A day with SAAY: South Korean R&B singer talks dark side of industry while exploring city ahead of US debut concertSouth Korean R&B singer SAAY took in the sights and sounds of New York City ahead of her solo US debut concert at Zone One in Brooklyn on Aug. 9.
Like the fast-moving cars and sirens screeching by, the experience felt like a blur until she was able to stop and look around at the skyscrapers, the monuments in Central Park and neon lights on Broadway when the realization hit her that she was at the highest point in her solo career.SAAY has been working in the music industry for almost her entire life, and as a singer, songwriter, producer, and overall creative director for her work, it’s been an arduous journey.
The pressure of the K-Pop music industry was too much bear, and SAAY was forced to take a step back from performing and fight to continue to work by honing her skills as a songwriter and producer. Despite existing in a darkness of self-doubt and worth for two years, SAAY never gave up. She fought because music is the very essence of her being.“I’ve been doing music for my entire life. Music is my life. It’s who I am,” SAAY told amNewYork Metro.
She signed with Universal Music, and for seven years she cultivated the R&B powerhouse that she is today. As an Asian woman, and soloist, hailing from South Korea, this was by far no easy feat. However, SAAY’s talent to comprehend music on a whole different level combined with her singing abilities has defined the person she is today.
“I was struggling. I was almost suicidal at the time. It was so hard. I couldn’t speak to my parents because everyone around me expected so much. I thought I could be the next Beyonce or Rhianna, and have a super star dream. But now I don’t care about fame, I just want to do my music for a living, do good projects and have a good career moving forward slowly and steadily,” SAAY added.
“I’m just a human, a normal person. So, when that dark energy comes I just write . I have to let it out in my diaries. I have to say out loud to the world so I can get to the next level. I write real music with real emotions,” SAAY added. “My music is my emotional escape.”