Split-Personalty Music From A Split-Personality Mind
Some say that Rei Ami’s sonic duality is due to her conflicting Korean and American cultural background. However if we dig in a little deeper, we can see the significant influences that have played into her sound, due to mental health and questioning acceptance.
Diagnosed with depression during her days at University, letting out her emotions and putting those thoughts onto paper became her therapy. Rei Ami had moved to Maryland, US from Korea at the age of 6. Growing up in a strict Christian home with traditional Korean values, Rei Ami felt the need to hide her love for music and creativity. Rei Ami cites in her interview with Business Insider that “In a religious household you can’t be yourself”, had that it had affected her mental health, “Especially when the one thing that brings you comfort and peace and joy is going to put you in hell”.
After listening to her a few of her songs, you’ll notice a trend of ‘split-personality’ amongst them - almost two songs in one. Whether it’s the sonics or the words, what starts of tongue-n-cheek and energetic suddenly turns into a vibe of vulnerability, even the words and melodies become more complex. Rei Ami says, "No matter what, I love the concept of contrast and duality. I've always been obsessed with that. And so I really like to deliberately apply that to my music, whether it is those distinct transitions, or the production might be really happy, but I could be talking about f---ing going on a f---ing massacre.”
Rei Ami also said on her interview with ID, “My thing is do whatever, feel or act whatever... be a boss bitch or be a sad emotional chick”, “It’s very important that I express that. That’s why I need the first half of a song to be ‘boom boom boom’, then the second half be mellowed out. We go through these highs and lows. There’s an insane pressure to be strong all the time, but I’m like, just let women be women!”.
This concept of ‘duality’ is even in her stage name, a combination of her favourite anime characters from Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars (Rei Hino) and Sailor Mercury (Ami Mizuno) - “Sailor Mars is passionate, moody, and assertive; Sailor Mercury, is still capable of holding her own, but tends to be more sensitive and reserved.”
Mental health has always played its role in the arts and creativity, but I admire that Rei Ami is so open about it. Especially regarding how it was her family’s traditions and culture that had been at the root of it. When asked about what her parents think about her music, she says "I'm so grateful. I mean, obviously they hate all the songs. I'm cursing and I'm talking about, like, sugar daddies. Thank God it's all in English, and they don't really understand most of it.”
Source 1 https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/wxezpn/rei-ami-interview-runaway
Source 2 https://www.insider.com/rei-ami-interview-runaway-dictator-snowcone-make-it-mine-2020-5