Hello 2024, Goodbye 2023

This was originally sent to my Tinyletter subscribers on December 31, 2023, adjusted slightly for this blog context and format. Future newsletters will be sent from janeshin.substack.com.

Hello there, how are you? Hope you’re doing well and taking care. Happy New Year!

It's a bummer to hear that TinyLetter is officially shutting down in February 2024. TinyLetter gave me the wings to find and share my voice. It’s where I documented my transition when I moved back to LA from the Bay in 2016 before I eventually expanded my writing to the blog here.

As a heads up, I will be sending future letters via Substack. If you think anyone would be interested in hearing from me, pass this along. I also hope to write more here in general, so I’ll still be making my rounds.

I desire to write more in 2024–write fearlessly, write honestly, write for me again. In these last few months, I’ve been reflecting on how my interest and relationship with writing and connecting online has been shifting.

The last piece I wrote was in March 2021. It was so emotional and heavy. It took a lot of courage and vulnerability to write and share. In some ways, the grief and anger swallowed me up. I hid away, and I busied myself for the rest of the years that followed with the pandemic. 

As time continued to pass, I often thought about when I would return to write for my blog and newsletter again and share my voice on Progression. Friends would ask what I’m doing for my own creative pursuits outside of work. Someone messaged me and asked when I would return to the podcast because it had helped them. I am grateful for their curiosity and support for me to return to these creative homes I had been carving out the past few years prior to this pause. All I could say was “Thanks for the support, I have to get back to it, I want to!” A glimmer of excitement and hope would spark and then the motivation would fade away. Other things took priority and that’s okay. 

I experienced many beautiful things these past few years and especially in 2023. I made amazing memories with loved ones, moved through painful lessons, heartache and more. Growth is and was taking place even if I wasn’t writing about it openly and consistently as I was before. I also gave myself permission to let go of the notion that I’d ever return to Progression in its original form. It served its own purpose in the chapter it needed to. Its evolution from here on out is unknown, and that’s okay. If anyone else has struggled with this back and forth too around personal creative projects, please know you’re not alone. I remind myself the journey is unfolding in divine albeit unknown order.

I’m doing my best to remember it’s never perfect and to enjoy the process. In the spirit of that, here’s an assortment of 2023 personal highlights and things I enjoyed:

TWICE First Impressions: A career highlight this year was directing a fun interview with K-Pop group TWICE for a series on Amazon Music called First Impressions. I was proud of myself for conducting all the interviews fully in Korean with each of the lovely nine members. I made a recap vlog about the shoot and experience here.

Past Lives: I’ve thought about Past Lives ​often since watching it this summer. How director and writer Celine Song articulated the experience and complexity of love and the choices we make, both past and present is so beautiful and heartbreaking. As a fellow creative Korean woman, I’m inspired by Celine’s story in that Past Lives is her directorial film debut.

Reunion tours: Seeing bands reunite to celebrate their past works makes me happy. Last year, I went to see several old bands I grew up loving and seeing live like Cursive and Thursday. To add to that list, I caught the highly anticipated Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service’s Give Up & Transatlanticism 20th Anniversary Tour at The Hollywood Bowl in October. The image of high school Jane wistfully looking out the school bus window, blasting The Postal Service on her electric blue Sony CD player is still sharp as ever. “Nostalgia” derives from the Greek words nostos (return) and algos (pain). I got to catch the show with one of my best friends, Audrey. We both had young Audrey and Jane out with us together that night as we belted tunes in unison with Ben Gibbard. It was bittersweet hearkening back to the past and reflecting on our growth over the years. We snagged some unofficial merch at the end of the show, and I was excited when Brain Dead also released their The Postal Service x Brain Dead collaboration this month.

Sanullim (산울림):My mom is my ultimate Korean music referrer. It’s a gift to be able to learn about so many legendary Korean artists, bands and songs. One of my favorites she’s put me onto is Sanullim, a Korean rock band consisting of three brothers that formed in 1977. We listened to them extensively on our trip to Portland this year. They were the perfect accompaniment on the road as towering Douglas Fir trees whirred past us.

Larry June: Larry June has had quite the year with the releases of The Great Escape and The Night Shift which are both heavily in rotation for me. He was at the top of my 2023 Spotify Wrapped list–the lyrics, stories, production, delivery, messages of good living, self-investment and more always boost me in the right direction forward. Good Job Larry.

Mexico City: I visited for the first time with one of my best friends Natalie in September, and it is one of the most incredible cities I’ve ever been to, a top favorite for sure. Thanks to Natalie’s extraordinary itinerary, we experienced all the great architecture, food, sights, shopping and more that the city offers. Some of my favorite memories were visiting Parque Quetzalcóatl, Museo Jumex and dining at Pujol. I can’t wait to be back again.

Korea in the Fall:My family and I visited this past September and October, and it was a wonderful time as always. My mom’s entire family is in Korea so reuniting with my grandma, aunts, uncle and cousins was a blessing. I fell in love with Seoul again and spent most of my time there. We also spent a weekend in Gangneung on the East coast of Korea and also happened to visit Busan at the same time the Busan International Film Festival was also taking place. A highlight was being able to participate and watch a screening of Burning directed by Lee Chang-dong (이창동). As part of the festival, there was a special live Q&A with him and actor Steven Yeun after the screening. Every visit to Korea has been special, but this year particularly left a strong mark on me that I'm still processing.

Secret Sunshine film screening at Academy Museum:The connection to director Lee Chang-dong’s films continued on as I went to see a special 35mm film screening of Secret Sunshine last month at the Academy Museum as part of their retrospective series to celebrate iconic Korean actor Song Kang Ho (송강호)’s works in Korean cinema. Released in 2007, Secret Sunshine is an emotional, heavy story around grief, and it’s a beautifully captured film. Song Kang Ho was also present after the screening to do a Q&A. My mom and I were geeked seeing the legend in the flesh.

Dill: I never bought or ate so much dill in my life until this past summer, and I have Chuck Cruz and Hailee Catalano to thank. I love their cooking videos, and I noticed they cook with dill often. I was reminded why I love herbs in general. I attribute a part of this to my dad’s palate which I inherited. My dad grew up on a farm eating lots of herbs and vegetables in the Chungcheong-do countryside and farming province of Korea. When he speaks of those memories on the farm, he lights up. I mix dill together in a salad usually consisting of cucumber, beets and pumpkin seeds, simply squeezed with lemon, olive oil, flaked salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lots of pepper always, which is also an inherited interest from my dad. We are a pepper loving family. I also enjoy dill in fried potatoes and in an omelet with swiss cheese and red onions. Dill-licious!

Friendships: I am so grateful for the friends I have in my life and how much my relationships with my friends this year especially deepened. The ambition of friendships story is a great read about being ambitious about cultivating your friendships too, just as much as you would a career or passion.

What were some of your 2023 highlights and things you enjoyed? What are you looking forward to in 2024?

With gratitude,
Jane Shin

Progression: A podcast by Jane Shin is now live

I'm excited to share my new podcast today: Progression. It's a show centered on mental health, personal development and spirituality through conversations I'll have with artists and through my own reflections as a woman working in the music industry.

Listen to the first introduction episode and learn about how this project all came together at progression.fm/intro.

If you heard something that resonates with you, send a link to someone who’d be interested in tuning in.

Your continuous support means a lot to me, so thanks for being part of this journey with me.

So long, Spotify: Reflections on creating content and speaking my truth

And that’s a wrap. Today is my last day at Spotify. Since February 2017, I was a writer on the Originals Team that brought original audio and video content to Spotify for the first time. I worked largely on video content for RapCaviar as I watched it grow from 5 million to over 10 million followers as the second largest playlist on the platform.

I came into the role armed with my writing chops, my early foundation in journalism, and my most recent artist relations experience I developed previously at SoundCloud.

Video production though was a new world, so I was excited to learn as much as I could. I’m grateful for how much I’ve learned and grown, even bridging over to creative producing. I sharpened my skills in conceptualizing creative ideas, writing and pitching treatments, understanding the ins and outs of being on set, and interviewing artists.

Artist relations always went hand in hand with my role as a writer. Helping bring opportunities for artists and creators I believe in, especially emerging artists, producers, and women brings me joy. Big thanks to all those I’ve gotten to cross paths with, work with, and support throughout my time at Spotify. I’m proud of the work I’ve done and brought to the table. Some of my favorite memories include:

• Covering the underground movement Denzel Curry started in Carol City that marked its place in Miami hip hop history and whose sound inspired a new generation of SoundCloud rappers

• Bringing spirituality and hip hop together by inviting Imani, The Hood Healer, through to do Trippie Redd’s first spiritual reading and a special group reading for International Women’s Day dinner with City Girls, Kali Uchis, and Molly Brazy

• Having 6LACK cook chicken wings for fans at his favorite American Deli in Atlanta

• Telling the story of LVRN and their establishment as a creative, hardworking management company as they celebrated the opening of their new office and studio in Atlanta

• Visiting legendary, solar-powered Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, a special recording studio that reverberates positive energy and love because of the Tree Sound team and where artists like Outkast and Future have been recording in for years

• Exploring the history of Go Go music in D.C. and its influence on GoldLink’s At What Cost

• Bringing some of my favorite producers through to help tell their stories which contributed to the growth of the Visualize producer series and playlist: DJ Dahi, Take A Daytrip, Teddy Walton, ThankGod4Cody and Carter Lang

• Organizing and hosting the first ever Women@Spotify LA panel and networking mixer event where I invited women filmmakers to share their experiences and advice in celebration of International Women’s Day

• Concluding my final week and final video project on set in Philadelphia with Tierra Whack whose music and originality has inspired me to take greater leaps and to always be myself

I’m grateful for the challenges and learning experiences that remind me to always speak and stand in my truth. Perseverance and resilience continue to build my character and strength, and having integrity gives me the courage to move forward. Key takeaways and reminders:

• Trust your gut, know yourself, and stand for what you believe in. I’ve shared this in previous takeaways, but it’s worth repeating.

• Share your hard work and accomplishments to advocate for yourself, but don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve been on a continuous journey of sharing my voice and consistently talking about the work I do. Sometimes I may want to lay low, and that’s okay. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t share every moment you’ve created and every contribution you’ve made. The work will ultimately speak for itself, but revel in things that you do want to celebrate and share with others.

• Know who’s in your court, stick with them, and tell them you love them. I’m grateful for my supportive family and tight circle of friends who remind me that I am loved, supported, and seen. Congruent energy is key.

What’s next for me? I’ll be sharing more updates about my next moves soon in a few weeks. In the meantime, I’ll be decompressing and working on some projects I’m excited to build and grow.

You can get in touch with me by heading to the Contact page on my website or feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. If you’ve been following along with me on my journey in music since the early days, thank you for the continuous support. Here’s to new beginnings.

Happy January

Happy 2018! How’s the top of year shaping up? Hope it’s going well.

I created a 2018 vision board for the first time which was a fun and refreshing creative exercise that didn’t involve staring at a screen. I went through my mom’s old Korean women’s magazines and issues of National Geographic. I divided my board into three sections–career, personal development and relationships; you can cover other areas of focus too. Visualizing goals can be a powerful way to stay focused and motivated.

I had a few hiccups at the start of the year though that had me realizing how powerful my intuition is. Sometimes we lose balance or lose our footing. And that’s okay. What’s important is getting back on track and learning to move forward. Toni Romiti said it well in her photo caption on Instagram the other week–L’s are not losses, but lessons. I’m on that tip 100% too. Sometimes we don’t receive the information right away to proceed, but when it clicks, it clicks.

Here are a few resources I either have revisited or recently have been recommended to remind me to be in the present and keep things moving forward:

• The Untethered Soul — Shoutout to the my wonderful friend, singer, songwriter and producer Tiffany Gouché for introducing this book more than a year ago now. I find myself re-flipping through its pages. This is a great read on reaching inner peace by letting go.
• For Today & Tomorrow — Daily Encouragement — Shoutout to singer Joyce Wrice for recommending me this book written by Daisaku Ikeda, a Buddhist philosopher of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist movement founded by 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren Daishonin. Soka Gakkai translates to “Society for the Creation of Value.”
• Notes from the Universe — I heard of this great daily email through my great friend Natalie James and Bruna of The Problem with Dating (a great blog on dating and relationships) whom I met through the amazing Dimplez. So far these notes always seem to arrive at the right time.

Other fun things that have happened so far this month:

• I attended artist Corey Wash’s first solo exhibit in LA called POCKETS. Corey communicates different narratives through her art and through the genderless character Willoughby. She brings to the forefront affirmations, conflicts and questions that surround black lives, feminism and politics. The exhibit is open for viewing at 0.0 Gallery in Chinatown until the 26th. Read and see more here.

• I attended Sylvan Lacue’s Apologies in Advance album listening session for fans in LA that also included a great on-stage interview by my friend, photographer and writer Emily Berkey. Apologies in Advance is beautiful storytelling, and Sylvan’s work is honest and vulnerable. I wrote about Sylvan in my “Lyrics as Life Reminders” past letter.

• I met up with artist Kari Faux on her recent visit to LA. I’ve written about Kari in a past letter, so it was a treat to sit down and enjoy tea with her. We talked about our moves in 2018, being sensitive and how much Geminis get hated on. She’s putting on for her hometown of Little Rock, AR and is working on some exciting things this year. Don’t sleep. In the meantime, peep her newest mix, VIOLET WATERS: 001.

• The first video we shot for RapCaviar this year was with Maryland rapper IDK. I first got familiar with IDK through Isaiah Rashad when he joined him on The Lil Sunny Tour. IDK is massively talented, his freestyles are incomparable, and I find it interesting that he debuted his album IWASVERYBAD through Adult Swim. He’s been dropping freestyles on SoundCloud through his “HELLO” freestyle series. Stay tuned for his videos on RapCaviar these next few weeks and catch him live with Denzel Curry and A$AP Ferg on tour, starting February 28.

Music on rotation–waves of nostalgia edition:

• Elliott Smith — RIP to a legend. I’ve been revisiting his entire discography, and it’s inspiring me to pick up the acoustic guitar again.
• Jay Electronica — Listening to Jon Brion after watching Punch-Drunk Love for the first time a few weeks ago reminded me of Jay Electronica’s 2007 mixtape, Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) which I’ll never tire of. Here’s hoping a new project is on the horizon this year since he’s playing a couple of live shows this year, including at The Observatory in February. Who wants to go with me?
• Evenings — Yore (2013) — This album reminds me of the early days of SoundCloud. It’s a solid project, perfect for contemplation, relaxation and maybe even some yoga.

As always, thanks for reading and supporting. Drop me a note to say hi.

Much love,
Jane