I had a great chat with German-Korean singer-songwriter Gina Alice about her new single, "Slo-Mo," which was released on June 21, 2024. As well, we talked about her new music and her background.
How did you come up with the title "Slo-Mo"?
Gina: When we were writing that song we felt that it was a bit more laid back, chill and a little bit sexy, R&B. I feel like when you have good moments in life and also find the right person you want things to pass slower and more slo-mo, so the idea is to be in the moment and to feel it more slo-mo.
What was the writing process like for "Slo-Mo"?
Gina: I started playing piano when I was 4, so when I write music it mostly comes out on piano chords. I start with harmonies and the harmonies for "Slo-Mo" I already had in my mind for years. When I went into the studio in LA with Dan Gleyzer, I was just showing him a few harmonies and he was like I like this. That was how it started on the base of those piano chords just messing with harmonies and melodies, it came pretty naturally.
What was the transition like from classical piano to pop/R&B?
Gina: The love I have for R&B, pop and different genres have always been a big part of myself and my personality. When I grew up playing piano, I also loved writing songs. I had to do it kind of secretly because playing classical music you grow up in a pretty strict environment, to really stick to practicing hours a day and being very disciplined. There is not so much space to be very creative on your own. I always had this big big passion and love for being free to make and write music. It took the right timing to connect to people who are supportive of that and also to help me pursue this kind of dream.
Do you think you will combine your classical piano skills with pop music?
Gina: When it comes to style wise I pretty much draw a line because I want to stay true to classical music on its own. Pop music, I also want to do in a very pop way so I don't really combine these worlds. I think it wouldn't do justice to classical or pop music, it wouldn’t sound better. So I cross the line but when I write music of course because of my musical background there is always my knowledge of piano tradition it helps me write music. Those melodies and harmonies come in a very natural way for me. I can't deny that this is part of the songwriting process but when it comes to the end result of the music I don't really combine it.
"Slo-Mo" has the perfect blend of rhythm and lyrics. How did you come about creating that?
Gina: I say the base is always coming out of the piano chords. Every song I write I always present the producer and the co-writer. I always have a co-writer and my co-writer for this song was Noemie Legrand. Both Dan and Noemie liked the idea and the harmonies I showed them. Then we were messing with the chords for some time just singing. This is also what I love about songwriting, it's very different from practicing piano because when you practice piano you're always on your own and you need to manage so many things on your own. But when you write songs you go into the studio and sometimes you don't know the person beforehand but instantly you can connect soul to soul in an intellectual way and anything is possible. It comes all together in the moment.
Can you describe "Slo-Mo" in three words?
Gina: Chill, sexy, and fun.
You have German and Korean backgrounds and they both have their own music. Are there any German or Korean influences in your music?
Gina: Growing up I wasn't listening to alot of German pop, but there were a few years in my life that I really loved K-Pop. But I think my music is very different from K-Pop. I love K-Pop and I have a huge respect for all the artists and their discipline and their stage presences. Sometimes I feel that the music they are performing doesn't really come from them sometimes. I would say what I really go for is being a singer songwriter. Of course, since I'm half German, half Korean I have those different worlds inside of me and it feels very natural to have many different worlds in one moment.
Did you face any challenges while creating the song?
Gina: I feel like there were not so many challenges because you can be so free and this was so freeing to me. You can just go for any idea you have, you can be vulnerable, show your darkside, anything is possible. I think this is the biggest gift you have when writing music. I don't think there are challenges at that point. Maybe when it comes to the producing part sometimes to find exactly the sound you like. In those producing programs there are endless possibilities so just to find the right balance and not to over do it but still have a lot of expression is kind of a challenge. Also afterwards sometimes it's challenging because the audience knows me mostly because of my classical music and to help the audience think outside of some boxes. The classical music world can be a little judgemental and just to show this is a big part of my personality, this is what I want to do and this is my music expression and I need to do it.
What was your favorite moment making the song?
Gina: Seriously, just every moment. When I get into the studio it could be the whole day, I would still love it. Every second I just so deeply enjoyed it from the heart. Time goes by so fast when you're in the studio because it's just so much fun, you make music and you connect with people in a musical way. You talk about music, you make music. It is just everything that I want to do. The whole process fronted the blank paper to the whole song that whole provees I just love it. My biggest goal when making music is that people enjoy listening to it. One day when I see a crowd of people just vibing to the music, feeling understood and to identify themselves and just to feel it is the biggest gift I could ever get out of my music.
Any potential plans for a "Slo-Mo" music video?
Gina: Yeah, so we actually did something in LA, we did some performance videos and they look very cool. I'm excited to share it with the audience.
Are you working on any other new music?
Gina: Yeah, I'm super honored and excited to be a part of Republic Records. It's just my biggest dream come true. This was always the record label I was thinking of going for. I was with Universal Music before but when it comes to making my Pop music, Republic was always the label I was thinking of one day. I am part of it now and we are always setting up new sessions. They are also very productive, when I go into the studio that day there is a song coming out of it. Thanks to working with republic I get to work with amazing producers and musicians. There's a lot more songs I have, we just need the right timing to share.