FADER Mix: Hoody

South Korean producer and singer Hoody first popped up on international radars back in 2013, after FADER fave Kelela saw her perform in Seoul along with other members of the then-underground collective Amourette. Since then Hoody's signed to AOMG, a label founded by Korean American K-pop artist Jay Park, but she's maintained her DIY roots: she still writes and records out of her apartment in Seoul. Sonically, she spans shiny-eyed pop with a touch of '80s zest to moody cuts that are closer in spirit to Fade To Mind's R&B-worshipping club edits. It's her silky yet surprisingly elastic voice that acts as the glue; she uses it to navigate the emotional spectrum of love, loss, and learning with nuance.

Back in December she released her most cohesive body of work to date, On And On; to celebrate, she made us a FADER Mix that acts as a window into a smoother and more serene side of the South Korean scene than the colorful K-pop most are familiar with. Listen below, and scroll down to read an interview with Hoody in English and in Korean.

Where are you right now? Please describe your surroundings.

I’m at my home in Seoul, South Korea. My home is also my music studio. Right now, I’m sitting with my studio workspace in front of me, but the layout behind me is my kitchen and the TV.

Tell us a bit about this mix — what do you imagine people doing while listening to it?

This mix is a bunch of my favorite tracks from Korean artists that I personally enjoy listening to. This is a chill mix — one that you listen to while enjoying a light cocktail while winding down after a long work day.

What's your earliest musical memory?

I played piano since I was around 7 years old. I was classically trained and performed pieces like Mozart. I loved playing that kind of music.

You started out as part of an underground music collective, and are now signed to a label. How has that evolution shaped your music?

Honestly, not much has changed other than that more people have now discovered my music. If I had to pinpoint a change, I’d say it’s probably the opportunity and ability to work with more diverse musicians. But musically, I haven't changed my sound and have stayed true to myself.

Your songs often include lyrics in both Korean and English. How do you decide which lyrics are going to be in which language?

It's pretty organic. If there was a phrase that came to my mind in English, I would express it in English, and if a phrase came to my mind in Korean, I would express it in Korean. I didn't worry too much about which language to use in my lyrics as I make music. But in the future I am thinking of trying a new approach, like whether or not to produce songs that are purely in English, or songs that are purely in Korean.

What's the music scene like in South Korea? What are the most popular sounds, and what is your take on them?

Right now, hip-hop is the leading music genre in Korea. But, if we were to discuss other genres in Korea, like music that doesn't fall under the hip-hop genre, there has been a steady stream of music coming out that is reinventing and exploring older Korean music trends. I think this pattern is pretty typical as I believe when you're trying to explore and create new music, inspiration often comes from looking into the past.

What lessons from 2016 will you be taking into this new year?

I never want to stop continually developing myself as an artist and working on furthering my music. This is the attitude I've carried in the past, the present, and will for the future.

What can fans look forward to from you in 2017?

I hope to continue exploring and showcasing more sides of myself, whether it is musically or visually.

What's the last book you read that had a big impact on you? And why?

Jane Eyre. I had almost forgotten the value of this novel because it’s such a classic. I was re-enlightened when I read it again recently. Reading it again at this age, I was able to truly empathize with the novel and the various themes that explore what life is like as a women.

What's your favorite dish to cook and how do you make it?

Cheese omelet. I’d say it serves as my breakfast menu most often. I like to mix in just a tad of milk and adding a dash of salt to the eggs. I pour the mix into a buttered pan and let it fry slightly before pouring a generous portion of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. I then finish frying by folding the omelet in half and eat it with ketchup. The most important detail is to include a lot of cheese.

Vinicius - 숨 (Feat. Qim Isle)
Jinbo - Fantasy (Vintage Freak Remix)
Vinicius - Sailing (Remix)
Positive Flow (Feat. Omar) - Do What I Do (Peejay Remix)
IOAH (Feat. Jeebanoff) - Deny
Cabinett - Blue Rondo
Xin Seha - 티를 내 (Timeline) (Egyptian Lover Remix)
Hoody - My Ride (Slom & West1ne Remix)
Super Junior - Sexy Free & Single (Jinbo Remix)
Xin Seha - 맞닿음
Hoody (Feat. Jinbo) - By Your Side
G.Soul - 미쳐있어 나 (DuerSound Remix)
GRAYE (Feat.CIFIKA) - Ajusly
Hoody (Feat. Dok2) - Need U
Vinicus - 아마 (Remix)
Hoody - Let em Know (I I I Remix)

지금 어디에 계세요? 가능하시다면, 현재 있는 장소와 그 주변 환경에 대해서 설명해주세요^^
서울에 있는 나의 집. 여기는 나의 작업실이기도 하다. 지금은 작업 책상에 앉아있는데 일어나서 뒤돌아보면 부엌도 보이고 TV도 보인다.

이 믹스에 대해서 설명해주실 수 있나요? ㅡ 사람들이 이 믹스를 들으면서, 무얼 하고있을것 같아요?
: 내가 평소 즐겨듣는 한국 아티스트들의 트랙들을 모아놓은 믹스다. 나는 사람들이 일을 마치고 가볍게 칵테일 한잔을 즐기며 이 믹스를 들으며 chillin 하기를 바란다.

당신에게 가장 이른 음악에 대한 기억이 뭐죠? (어릴적이라던지..)
7살때 피아노를 배웠던 기억. 모짜르트의 음악들을 연주하곤 했는데, 나는 그 음악들이 진심으로 좋았다.

처음 시작할 때는 언더그라운드에서였던 것 같은데, 지금은 번듯하게 레이블에 소속되어있으십니다. 혹시 이러한 환경변화가 당신의 음악에 변화를 갖고온 부분이 있을까요?
이전보다 나를 알게된 사람들이 많아졌다는 것 외에는 크게 달라진 것이 없다. 변화를 준 것이 있다면, 조금 더 다양한 뮤지션들과 작업할 수 있게 되었다는 것? 내가 추구하는 음악적 색깔이 변하지는 않았다.

당신의 노래는 보통 한국어와 영어 모두를 포함하는 것 같았어요. 보통 어떤 언어를 쓸지 어떻게 결정하세요?
여태까지는 그저 떠오르는 표현이 영어라면 영어를 사용하고, 그게 한국어라면 한국어를 사용했을 뿐이었다. 딱히 큰 고민 없이 그렇게 작업해왔는데, 앞으로는 좀 다른 시도도 해볼까 한다. 모두 영어로만 이루어진 노래를 낸다던지, 모두 한국어로만 이루어진 노래를 낸다던지 하는 것 말이다.

한국의 음악 씬은 어떤가요? 요즘 가장 핫한 사운드는 무엇이며, 그에대한 당신의 견해를 말해주세요.
한국은 요즘 힙합음악이 강세이다. 힙합을 제외한 음악들에 대해 얘기하자면, 과거에 유행했던 음악들을 현대식으로 재해석하는 류의 음악들이 꾸준히 나오고있다. 새로운 음악에 대한 고민의 해답은 반드시 과거에서 찾을 수 있기 때문에, 나는 이런 흐름이 바람직하다고 생각한다.

신년을 맞아, 2016년에 배운 부분들 중 기억하고 실천하실 부분이 있다면?
여태까지 그래왔던 것 처럼 앞으로도 내 음악에 대한 고민을 잠시라도 멈추지 말아야 한다는 것.

팬들이 당신에게 2017년도에 어떤 걸 기대하면 될까요?
여태 볼 수 없었던 새로운 모습들을 많이 보여주고싶다. 음악적으로든, 비주얼 적으로든.

당신에게 큰 임팩트를 준 마지막 책은? 그리고 그 이유는?
제인 에어. 워낙 고전이라 이 책의 가치를 잠시 잊고 있었는데, 최근에 다시 읽어보니 내게 여러가지 생각을 일깨워 주었다. '여성'으로서 살아가는 방식에 대해 공감할 수 있었다.

가장 요리하기 좋아하는 음식은? 만드는 방법도 설명해주세요.
치즈 오믈렛. 나의 아침식사로 자주 등장하는 메뉴이다. 계란을 풀어 우유 조금을 섞고 소금간을 살짝한 뒤 버터를 두른 팬에 붓고 나무젓가락으로 휘저으며 익히다가 그 위에 모짜렐라치즈와 체다치즈를 듬뿍 얹은 뒤 반으로 접어 접시에 담아 토마토케첩과 함께 먹는다. 포인트는 치즈를 엄청나게 많이 넣는다는 것이다.