featured artist
Paul Chin
Growing up in the Cayman Islands, importing influence and inspiration from any and everywhere was always ingrained in his sense of identity.
Additionally, the ethos of DIY culture and resourcefulness exemplified by his Chinese-Jamaican immigrant parents are part of what drew him to the resilient philosophy of hip-hop while studying classical and jazz in school and private music lessons.
Eventually, his robust musical foundation and scrappy work ethic would meet his insatiable appetite for new and exciting sounds, leading him toward beat-driven electronic music.
What does success mean to you?
Success, for me, has changed forms a lot over the last few years, and I’m realising that the concept of “success” is a constantly evolving and reactive idea. For a while, before Full Spectrum came out, I really just wanted to get this EP out and have it connect with more people. And I’ve definitely done that – the lead single Take It Or Leave It has over 45K plays on Spotify alone – but with everything going on with this global pandemic, it’s frustrating to not have anywhere to go with that. I obviously wouldn’t have assumed in 2018 when I started writing this music that this would be the state of the world when my record came out. So now I’m re-evaluating what my aspirations look like for our current and potential future context.
How has your life experiences influenced your style?
The biggest contributor to my musical identity is the sheer number of hours I’ve spent learning and studying music. I’m very fortunate and thankful to have had countless hours of formal musical training in addition to the access to countless hours of recorded music we all have now. I grew up in a time and place that was heavily influenced by global cultural expressions, so navigating an overwhelming sea of influence is very much a part of me. I try to learn from everything people are making and have made before me because I realised early on that there’s nothing truly and wholly new; just things that are unique to the creators.
Were you made an artist or born an artist?
I think artists are born artists, but you don’t just get to stay an artist by default. You have to make yourself into the artist you’re meant to be, over and over again.
What does it mean to be original or unique?
To be unique is to recognise, accept, and hone your own voice. What have your experiences taught you? What has the world around you taught you that those experiences mean? What do you have to say about anything? You might have the same story as someone else (or several other people, which is why art is so powerful and connective), but how you share your lens with an audience is what makes your story yours.
What are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of a lot of things. Full Spectrum is the best thing I’ve ever made, I have the love and respect of a ton of extremely talented friends, and I somehow haven’t quit making music yet. All incredible accomplishments if you know how difficult any one of those things can be.