“I just need time, I’m gonna make it mine, gonna make this whole damn world mine.” This bold statement, together with a mix of dreamy vocals and a hypnotizing beat, creates an atmosphere that makes the listener immediately surrender to the music. As shown in her critically acclaimed single “Time,” Korean-American singer Audrey has a knack for captivating whomever is listening to her voice. A Korean-American female artist is hard to find in the American music scene; but Audrey is not afraid to use her musical talents to pave the way for fellow minority artists. Enchanting at times and dynamic at others, Audrey’s music is sure to help her break barriers in music.
Audrey Chu is a Korean-American singer songwriter who was born and raised in New Jersey. It was in high school that Audrey first started posting her own music on Instagram, where she was discovered by Anwar Sawyer, a producer of the American entertainment agency RocNation. She also recently signed with Arista Records, a major American record label that produced musical giants such as Whitney Houston and Avril Lavigne. What is especially worth celebrating is the fact that Audrey is the first Korean female artist to sign with Arista Records.
As unprecedented as her contract with Arista Records is Audrey’s bold challenge towards the American music industry. As a Korean-American female artist, Audrey knows how difficult it is for Asian Americans to break through gender and racial barriers in the music industry. "Coming as an outsider… motivates me to make work that lives outside those bounds of race and gender," said Audrey in an interview with Paper Magazine. She hopes that she can serve as an example for future Asian American artists to break into the mainstream.
Apart from her bold vision, Audrey’s unique musical style is also worth paying attention to. Her music can be described as a unique mix of pop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and trap. Her musical genius is perfectly embodied in her single “Time,” in which she talks about passing through different eras in one’s life. The soothing retro beats make a perfect background to her soulful R&B vocals. The immaculate blend of jazz, pop and R&B elements is almost hypnotic to the ears. She also contrasts the somewhat dark lyrics – about wasted potential in life – with the colorful, ethereal music video almost reminiscent of a daydream.
In her recent experimentation with rap music, one can see a completely different side of Audrey. This is well shown in her song “Souffle,” where she uses a mixture of trap sounds and an ingenious rhyme scheme to explain the hardships of her first time living away from home. Audrey claims that her moving between different genres of music parallels her own identity. In an interview with Paper Magazine, she said, “My music speaks to being a Korean-American, walking this fine line between worlds.”
Audrey’s music is like a roller coaster; from the very first beat, it will sweep the listeners off their feet for a mesmerizing ride and, whether they like it or not, will not let them go until the last second. She has a bold vision, and she has the musical talents to help her bring that vision to life. As she says in her song “Time,” it is indeed only a matter of time before she breaks down barriers in the music industry.