Anchen Ji collaborated on โWait It Outโ with accomplished Berklee alumni Chengcheng (Troy) Tang and Tyller Bolton. This songโs concept was inspired by an experience that Anchen had. Anchen once had a boy he loved. They encountered some difficulties due to the great distance and the age gap. He desires to depart. She asks him to be patient. The song โWait It Outโ encourages listeners to believe that true love will prevail despite challenges with a joyful and touching pop voice. Anchen Ji worked with Tang and Bolton to co-compose the song, which Tang also produced. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
ANCHEN JI: I originally came from China. Now I live in Boston, USA. Iโm a scientist to develop new medicine to treat patients in a pharmaceutical company. Iโm a mom of a lovely teenager. I came to music late in my life. I had great changes in my life two years ago, such as a divorce and changing a job. I started to study vocal performance and music business at Berklee Online, where I learned how to become the author of my life story.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
ANCHEN JI: I learned vocal performance classes at Berklee Online.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name โANCHEN JIโ?
ANCHEN JI: My first and strongest musical influence is Jay Chou, a famous singer-songwriter. The first song I learned from him was โLove before BCโ 20 years ago, a song in Mandarin Chinese. Even after 20 years, I still love the song and lyrics. I used to sing his songs all the time during my college and after I graduate. I moved to USA 15 years ago. Now I like songs from Justin Bieber. I think he is very talented and brave to be himself. The one I current listen the most is โStayโ. โAnchen Jiโ came from a sound from an unknown man who was saying the words to me. One late night, I was sitting in front of my desk, writing down the artist names options I came up. I thought a lot of names, but none are satisfied. It was 11 pm. I was very sleepy and almost fell asleep. Suddenly a manโs voice came into my ear: Ji Anchen. Then I decide my artist name in Chinese is Ji Anchen. Then in English, I need to put the last name last. Thatโs how Anchen Ji came out. Anchen means quiet dust. Ji is just a last name with no meaning. I like the scene of quiet dust floating in the universe โ feel free.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
ANCHEN JI: I would like my listeners to resonate my calm, happiness, energy, and positive attitude about the future. I want my listeners feel relaxed, feel free, dance with my song, feel themselves, and realize happiness is around them. Not afraid to be themselves. My sound is sweet and calm.
5. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
ANCHEN JI:
I create the song story first. So far, my songs are based on my experience. Then I discuss my song story with my producer and songwriter together. They usually start from a beat. Iโm planning to learn songwriting in the future, so I can contribute more on the songwriting process.
6. Whatโs your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles โ and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
ANCHEN JI:
I try to add values so music can provide positive impact on the culture, society, and peopleโs life. That big and ambitious goal starts from adding values to people similar like me, who resonate with my experience from the song, and who find my song entertaining. I want my audience to feel relax, calm, energetic, and feel positive about their lives.ย ย ย
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
ANCHEN JI:
I feel my music is giving me back much more fulfillment than the amount of work Iโm putting into it. Every Saturday night I do a TikTok Live, I meet a few new fans and they love my song. They follow me on TikTok. I think I feel my โbatteryโ is fully charged by receiving so much encourage, recognition, and praise from them.
8. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?
ANCHEN JI: Iโm like other artists. I started from learning vocal performance and music business certificates at Berklee Online. Then I worked with my producer and songwriter to create my first and second single. Iโm taking guitar class at Berklee Online now as it will expand performance options and songwriting. Iโm also taking sight-singing and artist management class now. Iโm planning to continue learning more and develop my own style in the future. Iโm still at the learning stage of my music career.ย
9. What has been the most difficult thing youโve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
ANCHEN JI: The most difficult thing for me is not getting recognition. If I work hard on something and do not get recognition, then Iโll feel very sad and wronged. This could happen in my life, music career, and scientific career too.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
ANCHEN JI: Iโm very sensitive. Iโm proud that I can feel a lot of natural things and spiritual things that people easily neglect. This sensitive personality can be my successful and significant point in my music career, because it can help me express exquisite feelings in music.
11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
ANCHEN JI: I pay attention to the criticism, haters, naysayers in general. I judge if they express their feeling first. If yes, I accept their freedom of expressing their feelings. If not, I simply ignore. I understand that only a small portion of people will love my music and same portion will hate my music, with majority are in the middle.
12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
ANCHEN JI: Both are exciting to me. It is hard for me to choose. When I create a music that I like, I feel great. Iโm fine working for hours to get something good out of it. I enjoy being alone at home. When I perform a live show to audience, my blood is spurting and feels great too. Iโd love to see my audience immerse in my show. Both are excited, myself and for others.
13. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
ANCHEN JI: Everyone has freedom to interpret my songs in their own personal way. If they want to know more about my music and know more about me, I encourage they read more on my website: AnchenEntertainment.com If they are happy to interpret their own way, I totally recognize that.ย
KEEP IN TOUCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | WEBSITEย |ย YOUTUBE
