Pursuing a music career can often not be an easy path, especially when you are an independent artist. Was being a singer always your dream? How did everything start? We would appreciate If you could tell us your story with music, for example, your inspirations, fears, goals, career steps.

Actually, when I was young, I had no dream but had a little interest in music. But I just told people that I wanted to be a diplomat just to be looking smart.
Then after I saw Crush on a radio accidentally, I was so moved and thought I want to be an artist just like him. So I resolved to myself that I will start making music like him when I get into college. The reason why I started doing music when I got in college is because my parents never let me do other things besides school studies when I’m around them. So when I got 22, I took time off from school and started making songs by myself. As I haven’t learned about music it was so hard for me to write lyrics and make melodies, but I didn’t stop trying. All I had was passion and that made me a big person now.

In several areas and careers, it is still nowadays difficult for women to conquer their space and we know that in music it is not very different from that either. What were and what have been your main challenges in this regard?

I think a person’s own character is the most important element in this career. I always try to find my own unique character and find ways to show it to other people.

We met your work through Spotify, in a very casual way. How do you feel in thinking that, while you do your songs there in Korea, people all around the world can connect with it and appreciate your work?

I always feel so honored that people all around the world reach for my music and enjoy it. Actually, I sometimes feel that my music is the taste of other countries, so when foreign fans give love to me I’m really happy that I made them feel good by my music.

Your songs inspire freedom and empowerment, could you tell us about your creative process and the main message you want to convey with your music?

I’m so happy that you said my song inspires freedom and empowerment! That is really what I wanted people to feel. When I make songs, I always put my own experience and want to convey my freedom and empowerment (or the freedom that I desire) with my music. My songs are about my daily life, my feelings of love or the life that I dreamed of. Also sometimes I bring the processes from American tv shows like FRIENDS and BREAKING BAD. (these two are my favorites)

We know that in the mainstream a lot of artists don’t have their full freedom of expression. As an independent artist, do you feel that you are more free to express yourself — being with music or even within your personal/political positions?

Not as an independent artist but as an hip hop/r&b artist, I feel free to express myself in all ways. I think nowadays, populace don’t care if him/her is too much free with their music or positions. And it looks more cool when the artist express their feelings and life in raw ways.

To you, what are the main vantagens and disadvantages of being an independent artist in Korea?

The advantage of being an independent artist in Korea is that I don’t have any limits in making my songs because nobody has the right to interfere with it. But the disadvantage is that every stuff in making, releasing an album should be all by myself. The most important thing for an independent artist is promoting their album after releasing it, and that is the hardest thing for us to do. So that thing is the main weak point for us and we should always find a way for it.

Both the EP “Shmammered” as the “Liquor Loves Claire” were done in a partnership with the producer Liquor Well. How did this partnership happen? Could you tell us how it was the construction process of these EPs?

Before making the EP ‘Shmammered’ , producer Liquor Well contacted me and suggested I work with him. As I loved his music I said yes, and we started making songs and that became ‘shmammered’. After releasing it, many hip hop fans loved it and as we knew that we two are so close to each other, we planned to work for another ep. And that’s ‘Liquor Loves Claire’. Also recently, we are still working together and that will also be great 😉

Your old stage name, “Hauzee”, was an inspiration from the song How Gee of the group Big Bang. What is your birth name and why did you choose to change your stage name to Claire Hau? Besides Big Bang you have other K-pop references?

My birth name is Ye Jin Hong, and the name Hauzee is from the inspiration from How Gee of Big Bang. I never thought about changing my name from Hauzee, but after Tommy Strate told me that it would be more great if I changed my name, I just changed it with no thinking. He told me that the name Hauzee feels like an amateur young boy. Then he suggested Claire for me, and I added Hau from Hauzee and that’s how my name became Claire Hau. By changing my name, I wanted to make sure of my identity and wanted to make my own brand. I really feel thankful to Tommy Strate and love my new name.

With a year since your debut, the world faced great challenges with the Covid-19 pandemic. How has this affected your work and your routine as a whole? Did you manage to keep up well during this period? What did you do or what helped you to stay well during this period? And what do you most want to do when everything is back to normal?

Actually covid-19 hasn’t affected my work as I don’t do the concert many times. It just affected me not being able to meet my friends well and that’s it. In this period of time I worked with my songs as usual, and when everything gets back to normal, I want to go abroad and feel other countries’ moods and make songs there.

In the life of an artist a lot of times it can leave just a little time to rest and relax. What do you like to do in your free time? What are your hobbies?

In my free time I love walking around and thinking about anything. Also I love hanging out in café with my friends. My hobby is watching American tv shows.

We want to play a game with you! Let’s get into knowing you in the most simple way! Let’s make a profile to your fans and give them some curiosities about you!

Real name: Ye Jin Hong
Birth Date: 1997.12.12
How do you want to be recognized by the world? By an creative artist
What’s your favorite color? Pink
What’s your favorite food? Sandwich
A dream to achieve… Want people all around the world noticing me in 1 sec
Say 3 characteristics about yourself: Cool, creative, stylish
What’s your favorite movie? FRIENDS (not a movie but it’s my fav tv program!)
What you do on your free time (hobby): Just walk around
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I had no dream, but I told people that my dream is to be a diplomat.
A habit: turning on FRIENDS in phone before going to sleep
Happiness for you is… My happiness is making my friends and family happy by me.