A Chat with LosA (04.09.24)
With a multi-ethnic, Asian-American upbringing, singer-songwriter LosA draws together diverse cultures and unique music in her eclectic melodies. A representation of herself as a young adult, she connects with listeners through personal narratives and poetic lyricism. We speak with US-based LosA about her EP YOU ARE HER.E, personal projects and much more.
OSR: YOU ARE HER.E is described as a “hero’s journey” experience. Can you walk us through how your screenwriting background influenced the structure of this EP? How did you approach crafting each act of the story?
LosA: In screenwriting class, you’re taught the five-act story structure: introduction, inciting incident, climax, falling action, resolution. As I was piecing together the EP concept, I kept that in the back of my mind and wanted each song to represent a different part of the journey, but also to feel cohesive. Another structure that I took inspiration from is cycles – they are everywhere in life. The EP starts and ends with nature-inspired sounds, symbolizing a return to oneself.
OSR: Your EP weaves together indie electronic dream pop with elements of R&B and progressive dance music. How did you go about blending these genres to create a sound that feels uniquely your own?
LosA: I created a playlist that had songs with elements I really liked that I imagined would fit onto the EP. That playlist led me to create a collage book in which every page visually represented a song idea, and that collage book ended up being the north star of the EP. I put a lot of trust in my musical taste, my voice, and my producers to help bring the whole vision together as well, and I’m really happy with how the project turned out – it feels very true to me.
OSR: The themes of the EP revolve around self-healing, processing grief, and introspective growth. How did your personal experiences from 2021 to 2024 shape the narrative of the EP, and what was the most challenging aspect of translating those emotions into music?
LosA: In the span of the last few years, I felt like I had the highest highs and simultaneously the lowest lows of my entire life. At first, I was writing songs about dreams I had, experiences at parties, and my dating life at the time. I was dreaming big and fantasizing about the future, and then my friend’s death brought me back down to earth in an incredibly abrupt way.
Processing the grief and shock of his death took priority over finishing the music and I questioned everything I was trying to do. My therapist at the time encouraged me to continue with the music, and thanks to her help I was able to write and complete ‘I Am One of Them Too’, which is dedicated to my friend. Experiencing that loss made me realize we truly don’t know how long we have. Beyond visions of grandeur and success is being kind and supportive to those around you, being authentic to yourself, and being present in the lives of those you love.
OSR: The EP is said to be about “claiming your main character energy”. What does this concept mean to you personally, and how does it manifest in the music and lyrics?
LosA: I went to film school and dreamed of becoming a prominent film director. However, no matter how much I achieved – scoring internships, working on big sets, producing incredible projects – I didn’t feel fulfilled. I felt like I was telling other people’s stories instead of my own. Returning to music was re-examining my personal relationship with music and my own voice. Through the music and lyrics, I am essentially telling people who I am and my true feelings of things I went through or never expressed out loud. Thus, this is me “claiming my main character energy.”
OSR: As someone who is skilled in playing the ukulele, piano, and guitar, how did you decide when and how to incorporate these instruments into the EP? Was there a specific instrument that felt most connected to the themes of the project?
LosA: I particularly wanted to include the ukulele somewhere in the EP. It’s such a portable, gentle, under-estimated instrument with a beautiful sound. A few years ago, my mom and I were on vacation on an island in the Philippines, and she played her ukulele and sang on the beach. It was a precious memory that I wanted to remember. My mom is a ukulele aficionado and gifted me one of her ukes, so I try to put it to use as much as I can.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
OSR: The EP is a reflection on the last decade of your life, touching on the experience of being a millennial in your late 20s. What message or feeling do you hope listeners in a similar stage of life take away from YOU ARE HER.E?
LosA: I hope that anyone at a similar place in life can appreciate the magical moments, the cringe moments, the difficult moments, and the good moments all at once. In a way I feel like you get to decide what kind of person you want to continue being after your 20s…or any age for that matter…but you can also look back and love the person you were before you got there. It’s about appreciating the journey.
OSR: Los Angeles played a significant role in the recording process of the EP. How did the city influence the sound and mood of the project, and what does it mean to you as an artist to have recorded the entire EP there?
LosA: It means a ton! There is a popular narrative of people moving to this city to chase their dreams. However, I wanted to tap into my own story, which is of someone who is from LA, but did not grow up in the entertainment industry, yet still wants to follow their dreams. I actually left LA to study communications in college and then returned to work in the entertainment industry. I was born in downtown LA and then I grew up in the suburbs, and I am also the daughter of immigrants. All of these factors contribute to my personal narrative of how I move through the city and what I want to represent as an artist.
OSR: With YOU ARE HER.E being such a personal project, what do you hope listeners understand about who LosA is as an artist and as a person by the time they finish the EP?
LosA: I put my heart and soul into the project, and I hope that listeners can sense that. Authenticity is important to me and I hope that everything I create will always contain that element. There’s so much I can say and share about each finite detail of the EP, but ultimately it’s about the listener – that’s partially how I came up with the title YOU ARE HER.E. I hope that listeners can find their own personal connections to the music and enjoy the vibes!!
OSR: Do you have any advice or message for our readers?
LosA: Celebrate what makes you unique and lean into what brings you joy!
Many thanks to LosA for speaking with us. Find out more about LosA on her official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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