Serl

I’ve always been limited to purely academic activities not really because my parents pushed me but more because being surrounded by Asian culture there are a lot of underlying expectations. It is often frowned upon to be involved with creative arts over academia and I never considered anything in this industry. When a few things shifted in my home life, I listened to so much music and I became immersed in this community where people could do what they like, and others loved them for it. I needed something to fill my time, something to do so I could forget the mess that was building around me. So, I saved up and bought myself a guitar. I watched so much TikTok and YouTube tutorials on guitar and then eventually music production and I now write, record and produce my songs from my own bedroom! I just think there’s something so special about being able to create a piece of music that no one has ever made or heard before. Something that wouldn’t be in existence if it wasn’t for me.

My favourite song of mine is called ‘Bittersweet’. I always knew I wanted to write a song based on the idea that things can be sad and happy at the same time. I wrote this song on a very specific night when everything around me was officially changing. There were so many voices in my head that night and there were so many people who had opinions on the event. I just felt strange, I didn’t want this to happen, but I couldn’t let myself be sad. The people around me were so happy to move on with their lives and I wasn’t going to let myself become that anchor that holds them back, but then I wasn’t ready to move on myself. So, I wrote this song about being sad for me and happy for them. ‘Bittersweet’ will be released as a single 5th of July and will also be track number 2 on my upcoming EP!

I think the biggest thing I’ve been stuck on is perfectionism. In past experiences I found that trying to make things perfect ruins the moment and so for my upcoming EP every vocal and instrumental was recorded in a single take. I didn’t want to let my perfection ruin my passion for music making so my biggest advice is to not take things so seriously because you’ll always find a way to make it work. For inspiration I just listen to music. I’d light a candle, spin a vinyl record or play a cd and just lay on the floor facing the ceiling.

I am so incredibly influenced by Conan Gray not just his music but also the way he is able to be so vulnerable with his fans. I love the long heartfelt messages, nostalgic photos and of course his lyrics. His example proved to me that it’s not attention seeking to open up and reflect on your past and emotions. I also love seeing the small Australian artists around me. I think seeing people from my city who are my age and of the same social class striving to create music is truly inspiring. There’s not really a specific style I’m trying to accomplish. I kind of just put things together and hope that it feels right.

A lot of my music is incredibly sad or at least to me they are. I would hate for people to hear my music and feel pity. I kind of like the idea that we are never truly alone. As in, you could feel so alone in a moment but imagine the hundreds and thousands of other people feeling alone in that exact moment with you. I want my music to show people that our unique experiences may not be as unique as they appear to be. And I can only hope that my music reaches the right people who would understand.

I am so excited to share that my debut EP ‘The Spiral of It All’ will be out everywhere on the 19th of July! Before this, track 3 ‘Empty Handed’ will be out 21st of June and track 2 ‘Bittersweet’ will be out 5th of July! The entire EP is written, recorded and produced by me and you can expect themes of nostalgia, societal expectations and isolation. I’ve been working on this since October 2024, and I hope you like my music as much as I loved making it!