Annette Lee – Song for the Underdog

By starrymag | March 12, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) As a well-known actress, what made you want to crossover into the music industry?

A) The funny thing is, I’m actually an accidental actress. I never planned on pursuing acting! [laughs] I’m a writer at heart and I’ve always been writing songs and stories. in university, I studied filmmaking and did a ton of gigs outside and always thought I’d be pursuing filmmaking and music when I graduated.

I stumbled onto the screen while pioneering a video team at SGAG and had to double up as an actor/host while writing and directing comedy videos. And that was how I ended up being more recognized as an actress by the time I put together my first record.

Q) Walk us through the process of writing “Song for the Underdog.”

A) Growing up, I always felt like the odds were stacked against me. I was never the cool kid, definitely not a rich kid. My family was dysfunctional and I was constantly falling ill – the list goes on. Yet I’ve seen times in my life where I found victory after pressing on, despite the odds being stacked against me. But even so, I personally always find new odds stacked against every day.

So, I wrote the song to encourage anyone (including myself) who feels like an underdog – the tortoise to the hare in the race of life – to keep on running and keep on fighting when they feel like giving up.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I think it’s the hope that the song delivers.

I’m sure most of us feel like underdogs to a certain extent and we want to know that there is hope to win that we just cannot see just yet.

Sometimes we just need someone to give us a push and say, “You got this!” and it’ll make the world of a difference to whether we give up right before the finish line or just take that one more step to cross it.

Q) What themes can we expect from your upcoming sophomore EP?

A) In general, I write a lot about being human and the honest questions that come along with that. For this record in particular, I was pretty inspired by a lot of comedy films that I’d been consuming and thinking about how they have the best underdog stories.

Because they’re not about cool warriors or superheroes, they’re often about someone full of flaws, fighting the tremendous odds stacked against them. In the end, they often win in the most fun and honest ways, and that fight is always so much more fun to watch than the fight of a character that’s close to perfect.

So, I wanted this album to be both a fun and honest way of tackling themes of finding our footing in the world, and searching for victory despite our flaws.

Q) You had the opportunity to work with Colton Price and Jerricho Scroggins on your upcoming album. How do you feel their time and input helped shape your sound?

A) It was such a precious opportunity and it was so much fun working with them. Like I mentioned, what I listen to in a certain period would always influence how I’d like my songs produced – and I was actually listening to a lot of Korean R&B at the time!

I sent that to them and asked if they could incorporate subtle traits of K-R&B into the music and was afraid it would be too much to ask, but they put in the time to really find out what I wanted to achieve and I loved how everything turned out.

Q) Who would you consider some of your greatest musical influences?

A) Growing up I listened to a lot of Switchfoot, Coldplay and Avril Lavigne and even The Beatles and that really shaped a lot of how I approach music-writing. In every new season I have a new artist whom I listen to a lot and who influences my sound at that point of time, too.

Q) In addition to music you also have a lucrative acting career. How did you come up with the idea for your forthcoming web series “You Only Debut Once?”

A) So, the web series is inspired by a true event that happened in Singapore in 2017, where thirteen Asian teenagers formed a K-pop band and uploaded a debut video to YouTube. The video became viral overnight (for all the wrong reasons – people were saying they’d never make it, that they were “ugly” and “cringe”). After being targets of these brutal cyberbullies, the girls soon retreated into oblivion.

My heart went out to the girls because their stories resonated with me so much: they were girls with a dream being told they’ll never make it – a lot like who I was growing up. So, I wondered what would happen to them ten years down the road? Would they still be chasing their dreams? And that inspired the premise of the web series, as well as “Song for The Underdog,” which I used as the theme song for the show.

Q) If given the opportunity to work with anyone who would be your dream collaboration?

A) Chance The Rapper because I’ve always wanted to work on a song with a rap verse and Chance would obviously be a dream choice.

If I were to name a non-musician, it’ll be filmmaker Bong Joon-ho.

Q) If I were to take a peek at your music collection, what would I find you listening?*

A) I like being in touch with at least some of the current pop music at any given time, so you’ll definitely hear me listening to Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift’s newest songs. You’ll also find me listening to a lot of live acoustic songs, some Korean pop/R&B and gospel-inspired tunes. I like variety!

Q) Once your forthcoming album drops is there a chance there will be a tour?

A) I’m in the midst of planning something and hope to announce it soon!

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way to connect with your fans?

A) Social media has created so much inauthenticity but has also given people the freedom to showcase authenticity. It’s a tool and how we use it is so important and I always try my best to be as authentic as I can through my social media and that is a really important way to connect with my fans because I want them to be able to understand, follow and identify with my journey as an artist. But, more than that, as a human being.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of the work you do?

A) Thank you for paying attention to my work. I know that it’ll be impossible to do what I do without you guys. I hope that you stay thankful and kind, and never take life too seriously!