[INTERVIEW] Female artist Gummy - Part 1

There was a time when the phrase 'living as an actress in Korea' was common. It was probably not just because it shows how their position as an actress means many things but also because they live differently from actors and women who live normal lives. But 'living as a female singer in Korea' also strays from leading an ordinary life. Female singers do not have too many choices left to make in order to survive in Korea in 2010 -- most of them are a member of a girl group who signed with an agency in their teens or are singers who pursue sexy styles. Other than that, one can also be acknowledged as one of the few 'diva-style singers' who exude much talent in singing. Yet when these singers enter their thirties, they start worrying about the publics' changed response to them and concerns over how to spend the rest of their lives. Below is an interview with female artist Gummy who talked about how she lives her life as a female musician.

10: I'm enjoying listening to your album. It's a good album.
Gummy: Thank you. What did you like about it? (laugh)

10: You're good at singing ballad songs but I knew you'd be good with music that is more trendy and has a stronger beat to it. It seems you have found a new style starting with "I'm Sorry." It's like a second generation of Gummy has started. (laugh)
Gummy: You're right. I have always wanted to do melodical hip-hop music. That's why I had continuously looked into it. I had sung a few such songs before too although the entire album wasn't like it. It has also become much easier for me to sing songs too because I used to have a hard time singing my past ballad songs live if my throat was in bad shape.

10: Is there a reason you thought of such change?
Gummy: My method of singing had changed a bit upon releasing my "Unplugged" album. I also had a lot of concerns about music. What I had always worried about before "I'm Sorry" was that the public found my music difficult -- they said songs like "No" and "Child adult" were too difficult.

10: [So difficult that] Even being able to sing along to your songs would prove one's singing ability? (laugh)
Gummy: That's right. They had said "Loss of Memory" was difficult but that my songs had become even more difficult. So I increasingly became very worried that my image would become fixed as such a singer. My mania fan base might grow but I would deviate further away from pop music. Even my mom's friends were asking why my songs were so difficult. (laugh) The music that I thought people liked, that even I myself was having a hard time singing, was gradually becoming repulsive for them.

10: I guess that's what good singers must be worried about. They are liked in the beginning because they are good at singing but into the third or fourth album, such music becomes old or difficult while it's scary for the singers to try to change.
Gummy: I really do worry about it a lot. It's also difficult to find the mid-point of what it is the people who want to hear great singing want and what I want to do. And it's difficult figuring out what sort of music won't hurt the pride of other musicians. But what I realized after looking back on the path I've walked up to now, is that everything that everyone says is worth listening to. I wouldn't have been able to sing a song like "Because You're a Man" in the past because I would have worried that people might think the song is too easy. But there is a much wider range of music that I can do now after thinking that I want to do music that I will have fun doing.

10: I think "Because of You" is a song where you tried to figure out where that mid-point is -- trying to maintain the vibe to your album while letting out your vocals at some point.
Gummy: I paid a lot of attention to the arrangement because if it was done like in the past, the song would end up sounding like my old songs. So I focused on making it sound as light as possible and even skipped on an introduction for the song. So I think that's why "Because of You," which was more difficult, got quicker response from fans. I think that's the song that people who want to hear good vocals from me want to hear and I think other people listen to the other songs.

10: You've changed in the sense that you do or do not let out your vocals but emotionally too -- it seems you've become more contemplative. It's as if you're singing about love from a distance.
Gummy: I had always felt that way [about my songs] but I wasn't able to show it because I think the public always wanted to see me in agony and cry out when I'm sad. Of my ballad songs, I like my hit songs too but I liked the remake of "He is Far Away" better. That's why I became very worn out and I didn't like becoming that person because of what people think of me when I'm actually not that person. But after being asked why I keep doing such difficult music, I realized that I don't need to do just that kind of music anymore.

10: Is that why your vocals and melody changed too? It seems like you preferred going with songs with melodies that flow throughout in your latest album -- up till "I'm Sorry," the hook had been emphasized.
Gummy: It wasn't intentional but it ended up coming out that way. I heard that some people said I took the easy way out because it was so easy to listen to. (laugh)

10: They would realize how hard it is when they try and sing it. (laugh)
Gummy: That's right. It's very difficult. (laugh) And the concern I had over "Because You're a Man" was that the woman inside the song obsesses over her love but I'm not like that. But thye men and women around me were able to empathize with the lyrics so I just had to do it. (laugh) Because a lot of people liked it. A lot of people also say they don't like it because I don't let out my vocals.

10: Did you sing "Loveless" in more of the way you wanted to? (laugh) I think it would have been difficult to restrain your vocals as much as possible while keeping them strong and trying to make them sound light. Although on the other hand, it was easy to listen to.
Gummy: That's right. I was the most delicate in recording "Loveless." I became worn out recording it but I think the listener doesn't know because it's easy to listen to. (laugh) And my throat wasn't tired but it was difficult trying to express [emotions] delicately. When I tried to keep going, the staff would say we should do it over two days because I have to prolong the energy. "Because of You" was actually easier to sing although singing it live was more difficult because the key was so high. (laugh) But I liked it because it felt like I was wearing the right clothes and it's something I hadn't done before. It was fun expressing something new.

Senior Reporter : Kang Myoung-Seok two@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Lee Ji-Hye seven@