Who, what, where, when, why with… hana vu

Who are you and what do you do? I’m Hana Vu and I sing songs in LA. I would describe my music as alt-rock and alt-pop, but kind of all over the place. Who do you look up to? My friends. They always have insights that I don’t and I feel so grateful to be clued into someone else’s life. What do you feel when you’re on stage? Very nervous and sweaty and also like I’m not being charming enough. I’ve mostly played solo shows so far, so it’s often just me screaming in front of a bunch of people for half an hour. What’s the best way to listen to your music? Probably while walking. I always feel like I hear music more clearly when I’m walking home. Where’s the best place to get a meal in your hometown? The best meal in LA is probably Kyochon Chicken in K-town. It’s the best fried chicken I’ve had and will ever have. Where do you go for inspiration? To a gig. Watching other people perform gives me the itch to do the same. I’ve also been feeling inspired by new music from Lorde and Sufjan Stevens. When will you know you’ve ‘made it’ as a rock star? Maybe when I get a sandwich named after me. Why did you write your college entry essay on Taylor Swift? The prompt was to write about someone who changed the music industry forever. I think Taylor really broke the mould and was one of the first accessible pop stars with genuinely well-written songs.

Why do you express yourself through music? Singing is a socially acceptable form of screaming in public.