INTERVIEW: VeeAlwaysHere drops new single “USED TO”

Korean-American artist VeeAlwaysHere was born and raised in Siberian Russia, where he grew up with a profound love for American pop, a connection forged despite significant language barriers. This early fascination with the storytelling power of music would later see him realise his own creative vision as a musician and producer.

He began writing songs in English, driven by an innate need to express himself musically and over the course of just two and a half years, he not only became fluent in the language but also embarked on a self-taught journey to develop his talents in production, writing, recording and mixing. First unveiling his original sonic vision in 2019, he dropped his debut EP, Sober, which he’s since followed up with several singles and four full-length records.

Bringing us his latest release, he shares his new single titled “USED TO,” a track that serves as a sonic time capsule to the early 2000s, the era that first sparked his creative flame and passion for music. The single blends the iconic sounds of that iconic era with a modern aesthetic, capturing the nostalgia of fans while offering something entirely new.

“This song, sonically, is a love letter to the music I grew up on. The melodies, the energy, the raw emotion of those years shaped me, and I wanted to capture that vibe in USED TO while making it feel fresh and relevant for today,” he explains. Brought in by the soft pulse of synth tones, the track erupts with the punching energy of stabbing instrumentation and rattling percussion as Vee’s bright vocal performance soars above.

Casting an R&B-inflected alternative pop jam, stuttered rhythms and bold synth based arrangement collide to craft a gripping soundscape capped by Vee’s instantly catchy vocal hooks. Driven by the relentless uptempo energy of the beat, “USET TO” serves up an enthralling and infectious listening experience from start to finish.

Packed in a potent dose of just over two minutes of enveloping modern pop music, VeeAlwaysHere’s new single sees him lay down an epic display of his memorable songwriting and innovative production panache. As he adds to his extensive catalogue of releases, this exciting artist continues to impress on his thrilling musical journey.

We caught up with VeeAlwaysHere to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “USED TO” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with VeeAlwaysHere below.

Hey VeeAlwaysHere, how’s things?

Everything is great, thank you!! I have so many exciting releases lined up, I can barely contain my excitement!!

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

My earliest memory of making music is when I was 8 or 9 years old. That was when I first discovered music and it was so fun to make silly little songs. I remember writing a diss track because someone borrowed a pencil from me in elementary school, but never returned it HAHA I guess that was the first song I ever wrote!

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

I don’t have anyone specific, because the answer to this question is – everyone. I have so much respect and admiration for everyone creating art (it doesn’t even have to be music). People’s passion really inspires me. There’s something about seeing someone do their thing and really enjoy it, that just gets me fired up!

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

That’s the scariest part! Anything can inspire me! From overhearing conversation at the grocery store to watching something on TV. I think over the years, I got a lot better at finding inspiration for my music in the most unusual places.

What’s been your highlight of the year so far?

The most epic moment of this year has been the random success of my song MIRACLE. I was just having so much fun making content for this song and I didn’t expect it to do so well at all. It’s cool to see a very niche song that I was very excited about making to find its audience and connect me with new listeners.

What do you love about the Los Angeles music scene?

I have to say that I love how talented people are and how unapologetically they go after what they want. I’ve really built an amazing community for artists and musicians here and it’s so much fun to collaborate or just help each other out.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

My approach to making music is I want to help you create memories. This is the most fascinating thing about music, in my opinion. How you can almost time travel with different music. I really want to be able to do that for people too, so the perfect setting is any setting! It’s all about the time in your life when you discover my songs!

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

It changed dramatically in the best way possible. As a music fan, my personal playlist is full of so many different random things – it’s a mix of moods, vibes and genres. This is the energy that I really wanted to bring into my music as an artist – it’s so fun for me to experiment and play around with different sounds and styles!

Has your production process changed over the years too?

As I continue exploring different sounds and challenging myself, I discover more new things and it’s honestly so exciting! I’m the type of artist, writer and producer who wants to try everything, and I just let that guide me now. In the past, I’ve been a little too hesitant to really explore and experiment, but now it bring me so much joy!

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

I love collaborating and I always try to do it whenever I can! It’s like inviting someone else over into your world to see how they eventually make it better by bringing something from theirs! It’s so amazing! I don’t have any specific bucket list collaborations, I just love collaborating in general!

How did you find making your new single “USED TO”?

It was super fun! This song is a love letter to the era of music that I grew up on, which influenced me to start making music to begin with! So that part of it was very satisfying and felt like a cool magical moment!

What message did you want to get across with this release?

I’m not going to lie, this song was honestly a selfish song for the kid version of me

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

Like I said before, I want to create soundtrack to people’s lives. Music has been such an important part of my life and I just want to give other people (and myself) more music to make memories to! That’s all!

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

Don’t be stubborn and too set in your ways. Don’t lead with your ego or with ‘what you think a music artist should do’. Just be yourself and have fun, because if it’s not fun then why do it at all?

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

I have another single coming on December 6th. It’s a very unexpected 2-track single that I’m very excited about! The perfect finisher for 2024! I cannot wait for everyone to hear it!!

Listen to USED TO below