INTERVIEW: HUYEN ON HER SINGLE ‘CAN’T TRUST’ AND UPCOMING EP ‘SAD BOY’

Melbourne is always thirsty for a new artist and Huyen is a strong contender to capture attention. The Melbourne based musician and producer is primed to release her EP ‘Sad Boy’ and has given us a taste with her single ‘Can’t Trust’. Tori caught up with Huyen to find out more…

So tell me about you, is this your first big music thing or what's led up until now?

I have a degree in Audio Engineering. I went to Collarts and did all that for a couple years, which was pretty fun. Growing up, I played piano, I was a part of Young Australian Broadway Chorus. I've always been writing music for producers and other artists and helping them record their stuff. It's taken me a really long time to get in the space where I wanted to release my own music. I was really nervous about everything… I wear my heart on my sleeve. I feel like when I put something out there, I give too much vulnerability out to everyone. I had the roughest year last year…. I decided this year to not care and just be like, alright, just do it!

Throughout our conversation, it was clear Huyen isn’t letting anything get in her way, she is dedicated to her art

I'll do my nine to five, and then straightaway, I'll be in the studio, or stuff at home. I don't get to bed till 2:00am most nights. Then you have to get up and do it all again, to make sure things are done. But it's a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it, the whole process of writing everything and putting everything together.

With your audio experience, did you record, produce, mix and master everything yourself?

What I tend to do is start an Ableton session, and just be like, that sounds fun and if I have something that I've written that suits that vibe, then I'll try to incorporate that in there. Sometimes, you write a completely fresh song off of a new session that you've made. I find the best way for me anyways, I'll have my lyrics, and then I'll try to make something to that. But most of the songs that I've written so far have been completely fresh. I've got a whole box of lyrics that I haven't produced yet, because it's just too difficult.

I have a specific mindset for the music to the words, but I'll get the groove down and one of my really close friends, Christopher, he'll fix it up. I'm not the best producer. I won't lie. But he has an ear, and he knows exactly what I need and what I want. This was mastered by my friend, Cash. He’s a lot better at mastering than I am to the sweetest person ever. It's nice to have like a team of people with you that support you. I've learned so much from them.

Tell me more about the EP

Im excited. It's called “Sad Boy”. I'm hoping to get it out by June. I'm excited for that to come out and and be my first. This single is an introduction to who I am. I hope that the EP is a little bit more of an open book for everyone. I'm really excited for that.

You mentioned you have a more formal and classical background. How did that influence what music you made here, which is sounding more modern?

With my grandad, I grew up listening to The Carpenters, Doris Day, Lauryn Hill and then started rebelling against him a little bit. I would say “We should listen to Britney Spears, you're taking me the Britney Spears concert!”. The 90s era influenced me heavily, 90s r&b, which was great. I guess growing up listening to a combination of alternative rock and pop, I love Broadway, I cannot stress enough how much. I picked apart little alternative pieces from all these different genres and then thought, How can I put that all together and I remember listening to Banks's album for the first time. I listened and it was perfect. It was the perfect amount of r&b, perfect amount of lyricism, poetry, everything like that. She's a heavy influence for me. I think that my music is a mixture of everything.

Are there any artists or producers you hope to work with in future?

I would love to work with Social House. I'd love to work this producer called Derek Taylor, who did a lot of Banks album. He's got an ear for for everything and it's so nice. Finneas would be good to work with as well. Yeah…Finneas call me….

You can stream 'Can’t Trust’ now!

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