Name: Enyang HA
Occupation: Composer, producer, performer, mastering engineer
Nationality: South Korean
Current release: Enyang Ha's Name Of Your Light is out via System.

If you enjoyed these thoughts by Enyang Ha and would like to stay up to date with her music and projects, visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud. We also have an in-depth 15 Questions Enyang Ha interview if you want to dive deeper into her thoughts on music.
 


Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

It's a culmination of life events and the journey of energy practices influenced by other forms of art.

My latest album, Name of Your Light, draws inspiration from the profound concepts of reincarnation and rebirth. During the creation of this album, I was both pregnant and raising my son while working as a full time mastering engineer, an experience that presented me with both challenges and immense inspiration.

The journey of finding a path to be born again is far from simple; it demands unwavering strength and will. It was this recognition that fueled my creative process and led me to craft this album as a tribute to all the spirits who embark on the cycle of returning to life, driven by the purpose they are destined to fulfill.

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualisation' of the finished work? What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

In my creative process, music takes the lead. It emerges from a collage of emotions, born out of random experimentation with various musical instruments and gear.

Following this musical foundation, lyrics come into play. I begin by singing the melody with a preferred rhythm, and then I carefully weave in words that harmonize with the melody's essence.

Is there a preparation phase for your process? Do you require your tools to be laid out in a particular way, for example, do you need to do 'research' or create 'early versions'?

For me, being in the ‘most-me state’ is the important preparation for writing music and I can get into this state by repeating the daily routine.

I personally don’t do much research or create early versions. When I go in, I fully dive in.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

Maintaining a consistent daily routine greatly contributes to my creative mindset.

I prefer to begin my day at 5 am, starting with a calming cup of tea followed by meditation and either yoga or a morning jog. This quiet time allows me to center myself and set a positive tone for the day ahead. Afterward, I dedicate time to reading and a refreshing shower, typically concluding around 8 am when my son awakens and I get him ready to bring to the kindergarten.

I prioritize avoiding coffee and heavy, processed foods that might saturate my mood. Instead, I relish in the revitalizing outdoor air and the warmth of the sun, which invigorate my spirit. It's important to carve out moments for personal reflection and exploration, whether it's discovering new music that deeply resonates with me or engaging in activities that foster a profound connection with myself.

These practices allow me to access a deeper level of self-awareness, ultimately enhancing my creative abilities.

When do the lyrics enter the picture? Where do they come from? Do lyrics need to grow together with the music or can they emerge from a place of their own?

The lyrics in my creative process often come after the musical foundation has been laid. It's like they wait for the melody and rhythm to set the stage, providing a canvas for the words to find their place. They come from a space deep within, a reservoir of emotions, experiences, and reflections.

While they can certainly grow alongside the music, there are times when they emerge independently, as if they have a voice of their own. These moments feel like a serendipitous meeting of sound and soul, where the lyrics breathe life into the melody, giving it a narrative and depth that resonate on a profound level.

What makes lyrics good in your opinion? What are your own ambitions and challenges in this regard?

For me, good lyrics are like a mirror to the soul. They convey emotions and stories in a way that resonates deeply with the listener. Ambiguity and universality are key elements, allowing each person to find their own meaning and connection.

Personally, my ambition is to craft lyrics that are simple but bold as a poem, transcend language and culture, touching people at a fundamental level.

From your experience, are there things you're doing differently than most or many other artists when it comes to writing music?

The mixing process allows me to mold noise into a rhythmic instrument and craft a spherical landscape. The songs undergo a transformative process, becoming distinct and imbued with a unique character through my mixing technique.

Sometimes I just want to be making music and don’t have to think about this technical part but I keep coming back to mixing and mastering my own music for this reason.

Here is the most noticeable example of noise shaping from the song ‘PolaR’.



Many writers have claimed that as soon as they enter into the process, certain aspects of the narrative are out of their hands. Do you like to keep strict control or is there a sense of following things where they lead you?

I enjoy incorporating elements of randomness and experimentation into my creative process, which is why I often use a modular synthesizer in my music production.

There are two approaches I find effective. In the first, I allow randomness and experimentation to shape the foundation of a song, and then I introduce more controlled elements as it evolves. Alternatively, I might start with a defined baseline and use randomness and experimentation to add complementary elements.

Both methods yield intriguing and satisfying results in my creative journey.

Often, while writing, new ideas and alternative roads will open themselves up, pulling and pushing the creator in a different direction. Does this happen to you, too, and how do you deal with it? What do you do with these ideas?

I believe such occurrences are more likely when you spend an extended period producing a single song. Over time, your perspective evolves, as does your artistic taste, preferences, and ideas. Everything tends to shift gradually with time.

While exploring alternative ideas can be enriching, I prioritize capturing the initial essence and emotions when it comes to studio production intended for release. It's crucial to me that the song retains the core of its original concept and feelings, even as it's complemented by alternative ideas.

Originally, "Stand Close” was conceived as a gentle ballad song.



I began to write this song with the melody and lyrics for the vocal line. Two years later, I sought to introduce a stark contrast to the delicate vocal by incorporating robust percussion elements. As a result, the song underwent a significant transformation.

However, at its core, I believe the essence of the song remained unchanged—it simply acquired a different aesthetic.

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do?

For me, the creative state is like entering a realm where time seems to dissolve. It's a space of pure flow, where ideas and emotions intertwine seamlessly.

There's a profound sense of connection, not only to the art itself but to something greater, something beyond the tangible world.

Once a piece is finished, how important is it for you to let it lie and evaluate it later on? How much improvement and refinement do you personally allow until you're satisfied with a piece? What does this process look like in practise?

I prefer handling the mixing of my own productions, which naturally allows each song ample time to rest for a thorough and objective evaluation. I iterate and refine the production and mixing process multiple times.

It's important to note that I am quite a rational person when making this decision. I can discern when further improvements are needed and when it's time to finalize and release the piece. This balance ensures that each creation receives the attention it deserves, resulting in a polished and refined outcome.

What's your take on the role and importance of production, including mixing and mastering for you personally? How involved do you get in this?

I work full-time as a mastering engineer, and I'm quite adept at mixing and mastering. Particularly for my latest album, Name Of Your Light, I took on the task of mixing it myself. This was necessary because the entire album heavily incorporates elements of noise, distortion, and deliberate shaping of unwanted sounds. It's a nuanced process that's challenging to convey to another engineer and expect the exact result I envisioned.

Thus, I chose to handle it personally, even though it did take considerably more time compared to my work on clients' music. I recognized it was a step I needed to take, at least this time around.

Looking back, I'm incredibly pleased that I did. I take great pride in the outcome.

After finishing a piece or album and releasing something into the world, there can be a sense of emptiness. Can you relate to this – and how do you return to the state of creativity after experiencing it?

Since I made the decision to handle both the mixing and mastering process myself, this turned out to be a demanding endeavor, taking considerably more time compared to working on clients' music. Furthermore, the tasks of marketing and promoting the release can be quite energy-intensive.

I find myself yearning for the initial music writing phase, which is an entirely pure and soul-nourishing process for me, without the need for excessive rational planning and calculation.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you personally feel as though writing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Of course in music, I have the opportunity to convey complex emotions, stories, and ideas through aural landscapes. It's a form of expression that taps into the deepest layers of my soul. Yet, I also discover beauty and depth in the most ordinary tasks.

When you can translate the essence of these everyday moments into music and art, it creates a compelling resonance that anyone can connect with. Is this what's referred to as "pop art?"