Jihae (musician)
 |
Jihae Kim | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | Indie Rock, Pop, Rock, R&B, |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, song-writer, multimedia artist |
| Instrument(s) | Voice, Guitar, bass |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Website | http://jihae.net |
Jihae is a South Korean-born singer, composer, and multimedia artist based in New York City.
Early life
Jihae (Jihae Kim) was born in Seoul, South Korea and lived in various parts of the world in her youth from her home country to Nigeria, Sweden and then to New York City. She graduated with BA in Political Science from Emory University, intending to follow in her father's footsteps as a diplomat, but instead she moved to New York and became an artist.
Music career
After demo deals with Atlantic Records and London Records at the start of her songwriting career, Jihae decided to release her work independently so she could "express honestly".
In 2009 Jihae launched Septem, a boutique music and multimedia company dedicated to music for production and social cause based projects. Septem is also a digital platform to showcase artists of any medium curated by select artists.
In 2010 Jihae co-created a rock opera, Fire Burning Rain, with Academy award winning playwright/director, John Patrick Shanley, based on her concept album of the same name.
"Illusion of You", her latest album, is due out Summer 2015, it was co-produced by Jihae and Jean-Luc Sinclair with executive producer, Dave Stewart. Dave Stewart is also guest artist on this album, along with Django James and Sam Stewart from the band Nightmare and the Cat. The moving and soulful "Illusion of You" features a co-write with Jihae, Leonard Cohen and Dave Stewart called "It Just Feels".
Music for Production
In recent years Jihae created original compositions for commercials and short films for the following brands:
LVMH/ Henessy (2008)
Bacardi (One Dream Rush short film collective) (2009) [1]
Alcatel Mobile Phones (2010) [2]
Eileen Fisher (2010)
The North Face Purple Label and Nanamica (2009–present)[3]
Collaborations
Michel Gondry - My Heart is an Elephant (LP, 2007)
Jihae recorded filmmaker Michel Gondry playing percussion with kitchenware and a snare drum. For this record, Trace Magazine declared Jihae, “A creative genius.” [4]
Lenny Kravitz - My Heart is an Elephant (LP, 2007)
Lenny Kravitz plays bass and guitar on 'In Love with a Tornado'.
Kevin Thomas - Black Pearl (short film, 2007)
A 6 min short film based on Jihae's first single. Jihae and Kevin Thomas collaborated on concept and making of the short where she plays both male and the female lead characters. A love story about a young rebellious son of a liberace, who owns a hair salon caught in a time warp and his forbidden love, the daughter of a mobster. Set in Hong Kong.[5]
Christopher Doyle and Gerald Byrnes - Interview (video art, 2008)
Interview is a video art piece by Gerald Byrnes, shot by Christopher Doyle using live interviews from the late 60's as script and story. Jihae sings and acts in the piece, which was launched at the Venice Bienniale in 2008.[6]
Marco Brambilla - Ghost (video art, 2010)
Ghost is a 2010 video art piece by Marco Brambilla. Jihae uses her breath like a percussive instrument, breathing Maurice Ravel’s classical piece "Bolero." [7]
Koh Sang Woo - Performance Art (2011)
Jihae collaborates with Korean Painter/Photographer, Koh Sang Woo on a performance art presentation at the Asian Arts Award Ceremony.
Dave Stewart (2012)
"Man to Man Woman to Woman" is a song by Dave Stewart.
Jihae sings a duet with Stewart for Walk a Mile project initiated by the US State Department. Walk a Mile is a global campaign to stop bigotry and promote respect across lines of culture, religion, tradition, class, and gender.[8]
Multimedia Artist
Also a multimedia artist, Jihae’s expanding work in music, fine art and films and theater has her works featured on IFC, NME, MTV, Pitchfork, ID, Vogue Germany, NY Press, and various other outlets.
Fire Burning Rain Rock Opera
Created by Jihae and John Patrick Shanley. Inspired by Joan of Arc, it is a futuristic tale of a heroine’s journey to free ‘the light’ to save the dying earth and humanity. JIhae and a cast of 20 dancers, actors and acrobats performed Fire Burning Rain at Le Poisson Rouge on September 7, 2010 and the Highline Ballroom on September 8, 2011.[9][10]
Elvis is Still Alive
Video art piece based on song "Elvis Is Still Alive" premiered on IFC.[11]
Tuileries
Video art piece of a storm in Watermill, NY 2010 [12]
Best Thing
Music video shot and directed by Jihae in Vermont 2009 [13]
Social Causes
Many of Jihae's projects have focused on enacting social change. She has donated her time and performance for following organizations:
Acumen Funds
Jazz Foundation of America
Not For Sale
Ten Thousand Means
Willie Mae Rock Camp
Simon Says Sing For Peace
Simon Says is an interactive musical peace movement created by Jihae. Using the most universal children's game as a tool for peace, Jihae wrote a children's peace song called "Simon Says" to give a voice to the children that don't have a voice. To create awareness of child soldiers and affected children in areas of conflict all over the world and promoting change using the power of song, Jihae made an instrumental version of "Simon Says" encouraging everyone to write and record their own peace message.[14]
2012 Hours against Hate
Jihae recorded and performed a duet with Dave Stewart “Man to Man, Woman to Woman" chosen by Hillary Clinton as the theme song for the 2012 Hours Against Hate. This global campaign was developed by the State Department to stop bigotry and promote respect across lines of culture, religion, tradition, class, and gender. It launched in July 2012 in collaboration with the Olympics Committee, Dave Stewart and the David Lynch Foundation in London with a pre-Olympic concert featuring performances from Mike Scott and the Waterboys, Daryl Hall, KD Tunstall, Dave Stewart and Jihae.[15]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Fire Burning Rain |
| 2008 | Elvis Is Still Alive |
| 2008 | "Afterthought EP" |
| 2007 | My Heart Is An Elephant |
References
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Agria". Agria. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Find Your Tribe". Find Your Tribe. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Roots of Life Volume III". Roots of Life Volume III. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Morriss, Stephanie. "My Heart Is An Elephant", Trace (magazine), New York, March 2007.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Black Pearl". Black Pearl. Septem Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Interview". Interview. Septem Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Brambilla, Marco. "Ghost". Ghost. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Stewart, Dave. "Man to Man Woman to Woman". Man to Man Woman to Woman. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Elvis Is Still Alive". Fire Burning Rain. Le Poisson Rouge. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Fire Burning Rain". Fire Burning Rain. Playbill. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Elvis Is Still Alive". Elvis Is Still Alive. IFC. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Tuileries". Tuileries. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Best Thing". Best Thing. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ Kim, Jihae. "Simon Says". Simon Says. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Spokesperson, Office of the. "Secretary of State Clinton's 2012 Hours Against Hate Campaign Launches the Walk A Mile Olympic Program". Hours against Hate. Retrieved 25 October 2012.