Travels Inspire Singer’s Bold Fashion Sense
Tiffany Young is the new face and voice of H&M’s Divided Music campaign. Born and raised in California, Young spent more than a decade in South Korea as a member of the band Girls’ Generation, before moving back to Los Angeles to study acting.
“I just finished shooting this video for (my new solo single) ‘Teach You,’ ” says Young. “And I get to tell you first: My bandmates (Hyo-yeon Kim and Soo-young Choi) make cameos in it! When I was brainstorming for this video, I thought it was so inspiring right now to watch all these Asian-American actors making their mark in films. I thought,
‘You know what? Until I can act in a film or series, I will act in my own music videos.’ And that’s how this video turned into a-movie-inside-a-movie concept.” An edited version of our conversation follows.
Q: What was it like shooting your H&M campaign in Scotland?
A: It was wonderful. We shot in the Highlands in early June and it is such a beautiful part of the world. When I told my bandmates that my song was going to be featured and that I’m basically the first Asian-American to be part of an H&M Divided Music Campaign that will be featured worldwide, they were so happy for me! The whole campaign is about letting go of what you’re used to and discovering and journeying through new roads. It was refreshing to go to the beautiful countryside, especially when you’re a city girl like me. I went camping and got to be around livestock. It was unreal and beautiful.
Q: What is your favorite vacation memory?
A: It was more of a work vacation — a workation. It was our video shoot for “Party” and we went to Thailand and it was one of the best, fun, tiring and mosquito bite-filled shoots ever. There’s a shot of us where we’re all in the ocean looking at the sunset and they were only shooting our backs. I said, “This is something to remember. We’ll never be 26 or 27 again all together like this in this beautiful place.”
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A: Kindness always goes the extra mile. You might be at an airport or in a country where you don’t speak the language or understand anything, but it really is about being patient. Traveling can be really nerve-wrecking. Even on my recent trip to Scotland, there was a lot of driving involved. You can be irritated by it or just relax and look at the green pastures and that’s part of the excitement. I’ve had days where I wanted to be angry and snap, but being nice and patient will get you through those travel days.
Q: How have your travels affected your fashion sense?
A: It has broadened my outlook on what you can do with personal style. I’m super blessed that I got to travel all over the world with Girls’ Generation and got to see things with a different eye. I went to everything from Seoul Fashion Week to Paris Fashion Week and saw what designers were showing. But I also saw what our fans were wearing. All of that made me more fashion savvy and want to go with the flow.