women in music

Reflections on April and new rituals

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Greetings and Happy Friday! April came and went, and now May is here. For me, April was about taking action and risks and advocating for what I want. Sometimes things didn’t turn out as I had hoped or envisioned, but I was grateful to have at least tried and to trust that more will be revealed in time. Closed mouths don’t get fed, right?

Sung Neung-kyung, Apple, 1976. Hammer Museum’s Only the Young: Experimental art of Korea in 1960s-70s

Experimental Korean art exhibit featured at Hammer Museum

Hammer Museum’s Only the Young: Experimental art of Korea in 1960s-70s exhibit wraps up next weekend, May 12. The exhibit features artists of the generation who challenged status quo and boundaries while also moving through the intense transitions, cultural changes and oppression following the Korean War (1950-1953). I particularly enjoyed learning about artist Park Hyun-ki, a pioneer of video art who incorporated natural and artificial stones throughout his sculptural installations as an approach to spirituality and ancestry.

Park Hyun-ki, Video Inclining Water, 1979

Park Hyun-ki, Untitled (TV Stone Tower), 1982

I decided to approach “our” perspectives by broadly categorizing them first as visible, and second as spiritual. And the stone tombs, menhirs, temples, mortuaries, danggol (shamans), uncanny experiences, and many historical ruins and villages that I organically experienced as a child, the spiritual consciousness of the village elders who once lived in them, the thoughts that our forbearers had, and especially their aesthetic consciousness: it was, above all, enjoyable to find the spirit that I had previously failed to acknowledge and its visible manifestations.”- Park Hyun-ki

New matcha ritual

Perfecting my matcha lattes. Apologies in advance for those with trypophobia.

I found out yesterday (May 2) was National Matcha Day which is exciting as I’ve now become a daily matcha drinker since I am pausing my consumption of coffee while I have braces to avoid further staining my teeth. I am currently trying out different kinds of matcha, and every morning, I look forward to making it as part of my morning ritual. It’s a relaxing and peaceful process. My lovely friend Chrystal recommended and sent me Ippodo Tea’s Ikuyo recently which is a medium-bodied matcha that strikes a bright balance between bitter and sweet. I’m also excited to try Marukyu Koyamaen’s matcha as I came across it online as one of the most popular matcha brands in Japan. Are you also a matcha lover and have any other ones you’d recommend?

April Gems in rotation
Here’s my short stack of April gems that have been on rotation for me. Listen to the playlist here.

Tommy Richman - MILLION DOLLAR BABY
Hailing from Woodbridge, VA, Tommy Richman has been making and sharing music since 2016. He is the first artist on Brent Faiyaz’s label ISO Supremacy. “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” is quite simply a hella catchy hit song that I’ve been listening to on repeat and is making its way to debuting in the Top 10 of Billboard Hot 100 next week. This song just puts me in a good mood, and it makes driving extra fun. 

Concrete Boys ft. Lil Yachty, Karrahbooo - NOT DA 2 
Fronted by Lil Yachty, Concrete Boys is a collective consisting of rappers Camo!, Draft Day, Karrahbooo, and Dc2trill. “NOT DA 2” is from Concrete Boys’s It’s Us Vol. 1 album, a song I dig largely because of Karrahbooo’s nonchalant, laid-back rap style and cunning punchlines. In this Essence feature, she says “I like when I sound like I’m really unbothered and just talking my sh*t.” Hell yeah! I first came across Karrahbooo on her song with Anycia (another favorite) called “Splash Brothers.” I dig her overall tomboy style and am excited to hear more from her this year. 

Damar Davis - Bend
Damar Davis is a LA-based house music producer and DJ who also runs Salon Recordings, a label he started in 2019 which he says is “where dance holds the utmost importance. There is no need for words, just move.” I proudly rep his great merch as well. I first learned of Damar through my great friend Natalie. I love the thoughtfulness around Damar’s selection of samples and beats and his compositions across all of his projects. “Bend” from his self-titled EP is no exception. The beautifully composed jazz chords and groovy synths get me excited for the weather to get warmer and summer to begin. “There is no need for words, just move” indeed.

Nation of Language - September Again
Formed in Brooklyn in 2016, Nation of Language’s music transports one to ‘80s new wave. My dear friend Anahid recommended me their music as I hadn’t heard of them before. I dove further into their catalog and have to say, “September Again” is a song I’ve repeatedly listened to this past month even thought it released in 2020 from their album Introduction, Presence. I’m excited to catch them live with one of my favorite bands Blonde Redhead in October. 

Eyedress ft. Rico Nasty - It’s All in Your Head
This collaboration between Eyedress and Rico Nasty makes me happy, and it’s cool to hear Rico sing in this fun, alternative style I hadn’t heard from her before. “It’s All In Your Head” is from Eyedress’s latest mixtape Vampire in Beverly Hills and just as the title suggests, the two serve up some important reminders to knock down self-doubt with lyrics like “You’re not as weak as you think / Just keep moving along / Don’t get stuck on the pain / They won’t pity for long / They don’t know how you feel / Don’t worry what they want.”

Baby Rose and BADBADNOTGOOD ft. Mereba - Caroline
Baby Rose and BADBADNOTGOOD have come together to release their joint EP Slow Burn. Baby Rose’s soulful voice and BADBADNOTGOOD’s excellent production make this a comforting, lush EP to carry you through. “Caroline” is a favorite from it, especially with the feature from the ever talented Mereba. Fun fact: I helped book Baby Rose and Mereba along with Baby Tate for a special women in music camp in Atlanta in 2019 where they got to spend a week recording and collaborating together. You can also watch our panel conversation I hosted here. Baby Rose was also a guest on my podcast Progression which you can revisit here.

Wrapping up 2018

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Happy Winter Solstice. Today marks the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. The end of 2018 is officially near.

sunset.jpg

A lot of major transitions and shifts took place for me in 2018. It’s been a painstaking yet beautiful process, but I’ve gained a wealth of emotional and spiritual growth on a level I haven’t felt before. I’m grateful for all that’s transpired this year that has led me to this point in my life.

In 2019, I look forward to finding more courage to share my voice and my story, to continue elevating and supporting artists I believe in, to continue writing and producing to my heart’s content (no pun intended), and to continue shedding old narratives to make room for new ones to honor who I am today and who I’m becoming.

In the meantime, here’s what I’m reminiscing about and celebrating in 2018.

Favorite milestones of 2018

U.S. destinations I hit outside of LA in 2018: Kauai, D.C., NYC, Philadelphia and Seattle

U.S. destinations I hit outside of LA in 2018: Kauai, D.C., NYC, Philadelphia and Seattle

Destinations I hit abroad in 2018: South Korea and Japan

Destinations I hit abroad in 2018: South Korea and Japan

  • Making my spirituality a bigger focus this year

    • I’ve been processing a lot, and my spirituality is one of the most important things I’ve reconnected with and regained this year. I will expand on this more in 2019.

  • Launching janeshin.co, my website and blog in January

    • It took a lot of courage and hard work to finally launch my website in January. It was an emotional process revisiting my past work and past lives, but it reminded me I’ve come a long way. In case you missed it, I wrote about the process of launching my website.

  • Embarking on my first mother-daughter trip to Japan and Korea in March and April

    • It was special because I learned more about my mom on this particular trip. It was both our first time in Tokyo, and it was my third time visiting the Motherland, Korea. My mom continues to amaze me as the strongest person I know. She’s the only person in her family to have immigrated to the U.S., so I’m always in awe of her courage and independence. I already knew she was a musichead, but it was cool to learn just how much of a musichead she was e.g. she loved falling asleep listening to music, and she’d play American pop songs for her younger sisters so they’d pick up English. I’ve been piecing together the ways in which I’ve found myself on this journey in music, and in learning more about my mom, so much makes sense. Her ears of gold and her love for music have made their way through to me.

  • Turning 30 in Kauai and learning to surf for the first time in June

    • I was excited to turn 30 this year and in no better, more magical place than Kauai with my best friends. I learned to surf for the first time too and hope to have another opportunity to surf again in 2019. 30 has treated me well so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the 30s have in store for me.

  • Organizing the first LA Women@Spotify event for International Women's Day in March

    • I’m honored I got to make this happen during my time at Spotify by bringing together women working in the worlds of music and film. My heart was full seeing different women connect and share their experiences navigating the challenges of working in male-dominated industries. Read the recap and tune into the full recording of the panel here.

  • Creating and hosting my first music showcase in LA with April + VISTA, Ivy Sole and Bathe in August

    • This was a great reminder of how much live shows are a vital form of expression for artists and another avenue to support and discover artists. It meant a lot for me to be able to create this with the help of Forecast Recordings because it sparked some great milestones–this night served as April + VISTA’s first headlining show in LA and they were subsequently broadcast on KCRW the day they left for the airport. It was also Bathe’s first LA show, but they hadn’t released any music out at that point. They released their lovely single “Sure Shot” in October and it’s received great reception. It was great to have Ivy Sole perform for new ears and especially for loyal LA fans who came out to sing back her words perfectly. Read the full recap of the showcase here.

Favorite music projects of 2018

A lot of great music was released this year, but I compiled the above projects as homage to the fact that I’ve listened to these EPs and albums the most consistently and repeatedly, from start to finish with no skips.

  • April + VISTA - You Are Here

    • April + VISTA’s EP You Are Here has been the perfect project to carry me through the ups and downs of 2018. It’s a project that imbues growth and the importance of pausing and breathing through these transitions. I’m excited as April and Matt continue to challenge the status quo and experiment with their sound.

  • Tierra Whack - Whack World

    • Tierra Whack has shaken up the music industry off the strength of this unique project alone. While I eagerly await more gems from Tierra, I’m grateful I had the chance to end my last Spotify video shoot in Philly with her and her team.

  • Rico Nasty - Nasty

    • Rico Nasty is one of my favorite artists I discovered this year. She’s refreshing and her brazen raps reminds me to give no fucks about what anyone thinks about me and what I do.

  • Yuno - Moodie

    • I feel carefree, present, and positive when I listen to Yuno so Moodie is a good reminder to enjoy the ride and feel my feelings. His music has always made me feel this way since I first found him on SoundCloud back in 2012. Things came full circle, and we finally got a chance to meet in-person in September when he came to play his first LA show.

  • Mac Miller - Swimming

    • Mac Miller’s Swimming has had me crying too many times to count. I can admit, I never grew up listening to Mac Miller, but this album was so beautiful. Rest in Peace to a truly talented soul who seems to have touched the lives of all those who crossed paths with him.

  • Key! and Kenny Beats - 777

    • 777 is a catchy, solid tape and feels like a major contributor to Kenny’s rise as one of the top producers of 2018. The two have orchestrated a project that’s perfect for any occasion, cruising or kicking back with friends.

  • Beach House - 7

    • What else can I say about Beach House other than the fact that this is their seventh studio album? I’ve been listening to this legendary band since high school, and they always take me back to places and feelings I can’t describe.

  • J.I.D - DiCaprio 2

    • J.I.D has easily become one of my favorite rappers this year. His bars are impeccably catchy, and after listening to DiCaprio 2 through and through, I can’t wait to catch him live.

  • Black Panther: The Album

    • Black Panther: The Album elevates director Ryan Coogler’s iconic masterpiece of Black Panther that went on to become the highest grossing film of 2018. The fact that Kendrick Lamar is the co-producer already makes this a monumental compilation too.

  • 21 Savage - i am > i was

    • I had to edit this post to add 21 Savage’s latest album that was released today on 12/21. I got a chance to listen in the car driving around this evening, and it’s excellent from start to finish and will be a repeat listen for sure. I can’t wait to get back in the car to bump this.

Much love and blessings as you wrap up your 2018,
Jane

International Women’s Day 2018: Women in Music & Film Panel recap

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One of my goals in 2018 has been to create events in the community for people, especially women, to come together to connect, speak, and share space.

Successfully putting an event together in honor of International Women’s Day last Thursday was powerful and reminded me that courage can invite so many great things into my own life and into the lives of others. 

Photos taken by Génesis Ahtty

At the end of 2017, Jean Edelstein, an extraordinary writer and former colleague, tipped me to the “Women@Spotify” group, an employee-run group at Spotify for those who self-identify as a woman. The group’s mission is to celebrate, support and elevate members through initiatives and events. I thank Jean for planting the seed for me to explore resources to plan events in LA on behalf of and for women in music.

Months later, I’m proud that I launched the first official Women@Spotify LA event on International Women’s Day this year: Women in Music & Film: Panel and Networking Mixer.

In thinking about the themes of the event, I wanted to specifically invite Women of Color to speak. Intersectionality, a theory on race and gender, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, is important to raise awareness of and talk about–black women and other Women of Color have different experiences and challenges compared to white women.

I was also inspired to invite women filmmakers in music and film because as I’ve entered into the field of video through writing video content for RapCaviar, I wanted to connect with more women in these spaces.

I invited Evita Castine and Jaimie Sanchez to join me as featured panelists. These two incredible women have interesting backgrounds that have led them on their paths where music and film collide:

Jaimie Sanchez is a Dominican-American documentary producer and director hailing from Brooklyn, NY. She has helped produce films for the ESPN 30 FOR 30 series and was most recently a senior producer at VICE. She currently directs video content for Spotify. She has worked with brands like NIKE, CASIO, Pyer Moss and GoPro to showcase documentary filmmaking as a valuable medium.

Evita M. Castine is a writer, director, editor, cinematographer and photographer. She is Warner Brothers Emerging Director Finalist, Emmy winner and took home the audience award at the Diversity in Cannes Showcase in Cannes, France for her film “Only Light.” She is heavily influenced by black anthropologists and writers like James Weldon Johnson and Zora Neale Hurston who inspired her to look at the soul’s expression through the simple acts of everyday life using sound and images. She has directed videos and photographed artists Cody ChesnuTT, SZA, Dej Loaf, Raphael Saadiq, A Tribe Called Quest, Lalah Hathaway, Common and more.

It was an affirming, healing and inspiring evening of conversation and connection. Listen to the full conversation and Q&A below about the strides and learnings in Evita and Jaimie's careers and the importance of recognizing and owning your power as a woman and more.

Key moments throughout the conversation and Q&A: 

  • 5 min: The moment Evita realized she was committing herself to filmmaking when she started making films with friends which is what filmmaking is at its core

  • 5:40 min: Jaimie on being the first out of her siblings to go to college, graduating with a biology degree but realizing that something creative was calling her and taking a chance on herself

  • 7:30 min: Catalyzing things for a man that Jaimie didn’t quite understand herself at first but realizing her power that she could things for herself: "This would not have happened if I weren’t in the equation...I could do this for myself instead of just empowering someone"

  • 8:34 min-~14:00 min how Evita’s identity as a black woman and Jaimie’s identity as a Dominican-American woman influence their work and the way they work with people behind the scenes

  • 14:38 min: Evita on the most important thing you can do for yourself is hold space for yourself. The only way you know it is because you know it.

  • 16 min: we all live on the internet, there are no boundaries or conventions of anything. It’s about the work at the end of the day.

  • 20 min: All you need to say is "I am a director, I am XYZ," avoid saying "I'm an aspiring XYZ"

  • 21 min: Building confidence through persistence

  • 22 min: Putting yourself in the position with the right people and being selective about your opportunities to build resources, even if you have to pay your dues sometimes

  • 23 min: Biggest lessons throughout Evita and Jaimie's careers that stick with them

  • 26 min: Trusting your gut and being resourceful on your own

  • 27 min: Investing in your personal life, don’t isolate into one narrow path

  • 29 min: Proudest moments and highlights in Evita and Jaimie's careers so far

  • 33 min: Importance of empowering women, putting other women on and spreading positivity because it will come back to you

  • 38 min: Q&A: How do you deal with men in the industry who only want to help you after you date them?

  • 40 min: Importance of boundaries

  • 42:16 min: Evita on "Your intellectual property is important, especially for Women of Color"

  • 43:26 min: Act and walk around with the confidence of a man

  • 45 min: Awareness of pay and challenges women face with negotiating pay

  • 48 min: Q&A: How do Evita and Jaimie collaborate with music composers as filmmakers?

  • 52 min: Q&A: Where do you find the line to pause and use better judgment from difficult situations where you feel immediate emotional responses like anger or crying?

  • 58 min: Q&A: How to deal with competition among fellow women?

  • 1:00 hr: Love yourself no matter what and everyone has their own "bucket of magic"

  • 1:02 hr: Your peace of mind is all you have

  • 1:03 hr: Insecurities and vulnerabilities

  • 1:04:38 hr: Q&A: How do you establish your identity when you're getting feedback from people on how to be?

  • 1:12:20 hr: Q&A: What advice do you have for me to expand beyond just being a producer-singer-songwriter to share my music in film?

Additional links and resources that came up from the talk:


Personal key takeaways:

  • My voice as Jane Shin matters. I am not defined by where I work. I’m Jane Shin in the end. My dreams have no bounds, my identity has no bounds.  

  • Evita mentioned, “I’d rather be scared and free-falling and be free instead of wondering what if?” I had moments where I questioned how things would go with the event, but in the end, it all worked out. Taking that step, no matter how things turn out, can open doors and spark more ideas and connections.

  • Challenges are inevitable on this journey. When things don’t go my way, stepping back to remember that my peace of mind is what’s crucial to protect and uphold will help me learn and grow.

  • I am grateful for all the amazing women in my life who came out to support me or shared their support for me from afar. Thank you everyone who took the time out of their evenings to make it all the way out to Century City. I felt so honored, loved, and heard. I also want to share a special thank you to Génesis Ahtty. The last large-scale event I planned was the SoundCloud Artist Forum back in 2015. Génesis was my first intern at the time and was a massive part of the planning and execution of the event. She came in clutch again, on her birthday no less, to be the official photographer and videographer for the International Women's Day event. Look to uplift and support those around you.

Korean music favorites

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The 2018 Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang concluded last night, marking the first time South Korea hosted the Winter Olympics. As a proud Korean-American, I've been inspired to dive into what sounds have been coming out of the Motherland (and the U.S.) and revisit the classics I grew up on. I'm also headed to Korea for the third time for my cousin's wedding in March, so I'm excited for the adventures and reflections that will surface this time around; the first time I visited was in 2000 and the second time was in 2014.

Frankly, I've missed out on a lot of good Korean music over the years. My own journey in music has taken different paths, but there was definitely a hallmark Korean music moment for me in elementary school.

I gathered some favorite songs of mine, old and new, into a playlist. There's a mixture of hip hop, atmospheric indie, electronic and heartbreaking love ballads:

Eagle Five - Gwedo (1998)

궤도, a song by Eagle Five on Spotify

Eagle Five was a hip hop group in the 90s who had the best dance moves. My brother and I would always crack up hearing one of the group members Eric licking his lips before he starts rapping in the intro of this track, Gwedo. I love this song for its minor key change in the chorus that makes it a slightly melancholy hip hop song.

Happy Doghouse - Don't Give Me Grapes (2016)

Don't Give Me Grapes, a song by Happy Doghouse on Spotify

I first discovered Happy Doghouse last year or so when her music surfaced on Ryan Hemsworth's Secret Songs. "Don't Give Me Grapes" is a dreamy number, and she tagged her genre as "Puppy Punk" on SoundCloud. Enough said.

Yaeji - raingurl (2017)

raingurl, a song by yaeji on Spotify

Yaeji, born Kathy Yaeji Lee, has had a breakout year last year, and she only continues to rise. The NYC-based singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and DJ does it all, blending house music with hip hop to voice relevant topics regarding her identity as a Korean-American. I love that she sings in both Korean and English. "raingurl" is my jam from EP2 which she says is about introspection in the club.

Turbo - December (1997)

December, a song by 터보 on Spotify

Turbo was one of the best duos out there in the 90s and 2000s. "December" brings back so many memories for me. I especially love the sound of the bells in the intro.

Jane Jang - velvet (2017)

velvet, a song by Jane Jang on Spotify

I want to listen to this song when I fall in love. "velvet" is a perfect warm piano, acoustic guitar song. Jane Jang is an indie folk artist who would busk in the streets of the Hongdae neighborhood of Seoul. She gained fame after appearing on the Korean music audition show Superstar K2. 

Neon Bunny - Romance in Seoul (2016)

Romance in Seoul, a song by Neon Bunny on Spotify

Neon Bunny whose real name is Yoojin Im is an independent singer-songwriter and producer from Seoul. "Romance in Seoul" captures Neon Bunny's airy vocals with melodic, ambient beats. It feels exactly like what you think a romance in Seoul would feel like.

Jonghyun ft. Taeyeon - Lonely (2017)

Lonely, a song by JONGHYUN, TAEYEON on Spotify

Jonghyun was the lead vocalist of the group Shinee. While he has different styles in the pop realm, I particularly dig the heartbreakingly sweet ballads like "Lonely."

Sadly, I didn't discover Jonghyun's music until after the news of his suicide. South Korea has the second-highest suicide rate in the world with mental health and seeking help being taboo. I feel the connection is related to the cultural concept we have called "han." It's hard to explain, but it's like a feeling of morose and melancholy that permeates through our lives as Koreans, a lot of it having to do with the invasions the peninsula has experienced over centuries.