Looking back on your journey as a composer, can you tell us about a moment where it really clicked for you? What was the experience or project that made you realize you absolutely had to pursue a career as a composer?

School of Rock was the film that pulled me into the world of music. I started playing guitar because of that movie, and soon decided that music was what I wanted to do with my life. Years later, when I was a gigging musician in Seoul, my friend Sorang asked me to score a montage scene from her short film. I pulled up my laptop, knowing nothing about film scoring, created a blues track and recorded my guitar on it. I remember watching the scene back afterwards and being surprised by how much the score changed the emotional experience. It just felt so good that I could create something with that kind of storytelling power, and I instantly wanted more – like a kid who tried candy for the first time. It was a film that got me into music, and it was music that got me into working on films. I love that I get to have the best of both worlds with my job.

First off, a huge congratulations on your recent ISFMF nomination for Deliver Us! Documentary scoring often demands a very specific kind of empathy and narrative restraint. How did you approach the subject matter of this film, and what was your musical philosophy for the score?

Thank you so much! I’m overjoyed to see the film getting recognition and to be affirmed that my score helped it tell the story. Deliver Us is about midwives and their fight against the Black maternal health crisis in the United States. It’s a very heavy subject matter and I didn’t want to downplay that, but at the same time, the midwives in the film are so loving and caring, and I wanted to create a score that complements their energy. I really enjoyed creating distinct music for each midwife, and tried to thread them all together by staying in a soundscape that feels warm, intimate, and human. There are dark moments in the film where sharper, more synthesized sounds play important roles, but I still leaned more into restrained sadness than anger or dread because at its core, this is a story about people who don’t lose hope and keep making a difference in the world.

I have seen your incredible guitar skills firsthand. Aside from being able to play on your own scores, does your background as a guitarist affect your writing as a composer?

You are too kind! Because I started out as a guitarist and studied guitar-driven music like blues, funk, and rock for a while, there are influences from those genres that seep into my composition. It’s not something I necessarily think about when I’m writing music, but it definitely had a huge effect on my taste, which informs the choices I make in my compositions. For example, I used to play in a shoegaze band and carry a giant pedalboard with me, so now I get a dopamine rush whenever I get to put a new plugin on a track and mess with the sound. When you’re playing in small ensembles of 3-5 people, subtle dynamic or nuance changes can make a big difference. I think the time I spent in those environments developed my tendency to approach music from up close.

Navigating this industry often takes a village. What has your experience been like connecting with organizations like the AWFC, and how has leaning into the broader composer community impacted your career, as well as your creative and personal journey?

Organizations like the AWFC bring people closer. I just love running into other women in the industry and making friends with them, knowing we are part of the same organization. A sense of community is something I very much value and appreciate, especially as an immigrant and a woman of color. It’s incredibly meaningful to have an organization that is trying to bridge the gap for underrepresented people and constantly reminding us that we are not alone. It makes you feel like someone’s got your back, and gives you the strength to keep moving forward.

We’re highly anticipating your upcoming work on Cape Fear, which released (by the time this is published) on June 5th! Can you pull back the curtain a bit on your role as an arranger for this project?

I’ve been fortunate to be on composer Jeff Russo’s team for a long time, and Cape Fear was a special project. We got to rerecord Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score from the original movie, and Jeff created some haunting new themes for the series. I had the pleasure of arranging some of Jeff’s themes while staying close to the style of the original Herrmann score. I mean, how often does one get to play between the styles of Jeff Russo and Bernard Herrmann and watch it get recorded with a 60 piece orchestra? I had so much fun with it and would 100% do it again. Trying to identify the original Herrmann themes and the new Russo themes would be a fun way to watch this series!

Now that the soundtrack for Deliver Us is out and the limited series Cape Fear is streaming, what can we expect to see from you next? You have released original music in the past as a songwriter, do you see yourself diving into that side of your artistry more in the future?

I just finished working on a beautiful short film called All That Stayed Behind, for which I got to record an equally beautiful string quartet. I can’t wait for it to be shared with the world because it is a gem. And yes, I wrote and produced a song last year for a dance film, An Unwanted Guest, and watching it be choreographed and shot with the actors, like a music video, reignited my love for songwriting. I’ve written a couple of my own songs since, and I’m hoping to put one out by the end of the year. You might catch me at some open mics, too!

Interview by Michael Van Bodegom Smith

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