I did a mini interview with Mr Xiao, the artist behind the piece Whispers in Beijing. The transcript is below:
What are your musical influences?
I guess my influence is very wide ranging. I like to be inspired by western music and world music, as well as music from different countries that incorporates different instruments. My dad is also a big influence on my sound and the work I do. I guess when you grow up in a household while constantly hearing the music someone else plays it kind of influences you on a subconscious level.
Tell me about Whispers in Beijing and your creative process for the track?
For me, inspiration comes from my own life. I was on a phone call with a Chinese friend of mine and we were talking about past relationships and she mentioned a Chinese phrase about not going back to a past relationship. I suggested that she send me a couple voice messages of that phrase. I started with that and put it into Logic. I’m pretty intuitive so one of the first sounds I came across I used, manipulated it and got it to work in the track. I got my dad to play bass. I guess the interesting thing in the bass line is it doesn’t really work with the track. I don’t work with tempo or key so I just reversed it and it worked super well. It created an interesting texture. I guess that’s the thing I’m most proud of; I feel that many other people would have gotten rid of it. I guess it’s true to life. Some things you have to make work.
One thing I was told by another artist, someone who had an exhibition in Tate Britain, was that sometimes when you don’t know how to do something properly it makes you do interesting things. This links to when I reversed the bass. Because I don’t work with tempo or key I had to find a way to make that work.
How do you feel about your audience response?
Well, I don’t think you are owed anything from an audience, especially if you’re giving them a product, they don’t necessarily ask for it. I’ve made films and music and showed it to people and sometimes they surprise me and they love it and have many things to say about it. Others give you short comments and that’s fine too. For me, it’s a form of communication about how I feel. So it’s great when it develops into more, into a deeper connection with someone through your own art. Art does mean a lot to some people.
What’s next for Mr Xiao?
I don’t make music for people to listen to. If they like it they like it. Obviously some will and some won’t, you know. I’m saying this as truth because I know the type of music I make. I’m aware of what music is popular and I know that the people that enjoy my music will be very underground. Fair enough, maybe some of the mainstream have never experienced different ways of hearing, or they don’t want to listen to someone for the art. I have to make what I want to make and then trust that it will connect with someone, somewhere.
Listen to Whispers in Beijing below: