After recently returning with her stunning comeback single 'Irreplaceable' earlier this year, Berlin-based Vietnamese-German singer-songwriter ANOTHER NGUYEN is back on the grind once again with her wondrous new outing 'Different'.
Bringing back more of that rich and dreamy alt-pop aesthetic she has built for herself over the years, 'Different' makes for a rousing return to form for her. With her bright and shimmering voice layered across a sweeping production from start to finish, she is continuing to cement herself as one of the more heartfelt names on the rise right now.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I fell in love with was the human voice. I’ve always been fascinated by the sound of people’s voices and how much they can touch you.
I started singing when I was only a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old. Over the years I started to take vocal lessons, sang in choirs and many a cappella groups before writing my own music and doing pop.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I loved listening to pop music from early on. It was the only music I was exposed to as a child and teenager. I don’t come from a particular musical household so I only had access to what’s been played on TV.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first album I owned was probably “Elements” by the German girl band “No Angels”. They were the first German girl group from the casting show “Popstars” in 2002. I was so impressed by them and learned to sing the songs in my childhood gibbery English.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There are too many great songs. I wish I had written “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson though because it really reflects my upbringing and how much I dreamed of breaking out of the small town that I came from in the hopes of making music.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I journal and try to feel calm and centred. It helps me to get in touch with what’s really going on inside of me. I need to feel balanced to be able to write new music so that I don’t put pressure on myself. Then I love to spend a good amount of time deeply listening to other music and getting lost in different genres to find inspiration.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I recently discovered the Irish artist Christian Cohle. His electronic music with soulful vocals really touched me and felt so refreshing after being immersed in so much pop music.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
OH WONDER! They are the reason why I started to believe that I could pursue my own path in music. Their music, songwriting and them as people inspired me so much in 2016 when I was searching if there could be a place in the music industry for someone like me.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
I love being able to connect with people through my music. I feel so much joy when I get to perform and it’s the most rewarding thing when I can see that others feel happy, touched or uplifted, too when they come to my show.
I love that I get to spend my time full-time on something I care about and that makes me feel alive.
And what is the most frustrating part?
There’s a lot of uncertainty on this road of being an artist. Releasing my own music as an independent artist comes with so many financial costs that at times it’s frustrating to invest so much into this project and making very little money for myself so far. This path requires so much discipline, focus and patience. I wouldn’t want to trade it for anything else but it’s not always easy!
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
One of my tutors, Knox Chandler, once said: “There’s the 2 out of 3 rule when it comes to participating in a project. You either 1) really love the music, 2) really like the people or 3) really like the money. Before you invest into a project or a job 2 of these 3 factors always need to be given or else you will burn yourself out.”
This advice has helped me so, so much even in many other different areas to be able to make smart decisions on where I should put my time and energy into.
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ANOTHER NGUYEN's new single 'Different' is available to stream now. Watch the new video for it in the player below.