Music That Drifts – Hanbee Interview

Homegrown, DIY, up-and-coming music just does something to the soul. It energises it, almost. From DIY bedroom musician to one of the rising stars in Aotearoa’s music scene, hanbee is one of those artists that you can’t stop listening to. Having recently been nominated at the 2023 Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards and added to the Laneway 2024 lineup, the young songstress is using her natural talents to wow audiences both nationally and globally.

After immigrating to New Zealand from Korea at just a year old, her talent definitely started growing in Aotearoa’s soil. She started her musical journey after graduating from university in Korea in 2019, and began writing diary-like lyrics in her bedroom and creating music videos before ushering her talent into the world.

She had moved back to Korea at that point, but her upbringing was shining through in her lyrics, with references to both cultures showing in her music. A track— “kawakawa”, named after the native Māori plant—from her 2022 debut album, Seashell Cassette, for example. As well as garnering much attention locally, her international fanbase went wild for her. 500,000 streams online got hanbee a massive following on Spotify with her 2021 single, “buttercup”, and even Tiktok with her tune, “Strawberry”.

She caught the gaze of Hanju Kim (aka Hans.), the maestro and front-runner of the Korean-Aotearoa music community who’s been dominating since 2017, working alongside the likes of Billie Eilish and Clairo. Backed by an organic following, her 2021 single “buttercup” served as quite the curtain-raiser, garnering over 500,000 streams and placements with H&M and Zara retail, Coup De Main, Sniffers and Kick locally.

With a healthy collection of singles, EPs and an album (set to be two) under her belt, hanbee’s music is set to take the world by storm.

M2 got to sit down with hanbee and drift away to some dream-like space where we chatted about her music.

How would you describe the hanbee sound?

I hope it’s something that’s dreamy. Music you can drift away to—the background music to your day-dreams.

How did you first start with music?

I first started with classical music but I always loved pop music. After I graduated from uni [having studied mass media and journalism], that’s when I started making my own songs and releasing them.

What would you say your creative process looks like? How do you get the juices flowing?

I think, for me, it comes in big chunks. I’ll have a story I want to tell, or an emotion I want to talk about, or some kind of sound I want to create. From there, just with the idea, I go talk to my producers and we discuss it and then it kind of moves along from there.

You draw inspiration from the process, then?

I would say I draw inspiration from the things around me. The story of me, I guess. Of my family too, and friends. Even nature… the seasons inspire me. I get inspired by different artists. My Dad is a huge fan of music. He was the one who first introduced me to pop music, or indie music.

Your third EP, bye my bed, dropped earlier this year. How did you approach creating that EP differently to your past projects?

I think with bye my bed it was way more personal. It was a way to process something that I really wanted to process. Sort of like a process-machine.

You used to be part of the Korean-New Zealand creative collective, Always Be Grateful. Did becoming a part of that creative make you into the artist you are today?

I was first introduced to ABG through my manager and friend, Hans. [Hanju Kim]. He was the genius one who had the idea to start up this collective. Now we’ve all sort of split up, because we’re all overseas in different parts of the world. I think it was great to have been part of that community, because I got to meet my producer there. At the time, we were going through similar problems. It was great how, in a sense, we had a support team together.

You started your music career as very much a DIY creative. That changed, especially when you started working with ABG, by being in-studio. How did that transition help you?

When I first became part of the collective, I had access to all these talented people. It was great because I got to express and create with way better resources. It was a hell of a lot more exciting than when I did things more DIY. But I’m pleased I went through that DIY stage because I did struggle with every little part of the process. That made me stronger. It made me understand a bit more.

You had been nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 2023 Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards. What was it like to be nominated?

It was really cool… Being nominated, being put on the lineup for Laneway 2024, creating music I love, I still can’t quite get my head around it all. It just feels so unreal to me! They’re all big things, you know. I Feel very pleased and overwhelmed.

You excited to be on the bill for Laneway 2024?

Oh, so excited. I still can’t actually believe that I’m going to be a part of it. I haven’t been to a Laneway before. I was going to go to Laneway last year, but it got cancelled because of the cyclone in Auckland. I was really sad it got cancelled.

A little birdy told me that you might have an album coming out in the New Year. Wanna talk about it (or is it hush-hush)?

I’m working on an album at the moment and hoping to release it around May or June. Hopefully, it’ll really showcase my colour and expand on what sort’ve music I want to release into the world.

What would you say the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given has been?

Trust yourself. I’ve always been someone who over-thinks. I wanted to make sure at the very beginning if it was okay enough to pursue this dream. But getting the advice to just trust myself has helped heaps.

What does the future look like for hanbee?

I’m hoping to do more live performances in the future. I would love the chance to tour. But who knows…