ARI LEE TALKS CRUEL LOVER
"Hope that some people find solace in it"
Daniel John
In your music you’ve gone to battle with some men, but also occasionally unfortunately fallen for them. ‘Cruel Lover’ seems to find itself in the in-between spaces?
Yes, I think 'Cruel Lover' explored the duality of love. Of course there are things that I am and was angry with regarding the treatment of women and what romance is like in a patriarchy, which I expressed in my EP, 'Trophy Wife In Training'. But I also wanted to explore the question of what happens when you fall in love with someone knowing all of these things. Knowing that there is an inherent imbalance and maybe this one individual isn’t good for you, what then?
Balancing the thread of such conflicting emotions, where neither side necessarily rings more or less emotionally true, does your music help you navigate such complexities?
I’m not sure whether my music necessarily helps me to navigate this more than it provides an outlet for me to express this inner conflict. Either way, I’m thankful for it and hope that some people can find solace in it.
This is your first single to follow your debut EP, which literally also just came out in September, and which I imagine you worked on for a long time, how did this song’s journey unfold alongside all the songs on the EP?
'Cruel Lover' was actually a song I wrote and pitched for another, bigger artist. However, I realised how much I loved the song and the sentiment. So I wanted to release it as my own single. At that point, I had already finished 'Trophy Wife In Training', and I viewed 'Cruel Lover' as its own story. Now, I look at the next few singles, including 'Cruel Lover' as individual short stories that delve even deeper into the emotions of womanhood.
It already moving past one hundred sixty thousand-streams must feel incredible. Having only released music for a year, there was probably a time not even that long ago when that felt impossible?
Yes I am pretty shocked at how much people loved 'Cruel Lover'. I have been listening to it on repeat for five months. But it’s a bit different from my other stuff so I wasn’t sure how it would be received. I’m so thankful for the support that it’s gotten.
Do you, being Chinese and also a bit Portuguese, have any unique, more domestic influences that you and perhaps people here might not have otherwise known?
I mostly listen to English music, but my parents used to always play Cantopop in the car growing up, mostly love ballads. I also really love Anita Mui. I find that I do like to dip into that emotional side sometimes in my music, which probably comes from that.
How long have you really been writing music and telling stories in some form or another?
I have always been a writer ever since I was little. I remember starting to read a lot at age seven or eight, and it inspired me to start writing short stories, poems, and even fan fiction. With music, I’ve also been singing from a very young age, so combining the two came pretty naturally to me.
Some of all those listening will be able to find you headlining a show in London in November?
Yes! November 25 at The Lower Third in London I’ll be playing my EP and some unreleased music.
Do you have more music on the way?
Yes, I have a new single coming out on Friday called 'The Kissing Girl', which will be my last release of the year.
