Page 68 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

The Mix

Eric Nam and The Art

Of Redefining Success

The Korean-American singer-songwriter details his new album ‘Before We Begin,’
opens up about his bout with burnout and reveals how he and India go way back

By Riddhi Chakraborty

t’s 4:30 am in India wearing many hats; Nam so many different projects I wrote it last year. It was I’ve done a really good job
when I get on a call to started his career in South took a toll on his mental in English and I didn’t of introducing my fans
IL.A. to speak to Eric Korea back in 2011 after health earlier this year, want to take it back into to me singing in English.
Nam for the very first time. participating in a reality pushing him to the point Korean. I felt like it was a I’ve done at least one or
I’m at a point where I’ve TV competition, Star of burnout. “It was just very special record, because two collabs with Western
gone over a week without Audition:Birth of a Great like kind of a tipping point people just responded in artists a year, in my last
decent sleep and a burnout Star 2. While he didn’t where I was actually just so a very special way to it. EP (2018’s Honestly) we
is looming over my head, end up winning, it led to tired, so exhausted.” It did It made me kind of hold had two English songs on
but what keeps me going him signing with Korean however end up giving him on to it, looking for the there, plus I do a lot of
is that Nam is 100 percent label B2M Entertainment the wake up call he needed right opportunity to put covers. I’ve always been
worth it all. In fact over in 2012 and then finally to focus on his mental and it out. There was no point vocal about the fact that I
the next hour, I learn that debuting as a solo act in physical health. “So it was trying to redo it in Korean personally like English pop
there’s probably no one 2013. In the seven years important to be able to because it was great the music so [most fans] are
who could have understood since, Nam has established verbally say and admit that way it was, so that’s how glad that I’m finally able
my plight better, and facing himself as a household I am tired, that I need a we decided on doing an to do what I really wanted
the upcoming week seems a name in the country– break that I need to change all-English album. The and what I really feel
little less daunting. in addition to being a things around.” His new reason we titled it Before strongly about.
Eloquent, multi-talented successful musician, he record Before We Begin is We Begin is because I guess How much do the songs
and enterprising, the impressed audiences with part of that change, acting I’m in this transitionary draw from your own life?
31-year-old singer and his charming personality as a channel of catharsis phase where I really want There are songs that are
entertainer is very much after taking on the role and pushing forward his to pursue music more in directly connected to my
a reflection of what many of a TV personality and transition from K-pop the States and in the West, story, there are songs that
of us strive to be. He’s a presenter, hosting various star to global pop singer- do a lot of stuff in English. are fired from other people
lot of fun to talk to and variety shows and often songwriter. I’m American, born and and other stories… Just
refreshingly frank when interviewing international It’s an exciting time raised, so I’ve always felt really kind of a case by case
it comes to discussing his celebrities like Robert in Nam’s life—especially more comfortable writing thing. But we picked them
opinions around mental Downey Jr., Noel with the rise of Asian and singing in English. So and went with them because
health and South Korea’s Gallagher, Matt Damon, representation in mainstream more than just a K-pop I relate to them in some
celebrity culture—a little Emma Stone, Andrew media propelling him further star, I think I would like to way, I feel them in some
unusual for a K-pop idol, Garfield and more. He’s into the global spotlight—so transition into becoming way. I think being able to
but then again he never one of the first solo artists it’s pretty great to be able like an American pop tell that story and emote
has been one to fit in. in the K-pop industry to to hear his perspective singer-songwriter and that into a song was my goal
Born and brought up in regularly collaborate with on it all firsthand. In this being perceived that way. and hopefully when people
Atlanta, Georgia, Nam had Western artists (including conversation with Rolling It’s not ‘Eric Nam’s U.S. hear it, they love it as much
to adapt to South Korea’s Timbaland, Gallant and Stone India, Nam talks about debut’—this is kind of like as I did putting it there.
expectations of celebrities Arty) and earlier this year the stories that built Before an appetizer to what, you You’ve always been very
when he moved there and he launched K-Pop Daebak We Begin, opens up about his know, can potentially come adventurous in terms of
walks the line between two With Eric Nam, Spotify’s bout with burnout, details the in the next few years. the sounds and themes
worlds. “I’ve always been most popular K-Pop process of creating a space for Did you have any you choose to go with
like weirdly stuck in the podcast where he reviews international fans with K-Pop reservations about doing on each new release and
middle of everything,” Nam new releases, addresses Daebak, and reveals the an album in English? Before We Begin is no
confesses at one point of several pressing topics in intricacies of his relationship Were there any points different—I loved the
our conversation. “I’m not the industry and interviews with India. Excerpts: where you were nervous sense of nostalgia that
an idol, but a lot of people various artists. When did you start about how it would be runs all through it. Did
see me as an idol. It’s a very “It’s… a lot of things to working on Before We received, especially by you start working on this
weird place that I have my juggle,” he says with a small Begin and why did you your fans in Korea? album knowing what
own niche in.” laugh when we talk about choose that title? I feel like there were you want to explore? Or
Maybe it’s not so his various achievements, The oldest, probably the points where I was a little was it a slower, gradual
much weird as it is about admitting that taking on oldest song on the album… bit nervous, but I feel like process?

68 | Rolling Stone | December 2019