it affected them on an emotional level. I needed a way to make them feel calm and that’s why I released the song.
Do you have plans for a solo tour?
I can’t say that we have plans, but I want to do my own tour. Even just thinking about it now, I want to do my own solo concert so we’re going to try to plan it someday.
