Meet up-and-coming independent jazz vocalist and songwriter Minna Seo. Minna recently released her debut single, 'A Lovers' Waltz,' on Jan. 18. This heartwarming track is a jazz-inspired song written and sung entirely in English.
Even though this is Minna's debut single, many fans have followed her talent since her appearance on the reality survival program, “Stars Awakening,” in 2022. However, her biggest pre-debut appearance was a collaborative performance with BTS member V called “Le Jazz de V” as part of the 2023 BTS FESTA celebration. In addition, she was featured on Korean artist Woshi’s single “Over,” which released in December 2023. I got the opportunity to talk with Minna for KpopWise about her debut single, the challenges of being an independent artist, recent collaborations, and more.
Congrats on your debut single 'A Lovers' Waltz', a jazz-inspired song that's written and sung in English. What was your inspiration behind this single?
Thank you! ‘A Lovers’ Waltz’ is a warm, mellow tune and has a bit of jazz vibe into it. A songwriter Luca minor and I together worked on the song, and after all the hard work, I’m glad it finally came out!
What were some difficulties you faced while working on this single?
Working as an independent artist has its difficulties. I love being able to do what I want at any time, but maybe managing everything and taking care of unexpected problems could be a little challenging. Of course there were so many people around me to support, and I can’t thank them enough for being there for me.
What message or emotion(s) do you want to convey to fans through 'A Lovers' Waltz'?
As it being my first single, I wanted something approachable as a fan. A lot of my fans knew me from a jazz performance I did with V, and I was grateful for the overwhelming love they’ve given to me, and I wanted to give something in return. I was happy to see them enjoy [the performance] and in return to that love, I will continue.
Can you tell us a little about your background as a singer and songwriter? What inspired you to get into music?
I always enjoyed singing, and if I had a chance to be on stage, I always took it. I think I liked how once on stage, people focus on nothing else other than me and my voice. I loved how people loved it and decided to do more.
What are some of your musical influences?
I’ve always been close with many types of music. Just as long as it sounded good and was fun to sing along to, I’d stick with it. I also get influenced by quite a lot of things, depending on my mood and my interest. For this single, I was really in the mood for jazz and wanted to put it into a song. I’d say the music I grew up with are my biggest influences.
What artists inspired you while growing up?
I remember as a little girl, I would always watch music videos of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Carly Rae Jepson and many more female pop artists and just put them on repeat. The music, the colorful films and their fancy clothing came as a shock to a 10-year-old and made her believe she could be like that one day. I think from then, I’ve had a dream of becoming a singer and that lead me to this love and passion towards music.
In 2023, you participated in the collaborative performance, “Le Jazz de V,” with BTS member V as part of the 2023 BTS FESTA celebration. You were also featured on Woshi's single "Over." Are there any artists that you would like to collaborate with in the future?
I’m thankful for the valuable moments I had singing and performing with these amazing artists, and there are so many other artists I’d die to make music with. I can’t decide.
If you could only have two songs on a playlist, what would they be?
That is something I never want to imagine. Well, I’d put something I’m enjoying at the moment, but if I read this in the future, I know I’ll regret. So I’d say my song ‘A Lovers’ Waltz’ and one of the best classics, "That Old Feeling" by Chet Baker.
What are some goals you hope to achieve in 2024? Are there any upcoming projects you would like to share with fans?
I’m seeing 2024 as a try-out session. I’ve only just begun what I could call a musical career, and I want to figure out what I really want to do. My goal for the year is to learn, love, and to be bold.