Growing up as Asian in Toronto, how did that experience impact your life experiences and your approach to creating music?

As a Chinese kid growing up in Canada, you’re definitely between two different identities as you’re raised in Western society by East-Asian parents. I don’t necessarily feel Canadian or Chinese, but I definitely identify as Chinese-Canadian within my upbringing, having Asian tastes in music with Western influences.

I remember a really good quote by a friend, As an Asian we’re considered “outsiders” in the music industry. We’ve had a lot of time to identify and view culture as an “3rd person perspective” and one great effect of that is we have become amazing tastemakers within the music scene.

Which musicians did you listen to growing up, and did they impact your desire to become a musician?

Growing up in 2000s Canada you often listen to radio and it often had Pop-Rock classics such as Marianas Trench, Simple Plan and The All-American Rejects. This was really the culture back then and it didn’t impact my artistry immediately, but way down the line when its renaissance came back in 2022 onwards, that’s when those memories leaked into my music.

Your music is a perfect blend of so many genres, but also influences from the East to the West. What music did you grow up with that helped form your love and desire to professionally create music?

My biggest influences of that time were DPR LIVE, DPR IAN, and LØREN. I think what they all share is their Western influences within their music but also definitively being an “Asian Artist”.

I think they are one of the few artists that have an amazing blend of East to West music and it shows within the songwriting, production, and branding. [At the] end of the day seeing them do it really makes you want to do it yourself, haha.

How do you manage to balance all the different genres and inspirations together to create something so cohesive?

I think the only aim I have for my music is “make it sound like an Anime OST”.

I think its really hard to balance the genres and inspirations but honestly if you can sing along to it and it’s exciting/high-energy, I’ve done my job.

One thing that stands out about your releases is the anime/manga-style artwork. Is that something that is important to you? How do you come up with the perfect art to match each song’s feel and aura?

Yes, manga was a huge inspiration for me growing up! I usually think what song matches which manga and start to reference the vibes from there. I’ve honestly read an inordinate number of manga and I want my artwork to be very memorable, similar to some panels that you can recall in other manga.

Shoutout to my cover artist Xyanaid and my Art Director Anael for sharing the same vision with me and bringing those concepts to life.

Most songs fit a standard layout, but in “Rebel,” you don’t use a chorus but multiple bridges, creating a flowing story. Was there an intentional reason behind it and why did you choose to use it in the song?

Not at all, I was just angry and wanted to write a song that borderline feels like crashing out. There’s no chorus because anger doesn’t have structure!

In the song, you utilise a section for a piece of narrative from a female voice to push the narrative of the song. Was that something you always wanted, and what do you hope listeners can take from the combination of your lyrics and voice to the female’s part?

I think it’s contrast, I really wanted that narration to be a break within the song but still convey another perspective of being angry. I also believe it’s always one last thing that topples everything and causes you to crash out, maybe that conversation is hers.

If you could try something completely different, whether a genre or way of creating music, what kind of music would you like to release?

EDM! I want to make music that makes people turn up!

What’s the best piece of advice you have received?

“One day, you’re gonna be so busy you won’t even have free-time, treasure it while you can. ”

You’ve achieved so much at such a young age, but what is at the top of your music bucket list to do in the next year?

Keep improving and keep the ball rolling! Anytime I feel like I’ve improved my music technically or sonically, I feel very very satisfied.

KOVEN WEI can be found on Instagram here and on all major streaming platforms.