Do you remember the old-school grungy punk rock we loved during the 90s and early 00s? Well, what if we tell you that a 28 years old artist from South Korea is now reviving the myth by working not on a complete resurrection of the genre as we know it but by infusing it with newfound riffs and influences from modern music?
LØREN, whose real name is Lee Seung-Joo, is what we can define as a music prodigy. Singer, songwriter, and producer under the worldwide famous THEBLACKLABEL (yes, the subsidiary of YG Entertainment founded in 2015 by one of the most influential producers in the field, Teddy), was behind hits like GDRAGON’s ACT I. 개소리 (BULLSHIT), and BLACKPINK’s You Never Know, Pretty Savage and Lovesick Girl, where he also acts as the male lead in the MV.
Now, LØREN is embarking on a new journey as a solo artist. This Korean alt-rock visionary musician has officially signed to the iconic record label 88rising and announced the release of his debut EP, Put Up a Fight (you can stream the album here).
LØREN musical prowess is well-known by the public thanks to the release of three buzzy singles which earned over 14M views in less than a year since the first release in 2020 of Empty Trash to Need (ooo-eee) and All My Friends Are Turning Blue in 2021.
With his unique visuals, LØREN has become the face of the luxury brand Saint Laurent and can be spotted gracing the covers of many fashion magazines.
Panorama.it had the chance to interview him.
Nice to meet you, LØREN. Can you please introduce yourself to Panorama’s readers?
Hello Panorama readers! I’m Løren, and I’m a singer-songwriter from Korea. Thanks for having me here. Very happy to be here.
Your first EP… Congratulations! How did you choose the title Put Up a Fight?
I think the title reflected a certain sense of resistance that I tried to show through my music. I love the direction of modern music but also felt like the culture I loved was being left in the past. It was my personal fight against the normalities of music if that makes sense.
Which song of this EP do you feel the proudest of? And why?
I’m a pretty harsh critic of myself, and I can’t say I’m genuinely proud of any of them. If I had to choose, I’d say Panic and Temporary are some of the tracks that feel the most personal to me at this point of my life.
Also, your tracks talk to the listener by tackling subjects like isolation and mental health. Do you think your music can have healing power on those who listen to it?
I very much hope so, but I do want people to take away whatever they decide to take away from my music. I think my intentions are less important than how each person interprets my music, and I want each and everyone to have their own personal take on it. They’re all correct, in the end.
You became part of the 88rising roster. What are your expectations?
My expectations have already been exceeded by far at this point. Everyone I’ve met has been amazing, and Head in the Clouds was one of my dream festivals. I’m very humbled and cannot wait for what’s to come with them.
I want to dig deeper into your music works. “Time is movin’ on. With or without you”. This line marks the start of the MV of All My Friends Are Turning Blue. Do you feel like you are running on time, LØREN?
I very much think so. Sometimes it’s very difficult for me to tell whether I’m trying too hard, or not enough. I think the movement of time is cruel, in a way, and I hope to work and create at a rate that’ll leave no regrets for myself in the future.
I love the retro punk-rock vibes of the song (All My Friends Are Turning Blue). And the video is like it’s comin’ straight out of an early 2000s MTV show. So I’m curious about one thing: if you had to define yourself in songs that helped shape your life, which would they be?
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I think the video for Someday by The Strokes was a huge inspiration behind the video, and I also keep that song as one of my favorites of all time. The video also led me to actually start performing with some of my friends, and that alone makes it very special to me.
You worked with the elite of this industry: G-DRAGON. Can you recall the experience with us?
Honestly I was a pretty inadequate producer at the time, and I primarily worked on the track rather than actually work in the same room with GD. Regardless, he was one of my idols growing up, and it was surreal to see something I created become a part of his work.
And then there is BLACKPINK. The girls have a massive role in your life. You worked as a lyricist for many of their songs; one of them is Lovesick Girls, in which you were also part of the MV. What did you learn from them?
Lovesick Girls was actually the first time I ‘acted’ in front of a camera, and I must say it was quite frightening. The girls helped me out tremendously, and their tips still help me out to this day. All in all it was an amazing experience, and having been a Blink myself, it was very wild for me to interact with them personally.
Do you have any dream collaborations right now?
Some artists that always stay in my playlist recently are The Mezingers, Hot Mulligan, Turnover, Joji and Kennyhoopla. Regardless of that list, I’m very eager and excited to leave my personal circle and start working with other artists in general.
You are a stunning guy, indeed. Your visual is impressive. And fashion knows that since you are one of Saint Laurent’s faces. How did fashion impact your life?
I’m very flattered, though I don’t know if I necessarily agree with you. I’ve always dressed and almost studied how people I idolized dress, and I think fashion is one of the best ways to express yourself. YSL has always been my favorite brand of all time, and it still blows my mind that I am lucky enough to have this amazing relationship with them.
You have a pretty unique style. If you had to choose a piece of clothing you could wear every day, which would it be and why?
Very obvious one: skinny jeans. I can’t even recall the first time I wore them, but I never went back since then. I still remember going through thrift stores and even girl jeans to find ones that fit me right. Before finding YSL that is.
I want to go back to your music career. When did you first feel that you were going to be a musician?
I always sort of ‘knew’ I would be a musician, if that makes any sense. I can’t call it a decision or pinpoint a specific time because it was just so obvious to me. The thirteen-year-old me, the twenty-year-old me, and me today have always been the same in how I want to live my life.
I have one last question: who is LØREN right here, right now?
I’m a musician that’ll (hopefully) return the debt to others in the way that music helped me cope with my own life. Physically I’m in the states for the first time and I must say it’s been beyond amazing to be here. All in all, I’m someone that’s evolving constantly (again with hope).