The human race can be roughly narrowed down to two types of people: those that are drawn to the arts, and will happily delve into their own creativity at any given moment, and those that aren’t. Ithys belongs to the former group, having dipped into a handful of different artistic practices in his lifetime, ultimately crafting his way towards his heart’s biggest desire: music.
As many creatives in this age may relate, his journey has not always been smooth. He sits in a saturated market that is unfriendly to those without any advantage. Ithys has also experienced many trials in his life, such as homelessness and depression, which set him back in his career; thus making it even more impressive then when one hears of his accomplishments, which include writing for producer Wax Tailor, producing graphic designs for K-pop superstars BLACKPINK, and being accepted into Seoul Institute of the Arts.
Ithys invites you to his world for his debut single “Love All Night (Modern Walks)”, a fresh R&B track which features a beautiful partway tempo-change.
You’re a multi-hyphenate. You’ve worked in several different branches of the arts, including DJ-ing, lyric writing, and graphic design. What does art mean to you?
To be precise, I am not a DJ but a VJ (video jockey), which involves playing and producing video content for festivals and various events. I have also worked in lighting teams for dramas and music videos. Most of these experiences started because I needed to make a living, although I have always been involved in music. Since making a living solely through music was difficult, I thought of earning money through jobs related to music.
However, since I couldn't find a job directly related to music, I ended up doing jobs that could support music. Through these various artistic activities, my thinking was expanded, and my perspective on art and interpretation has changed. I was able to receive inspiration from other artistic fields and apply it to music, expanding my own domain.
Tell us about your story. What key moments of your life have brought you to where you are now?
When I first listened to Odd Future's music, their music videos were so shocking and captivating. They didn't hide their emotions and seeing that helped break down my preconceived commercial biases. Since then, I've worked on developing my own voice that fully expresses who I am.
Attending SIA (Seoul Institute of Arts) provided me with opportunities to engage in various artistic activities. It wasn't just about music, but also about recognizing the effort and skills of all the people involved in creating a single stage, as well as how they pursued and developed their own art. Meeting these people gave me inspiration and motivation to develop myself.
Various tragedies have occurred in my life, as mentioned before. Due to my diverse experiences, I had to face frequent accidents, as well as other tragedies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I have many happy memories, I tried my best to relieve negative emotions accumulated from these difficult experiences through music. These tragedies have made me feel down, but they also have been one of the driving forces that enable me to produce new work.
How have your past experiences influenced your music and the songs you write?
When creating music, the most important thing to me is the imagery. I strive to depict and bring to life the images in my mind, and to make the listener see and feel those images.
Therefore, my various past experiences play an important role in preserving the details of the images I want to express.
I take notes on specific objects I see and the emotions I feel in certain situations, and why those feelings arise. When writing lyrics, I use these notes to strengthen the descriptions of the imagery.
Who are your musical inspirations?
The people who have had the most influence on me are definitely expressive individuals like Odd Future, Donald Glover, and JPEG Mafia. In terms of rappers that I enjoy, I listen to Vince Staples, Mac Miller, ASAP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, and more. I have a great admiration for the unique qualities that rappers possess and I find happiness in listening to a variety of genres, so the people who inspire me are constantly changing.
Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Japanese music and I'm inspired by artists like Aimyon, Fujii Kaze, and Atarashii Gakko! Their music has been a great source of inspiration for me.
You’ve previously released your own music in the form of mixtapes. How does your debut single “LOVE ALL NIGHT (Modern Walks)” and future works under the name “Ithys” differ from that which you’ve released before?
My previous music was too melancholic. I've been making music as if I were releasing emotions, so I don't want to create only such sad music anymore. I hope to make brighter music in the future. I want to be grateful for everyday things and also contemplate life more seriously while creating music that gives the listeners constructive and positive energy.
Following on from the last question, how do you want your sound to evolve, as a creative with vast knowledge and experience in music already?
I'm considering two different directions, which are quite far apart from each other. The first one is focused on band sound. Lately, my playlist has been filled with genres like DnB, Jersey club, and Japanese band music. I want to try working on creating loops with drum sounds similar to Jungle genre, and then add variations with band sound. I also want to experiment with how to incorporate my vocals into this. It would be great to work with other people on this project.
The second direction I'm considering is a very experimental one. As I work with the program called Touch designer to create audio visualizers and visual generators, I find it intriguing to create visuals that are synchronized with electronic or natural sounds. Artists like Max Cooper and Ko hui have made me realize the beauty of each sound in their works.
However, sometimes when making music, with so many sounds piled up, I don't always appreciate the preciousness of each sound. So I also want to create music where even though there are not many sounds, each sound plays an important role. It may be challenging, but it's a long-term plan. It might take 10 or 20 years.
If you had to choose between visual arts and music, which would you choose and why?
Definitely music. Visual art was something I started to enhance my music and make it stand out more.
What effect do you hope your music will have on people?
My previous music was created with the hope that people going through difficult times would relate to it and find comfort in it. However, going forward, I want people to feel like they are being invited into my world when they listen to the music of 'Ithys'. I will continue to develop my image and I hope that people will get lost in that world. I need fans now, and that's why.
