Unleashing Emotion and Ambition: Inside Samuel Seo's Musical Mastery!
By. Alicia Zamora
Alicia’s Studio gets on Zoom with artist Samuel Seo to talk about what sparked his passion for music, his latest EP, and future work.
A Conversation with Samuel Seo
Alicia: Alright, let’s get this started
Samuel Seo: Okay, so I go by the name of Samuel Seo- oh well not go by, it's not even my stage name *chuckles* That’s my legal name. Samuel Seo, so *chuckles* So I’m a singer, songwriter, producer, and uh currently a K-Pop writer myself, and uh I’m a musician. That’s what I do for a living.
Alicia: Perfect. Okay let’s start-
Samuel Seo: Oh and DJ as well.
Alicia: Oh DJ, okay. I did not know that.
Samuel Seo: Yeah
Alicia: So starting off, how did music become something that you wanted to do, and what led you to pick the path of an artist?
Samuel Seo: Uhh.. So the way it started was uhh.. Quite naturally for me, so as someone who grew up under Asian parents or family.
Samuel Seo: I thought I would become like a lawyer or a doctor. Rather than pursuing what I like or wanted to do right. But uh.. When I returned to South Korea the differences in the curriculum made it so um.. Difficult for me to study well, and it kind of naturally led me to pursue composition in college. Stemming from my interest in piano ever since I was like five, so uh.. It was just something that I stumbled upon as the first and last thing I sought out to do.
Alicia : Okay, so it’s like that spark was always there between you and music?
Samuel Seo: Right.
Alicia : When you first started, did you have any fears or doubts when choosing to be an artist? You mentioned, the stereotype of becoming a lawyer or a doctor..Did that have any impact on you still choosing to be an artist?
Samuel Seo: No, actually. There wasn’t anything specific, and uh.. I think becoming a musician, that was probably the best decision I’ve made in my life, and uh.. When you truly find something you love, there’s no room for achievements or fears. I never really like thought about anything other than just moving forward and uh.. The person I am today was um.. I’d say shaped by the desire to improve and enjoy each day, you know what I mean?
Alicia : No, yea I get you. *chuckles*. I see that you have a variety of genres, you don’t stick to just one; which makes you such a great artist. Do you ever feel like you don’t fit in because of that?
Samuel Seo: Umm..about that. I mean, as someone with um.. quite. I don’t know if it’s the right word to use but uh..quite niche musical taste.
Samuel Seo: *chuckles* Just being confined to a certain frame work I always just choose what I like and enjoy, so. I believe that by doing so I will eventually resonate with someone around the world. So, I don’t feel pressure at all.
Alicia : Okay that’s so.. I like that. I like that.
Alicia: From someone who does it all, from being a singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer; Do you ever feel like it’s overwhelming?
Samuel Seo : No. *chuckles* um..
Samuel Seo: About that, I’ve never felt overwhelmed at all. So, I think, I’d say it was a pretty good decision, like I mentioned earlier, um.. While this applies to other fields as well. I believe that uh.. In music you should not start unless you’re ready to pour everything you have into it.
Alicia: Right.
Samuel Seo: Many people start making music based on the notion that they had some talent when they were young or because it seemed cool et cetera, et cetera. But, ultimately I think it’s not a realistic choice in terms of survival. Becoming known and achieving financial stability are completely different aspects and simply put If you want to survive as a musician just have a career of your own and don’t be a money chaser from the beginning. Plus, don’t rely on other musicians so much.
Alicia : Right. *chuckles*
Samuel Seo: It kinda went sideways but uh *chuckles* still.
Alicia : *chuckles* No yeah. I get it. I get it.
Samuel Seo: Yeah
Alicia : You did mention that this is like something you wanted to pursue, and that you don’t really feel pressure. But, do you ever feel exhausted?
Samuel Seo: No. never.
Alicia :Never?
Samuel Seo: I don't think *chuckles* I’ve ever been exhausted. As a musician, I think. I mean, over the nearly like ten years that I’ve been doing this. One thing that I realize is that, there isn’t much change. There’s nothing to think about. Other than continuing. To move forward, within the realm that I love, right?
Alicia : Right.
Samuel Seo: The freedom within that is what I love the most. On the other hand, uh.. During the process though, there are times when things come together easily and times when they don’t. Apart from those um.. mythological kinda limitations, I think there isn’t much else to feel pressured about.
Alicia : Now moving on to the music process.. How you write and everything, do you have anything that inspires you when you’re writing music or any artist in particular that you get motivation from?
Samuel Seo : Uh.. I gotta think about that a little bit. *chuckles* Can you give me like five seconds to think-
Alicia : *chuckles* No yeah, you’re good, take your time, take your time. It’s fine. *chuckles*
Samuel Seo: Um… So about that- Well I think I used to get a lot of inspiration from musicians. But. uh.. These days I kinda feel like I'm more inspired by recording or mixing engineers.
Alicia : Okay.
Samuel Seo: Watching how they strive to capture the atmosphere of their recording scene by genre. It makes me realize, it’s the part that I have been missing as a musician.
Alicia : Ohh, okay.
Samuel Seo: And, as music becomes more mainstream and making it become easier than ever. Creating music that is easy to listen to and memorable. Rather than the emotional essence of the scene, kinda becomes the main focus. So, watching the methods of people who play important roles in that aspect, makes me think a lot of- A lot, or like get me inspired a lot I think. So it’s not musicians.
Alicia : When coming up with the theme or when you’re just creating a new song.How long does it usually take to come up with that? What does that whole process look like for you?
Samuel : Uhh..So uh.. About how long.. I used to not think much and just create. So, I would usually get a song done within a day or so, but these days I think a lot. I think a lot. And Create. So it takes almost about like a month for each song, sometimes even longer.
Samuel Seo: There was this one song I’ve been struggling to make, that’s gonna be included in the upcoming Fourth Studio Album that’s taken about a year until now. And, above all the detail, like the arrangement, and the tone of the instrument is what’s more important to me. So, I say this is a time when I’m focusing more on those aspects. And, You’ll just understand what I mean when my fourth studio album drops
Alicia: Your recent EP “Love Eventually” was released in 2023, what inspired you to write that?
Samuel Seo: I think its kind of obvious, it’s the person that I’m dating right now.
Samuel Seo: Before, I really was not a huge fan of cringey stuff but everything changed after I met her. I started to like reconsider the influence or the definition of love and life and as a result I kind of naturally wanted to do love songs and I realized that what I had thought; I loved about music until now was actually just obsession and that’s when the last track “I did not love you” came out.
Samuel Seo: Mainly just talks about how I was in love with music but turns out I wasn’t blah blah blah *chuckles*
Alicia: From that last EP is their anything coming up soon? Any new music, new projects, anything new ?
Samuel Seo: nooo I think. Nothing in particular. I mean like I mentioned, I’m preparing for my fourth studio album, for the last four to five years and it’s still a work in progress. I dont know when it’s going to be released but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be released sometime this year… I think.
Alicia: For future work, do you ever want to collaborate with anyone or do you see yourself working with other people ?
Samuel Seo: OH MY GAWWD. *laughs*. Umm, there isn’t anyone specific actually. As I mentioned earlier my musical taste is quite niche(laughs). So, I rather not have anyone interfere. I feel like I don’t want to attach my name to music that I did not create on my own. But I have to admit their is definitely synergy when working with someone else but there are already to many of those. I just want to make people feel like “AHH this is the ??? when I hear Sam’s name attached to this music”
Samuel Seo: But if I were to it would be a rapper from South Korea Dok2. That’s like the only person I would want to work with.
Alicia:When it comes to upcoming artists or someone who’s trying to pursue the path of an artist do you have any advice for them?
Samuel Seo: Just have a career of your own. Don’t try to make money from the getgo and don’t start off your career by selling your tracks to other artist because if thats the case your going to end up with nothing. Thats like the only advice I have and try to learn as much as you possible about music because if your only good at doing one thing you wont survive in this field.
Alicia: Coming to the end of the interview, anything to say to anyone watching/reading this? Anything to look forward to. I know you mentioned having something coming in a year or so.
Samuel Seo: So, first off about my upcoming fourth studio album, its probably not in the near future, as im still working on it but uhh it’s going to be amazing and as of the time of this interview a total of fifteen tracks have been completed. Although, I originally was going to aim for around thirty tracks total-ishh. I plan to reduce it down to about twenty tracks and start the proper recordings and the proper arrangement process in April I’d say.
Samuel Seo: Just look forward to it. It’s going to be amazing and fingers crossed that I win another Korean Music Award this year
Alicia: yesss i’m rooting for you!!! Ayeee you got that
Samuel Seo: OHH and plus plus plus!!! So one more thing I’ve been hosting a show at a radio station a domestic one called “arirang radio”. I don’t know if you heard of it before but I have my own show every single day starting from 8pm KST.
Samuel Seo: So, if you guys have some time just come through and let’s have fun!
Alicia: Yes I’ll be leaving a link for everyone to see
Samuel Seo: OHH, By the way, the show has nothing to do with what I do as a musician person, it mostly has to do with K-pop stuff. So it’s going to be quite different from what I’ve been telling you so far in this interview *laughs*. It’s basically me sharing like whos out there, thats new, that went viral, and whats trending nowadays in South Korea or anything good from this country kind of thing.
Samuel Seo: oh and plus plus the show is in English, so foreigners should not have any problems listening to my show.
Alicia: Exactly go watch that right now !! No seriously here’s the link (https://youtu.be/ly_s3HhP0ic?si=xj5dPjEVlWjN84bE)