[Interview] VIBE Interview with Chuu for [Only cry in the rain] (250422)

Chuu, the emotions that flowed and the memories that stayed

Chuu’s walk in the tracks of a solo artist is precious in itself. A girl who was thought of as only cute; all the emotions and memories of her growth process have been completed into an album that is so honest and calm and yet bolder than ever.

Q. I wonder what emotions and motivations drove your creation of the new mini-album “Only cry in the rain”.

I wanted this album to be about the journey of youth, facing “memory” and “emotion” and walking onwards again. In at least one point in our lives, we all have certain emotions that we hesitate to bring out, right? As I re-opened those emotions one by one, I realised little by little that these eventually made me who I am now. So in this album, I wanted to show you another side of me, my lyrical inner side and the growth of my musical world, in a little quieter yet deeper way. I put that intent into all five tracks.

Q. The keywords “things that flow and things that stay” run throughout the album. It’s quite a philosophical approach. Could you explain how you chose this topic and interpreted it in your own style?

“Things that flow and things that stay” was a sentence that stuck in my mind ever since I started working on this album. You know, youth is a period in which everything seems to go by quickly, but strangely, there are emotions that remain in your heart for a long time. I wanted to talk about the things that lie in the space between flowing and staying.

For example, memories I thought were gone suddenly come to mind on a rainy day, and the emotions that have already passed bloom again through a scene or music. So I made the entire album so that emotions flow naturally like water, and I tried to find balance in a way that each lyric or vocal tone was not lingering too long, but also wasn’t too light. In the hope that my emotions and voice can be the “something that stays” with someone even among the “things that flow”.

Q. The entire album deals with a side of youth that you can’t help but feel anxious about. Personally, which moment were you the most emotionally immersed in while making the album?

I think I was most emotionally immersed when shooting the music video. I’m not the type to bring out sadness on purpose. Rather, I tend to look at the things I need to do right away first, so I just let the emotions of the moment flow by. However, in this shoot, I had to intentionally draw out the emotion of “despair”, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought, so I surprised myself. As if I had been waiting for it, the stream of emotions that flowed like water were unfamiliar, but strangely I didn’t hate it. The crying was not “sorrow”, but rather a moment when the feelings I had been suppressing hard came out at last. It’s become a memory of becoming a little more honest with myself and being comforted by that.

Q. You have tried many things as a solo artist and achieved many things. As a musician who succeeded as a solo artist, what is the meaning of this album?

For me, this album was “the period in which I looked at myself truly kindly for the first time”. There were many new challenges that I hadn’t attempted as a solo artist yet, and there were moments when I was scared and lonely, but after those times passed, I was able to be honest with my feelings. “Only Cry in the Rain” was a time in which I went beyond just making music, when I slowly brought out my present self and what I felt, refined them and made them into a world. So this album is a record of my growth, a comfort to myself more than anyone else, and a moment that made me feel, “Now I can really tell my story.”

Q. The music video for the title song was in a drama format and you acted in it yourself. Could you share any anecdotes from the production process?

The music video was in a drama format, but it was also my first time filming with an actual film camera. Since it was filmed in 16mm film, it wasn’t easy to call “cut” during the filming. So each emotion and each movement felt much more serious and precious. I’m used to digital filming, so it scared me a little at first that I could only check how a scene came out after it was developed. I couldn’t immediately check how the scene turned out, so I had to immerse myself in that moment and bring out real emotions. Especially when shooting the scenes in which I was crying or when I was alone by the sea, I remember forgetting that the camera was running and really falling into those emotions. And later, when I watched the film-printed scenes, I was very surprised that the soft, textured screen reflected the emotions of that day even more realistically. In that sense, I think this work was not just “acting” but rather a time to record my emotions directly on film.

Q. The title song, which has the same title as the album, “Only cry in the rain”, will definitely be a song you’ll think of on a rainy day. Are there any special songs or memories that come to mind when you think of rain?

Since I was a kid, I used to play with water on rainy days. I would go out in my boots and plop around without much care for dirtying all my clothes in the muddy water, I think.

Q. “Back in town” is about unfamiliar yet familiar feelings, “Kiss a kitty” has the brightest and most lovely atmosphere in the album, and “Je t’aime” is a dreamy love song - each track has its own unique characteristics. Could you explain the direction of your music in this album?

I think it’s most accurate to explain that this album expresses the grains of my emotions in various temperatures. “Back in Town” is about the fluttering emotions of a first love coming to mind in a strange city. And just like the moment your emotions become tender, “Kiss a Kitty” has a playful and lovely vibe, so it’s like a space to breathe in the album. With repeated confessions layering on top of the dreamy guitar sound, I wanted to show how deep and long love lasts in “Je t’aime”. “No More Apologies” is about embracing my emotions as they are, rather than continuing to meet others’ standards. Each song is different, but it’s all in the same flow. In that flow, I tried to be honest about how my emotions change and how I accept them. So while this album talks about “emotion”, it’s a much freer album in terms of genre.

Q. When you look back on the whole album process, what was the most challenging part or the part that you worried about the most until the end?

“No More Apologies” was the song that I struggled over the most. Actually, this song was almost included in the previous album, but I was a little disappointed when I recorded it, so I put it on hold. But while preparing for this album, I listened to it again and after revising it with a new perspective, it was completed in its current form. I listened to it so much that my ears couldn’t tell whether it was good or disappointing anymore, but I put much love and consideration into it, so I really hope the fans will like it this time. In a way, this song is like my “small act of courage”.

Q. Was there any part that personally healed or comforted you while making the album, and what would you most like to convey to your listeners through the album?

I was healed a lot myself, while making it. We typically tend to hide or put off our emotions, don’t we? But during this production, I was able to take those emotions out one by one and face them honestly. Especially while singing the title track “Only Cry in the Rain”, I think I’ve come to understand my own feelings a bit better, thinking to myself, “Oh, I too once wanted to cry like this”. So I wanted to tell my listeners through this album, “It’s okay not to hide your emotions.” That everyone has those moments, and you can be honest on a rainy day.

Q. The message, “Even if your memories become blurry, your emotions remain,” leaves a deep aftertaste. What emotions are unforgettable to you?

I still can’t forget the moment I stood on stage when I first debuted. My heart was racing like it was going to explode, and I was out of breath, but that moment felt so ecstatic that I thought, “It’s okay even if my whole body shatters right now.” That feeling hasn’t faded over time, and even when I take it out again now, it’s a moment where my heart starts to race and I get emotional. I think I’d probably feel the same way if I go back to that time again. It’s such a precious and nostalgic memory for me.

Q. Why did you so badly want to tell youthful people, “It’s not the end just because it disappears”?

In life, things that were precious naturally become blurred one day, and some emotions drift away for no reason. In those times, we feel that “it’s over,” but the emotions don’t disappear; they remain quietly somewhere, and then suddenly they come back to us at some unexpected moment. I had that experience, and when I brought it back out in music, I found that such an emotion was still alive in me. So I wanted to tell someone else, too. Even if it seems to have passed, the feelings from that time definitely remain in you, and it may not be the end, but rather the beginning for what comes next.

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