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Sticking Too Closely to the Original Feels Restrictive, So I Choose to Sing My Own Songs
Blues! This is taking an unexpected turn.
Roka：I started listening to Eric Clapton, and that’s when my focus shifted from just vocals to also being interested in instruments. I began exploring instrumental music. I also listened to a lot of Tom Misch, who wasn’t as well-known at the time. He used to upload videos of himself making music on YouTube. As I started paying more attention to the instruments in music, I found myself enjoying improvisation as well. I found a new kind of joy outside of just singing.
This seems like quite a rare case. Why do you think this shift happened?
Roka：Hmm… (pauses for a moment) I think it’s because, at the dance and vocal school I was attending, I started singing songs with more complex arrangements. Instead of sticking strictly to the original, I started adding my own twist, like mimicking the way Justin Bieber or Bruno Mars sings, and gradually expressing my individuality. For some reason, I felt the urge to do that. But of course, at the school, they would tell me to stick closer to the original. So, I started thinking, “If I write my own songs and sing them, no one will complain.”
Maybe you don’t like being confined by rules?
Roka：I think that’s probably the case (laughs). At the school, the other students would compliment me, but the teachers would tell me to stop. That’s when a bit of rebellious spirit started to grow in me.
And that led to a shift in the way you listened to music?
Roka：As I started trying to write songs, I began learning about mixing and arrangements on my own. I started paying attention to things like how reverb is used, how the bass sounds, and how strings are arranged, which made me start to view music more holistically. Before, I was focused mostly on vocals, but now I started focusing on the overall structure and texture of the music. That’s when I became a fan of John Mayer. His songs are great, and his arrangements are very inspiring. I also started listening to Anderson .Paak and Hiatus Kaiyote, and I still love them to this day.
When you started composing your own music, how did you go about it?
Roka：I started by playing simple chords on an acoustic guitar that my dad bought for me. Then, I learned how to make tracks using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) on my laptop. I watched Tom Misch’s videos and learned from them. I would look up how to compose and arrange music on YouTube, practice making melodies on the keyboard, and just gradually honed my production skills.
It sounds like a big shift from the dance and vocal school. Starting from scratch must have been tough, did you ever face any setbacks?
Roka：Yes, I did. I started studying audio engineering and began doing mixes… and at one point, I kind of lost sight of the goal. I even thought maybe I should become an engineer instead. So, I actually quit music for a while. I stopped listening to music altogether, and during that period, I only listened to podcasts with my earbuds. Then, after more than a year, my passion for composing suddenly came back, and I decided to start creating music again.
At that time, were you still attending the dance and vocal school?
Roka：I’m not sure… I don’t really remember if it overlapped with that period.
So, you no longer considered debuting in a group?
Roka：No, I never really thought about joining a group. From the start, I was focused on finding a way to debut as a solo artist. I guess you could say I had a bit of a conflicted mindset. My desire to sing was always stronger than my passion for dance, so I knew I wanted to pursue a solo career.
