Interviewed by: Kaamaakshi Bhat (Zirakpur, Punjab) and Deena Jasmine (Chikmagalur, Karnataka)
Edited by: Raj Nandini, Ranchi, Jharkhand
In the dynamic world of music and entertainment, a brilliant and talented songwriter, music producer, and vocal arranger exists – Andy Love. His career boasts collaborations with some of the industry's biggest stars, like SHINee, TXT, ENHYPEN, SUPER JUNIOR, Red Velvet, MONSTA X, ITZY, and many others. Andy Love has established himself as a powerhouse in the music industry. He worked with talented artists and composed music for globally renowned TV shows like "The X Factor" and "America's Got Talent." Andy Love's exceptional work has been recognised with an impressive 22 BMI Crystal Award, showcasing his talent and dedication. In this article, let's delve into the world of this musical genius, who has also lent his magic touch to crafting corporate brand themes for tech giants like Huawei and Honor.
First of all, please briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hey, people around the world! My name is Andy Love and I have been writing K-pop and J-pop exclusively for around 7-8 years. I am British but live in Los Angeles.
Could you share a bit about your journey into the world of music? What initially drew you to become a songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger?
I used to be in a band and when that folded (as all bands do) I had to decide to either return to university to finish off my studies or sleep on floors, eat ramen, and work my ass off learning how to write better songs with better people. Guess which path I chose? I got my first placement and a publishing deal in the UK. At first, I was nowhere near being the best writer but what gave me the edge was that I would not give up and I showed up every day eager to learn and I always gave my all. Perseverance wins over talent any day – that combo together is unstoppable!
When and how did you start writing music for K-pop artists? What inspired you to work with K-pop artists?
I had gotten many cuts in Japan over the years and the K-pop scene back then was kicking off so I decided to get myself out to South Korea (Seoul), soak up the vibes and meet a bunch of people, do real Facetime! My first major cut was with a song called "Yes or Yes" by TWICE and I remember being in Seoul while this song was released. Walking along the streets of Gangnam hearing my song in every shop, restaurant, and bar was just wild and made me want to focus on this exciting market.
Video credits: JYP Entertainment YouTube
Could you share some insights into the collaborative process behind the creation of the four songs you co-wrote for &TEAM? Were there any memorable moments or challenges that you faced during the writing process?
&Team was fun to write for. They have strong voices so there were no limitations placed on my melodies which I always prefer. It's a really simple process - HYBE sends an instrumental from their producers and I do what I feel on it and send it back. Their AnR team then collects many topline ideas from many other writers and then selects the best parts to use for the final topline. It's essentially a topline competition every single time so you just do your best and cross your fingers.
You recently co-wrote the songs "Be Somebody" and "Ghost" for Yook Sungjae's 1st single album, "EXHIBITION: Look Closely." Be Somebody has a lot of English lyrics with an emo indie-pop genre and an impressive trap-style beat which is something that is not usual in K-pop songs. We loved the song a lot. It showcased Sungjae's vocal capabilities to the fullest. It feels calm but at the same time powerful. The same goes with "Ghost", it's such a soothing song with all lyrics in English. Could you explain to us what was the creative process behind writing these songs?
These two songs are right up there in my favourite songs I have ever written. They were songs that I really thought weren't going to be placed with K-pop as they didn't follow the usual pattern or trend. Sungjae's team reached out and asked to hold "Ghost" for over a year so we knew their feelings were strong. I am so happy with how they turned out and the vocal delivery was perfect! I'm also really happy that they kept the full English lyrics for "Ghost" as I was proud of the lyrics and had put a lot of time into making it perfect.
Video credits: Yook Sungjae YouTube
You have co-written "SHOUT OUT" by ENHYPEN which was well received by the fans. Could you share any interesting moments from the creation of this song? How did it feel when the song became almost everyone's favourite from the album?
Yes! This was most definitely a fan favourite. It was extremely fun to create this with my friend and writing partner, Waveshower. He came up with the most amazing track for this which always makes my job easy. As the AnR's were asking for a "stadium song," I knew that I had to get some sort of call-response section in there so the fans could scream back what was sung by the artist. Fun fact, the song was originally titled "Smash" and it was about a relationship having all the right musical ingredients to make a smash song.
You have worked with artists such as TXT, THE BOYZ, &TEAM, Kep1er, Super Junior, SuperM, TWICE, ENHYPEN, Yook Sungjae, CRAVITY, Red Velvet, MONSTA X, Suho, SHINee and many more. Do you have any memorable experiences with any of these K-pop artists that you would like to share?
The truth is that writers do their thing in their studios so rarely get to meet the artists unless we go to shows. I have seen THE BOYZ perform my songs and they are just brilliant at interacting with the crowd. They make the audience feel like they are a part of the group when they start randomly talking in the middle of a set. I wish more Western artists did this as it personalizes the experience for the fans. I also met the SuperM guys after a show and they were so nice.
Video credits: SMTOWN YouTube
Congratulations on your remarkable achievement of winning the 22 BMI Crystal Award! What do these awards mean to you personally? Can you share one of the most memorable moments or inspiration behind one of your award-winning songs?
Apart from K-pop and J-pop, I have written TV theme songs for Disney shows such as "KC Undercover," "Raven's Home" as well as the theme song for "The X Factor" and "America's Got Talent." I received an award at the BMI Film and TV Awards show as many of these shows were ranked #1 network TV shows. It's an absolute honour to have received so many.
You have partnered with The Hello Group as an A&R. How has your experience been so far? What advice do you have for aspiring songwriters and producers who are about to start their journey in the music industry?
I did! Previous to this venture, I was doing single-song assignment deals for many years but the admin, registration, pitching, follow-ups etc. were taking up too much of my creative time (for writing songs) so I knew I had to make a change. Then along came The Hello Group and the rest is history. I met Alawn (producer) and Taylor Jones (CEO) in Seoul at a writing camp and we instantly connected. They are truly my people - dreamers, visionaries and all-around great people. Since becoming an A&R at The Hello Group, I have signed 3 producers to the roster who are doing great. For all those aspiring writers and producers I would say - do not expect things instantly. It's a numbers game. The first hundred songs I wrote were truly horrific, the next hundred were average. My point is that it takes many many failures to achieve greatness and consistency. Be patient, work on your craft, fail a thousand times and maybe success will find you.
Where and how do you find the inspiration to write? Who are some of the artists who inspire you to write? How do you handle writer's block?
I get sent roughly ten tracks from producers around the world every week so this gives me a constant stream of inspiration. I then select three or four and just start singing in the mic. It's that simple. I haven't experienced writer's block as I don't think this applies to melodies but I have for sure felt demotivated in the past. The best advice is to take a day or two off and do something completely different. Don't beat yourself up, just have fun. Music will be waiting for when you are ready to make it back.
How do you stay updated with current music trends and incorporate them into your work? Is there any music style/genre that you haven't tried yet but would like to try in the future?
As a lifelong fan of drum and bass, I'm so happy that this style has crept into K-pop recently. I am also a fan of rock music so working on the TXT and ENHYPEN albums allowed me to bring something different to their sound in songs like "LO$ER=LO♡ER" and "Dear Sputnik." Trends come and go and a great song can be reproduced in a few different styles so sometimes we update older songs with new production to fit trends and it's worked pretty well.
Video credits: HYBE Labels YouTube
Is there any artist you would like to work with, whether it be a K-Pop artist or any other Western artist?
Teddy Swims is a whole vibe. I would love to work with him. In K-pop, I dig Jackson Wang. He likes pushing the boundaries, creates in multiple genres and has the most amazing voice and intriguing personality – a true star in my opinion.
If you could recommend one of your songs to a new listener which one would it be and why?
Two songs that didn't get the exposure I hoped they would. The first is "Drink It" by THE BOYZ. It's a real Arctic Monkeys thing going on here. Hard and heavy. The other is MONSTA X's "Breathe For You." This was meant to be a single and they released it digitally with no promotion for National Puppy Day. The song deserved much better but sometimes it just doesn't go your way.
Video credits: GENIE MUSIC YouTube
What are your plans and goals for 2024? Could you share a bit about your upcoming projects?
The plan is to just keep writing songs that I like. It's as simple as that. I'm collaborating with some amazing talent and have a few upcoming releases that I wish I could share but can't. Sorry.
The Korean wave is growing rapidly in India and many fans love listening to K-pop; so, would you like to share a message with our Indian K-pop fans?
I think it's brilliant that K-pop has reached and connected with the whole planet. K-pop is a lot like Indian pop - very visual and has a lot of entertainment value with the dancing so I'm not surprised. I would love to say hi to Indian fans and I know that very soon, India's pop music will be going global and people in Korea will become fans of "I-pop". The Hello Group has just got back from an amazing trip to Mumbai so watch this space! Big things are happening for Indian pop and we can't wait to share it with you soon.
Once again, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your precious time and sharing insights about your journey. Thank you so much. On behalf of the entire team at Hallyuism, we wish you all the best for your future projects.
Do leave your thoughts in the comments if you enjoyed reading this interview!
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