Indie 5-0 with Yutao
Bedroom indie-pop artist Yutao Huang never felt at ease in China where he was born—he always longed for ideals he felt were embodied by Western culture. When he finally came to the States, he tried to stay true to his tradition, and infused his native Eastern culture with Western culture. Slowly, the pair of seemingly very different ideals melded into a personal outlook for Yutao reflected in his delicately gorgeous, electro-pop.
We got a chance to speak with Yutao about his latest music and his career as a musician in this edition of Indie 5-0. So, without further ado, let’s dive in:
You just released your new single, "Midnight Summer." What's the story behind the song?
While driving on highway 1, along with the breeze and the sunset, the words" midnight summer" suddenly pop up in my head. The perception of time suddenly slowing down makes me appreciate how precious the moments are. Yet, happiness can be simple, and it's something that only you can discover from inner peace.
The lyrics "Feeling like 80 miles losing control" were the moment I was trying to describe when everything seemed to slow down and allowed me to appreciate the moment much more. Also, realize we run too fast during our day-to-day life and often forget to enjoy the simple yet beautiful things.
What made you interested in the lo-fi and bedroom pop genre?
During my Education, I listen to a lot of lo-fi as ambient music while I study. After that, I stumped upon Joji's music, and ever since, I fell in love with the aesthetic of the sound. This is how I get inspired to explore making my own sound.
What song/album inspires you the most and why?
Joji - slow dancing in the dark, his vocal and the instrument working very well together and instantly hook me into his world. Whenever I listen to his music, I feel like watching a movie rather than listening to music. His approach to the music is very "visual" to me.
How do you approach writing music?
I usually start with a simple quote, just like the midnight summer. The whole song branches out from "midnight summer" into the story.
What's next for you? Anything your fans can look forward to?
Currently, I am focusing on producing more single, and after that, I want to explore doing the live show as my next milestone for 2023.
Connect with Yutao via: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube / Spotify