BEHIND THE CURTAINS: Aileen Chen
Meet Aileen Chen, a passionate singer-songwriter and recent high school graduate who chose to take a gap year to fully immerse herself in the music industry before heading to Brown University, where she plans to continue blending creativity with purpose through music, media, and cultural exploration.
What made you choose to take a gap year before going to university?
I chose to take a gap year because I already knew what I wanted to do in music. During high school, I was constantly balancing work in the music industry with schoolwork. I often found myself thinking, "if only I had more time to spend on music." I had many ideas for music videos and songs that I felt could have been better if I'd had more time to fully execute them. I wanted to take the gap year to explore what my 100% effort would look like. Additionally, I had an opportunity to work with a company that promised to support me as an artist.
Were there any specific moments when you felt overwhelmed, and how did you overcome them?
I definitely stressed a lot during high school because I had so many things I wanted to do. What kept me sane was maintaining a weekly schedule. I would break down my goals into smaller, manageable tasks for both school and music. For example, I'd set goals like "write one verse every week" for music, and "finish one chapter of bio" for school. Taking it day by day made things feel less overwhelming. Looking at the big picture can feel impossible and lead to giving up, so breaking things down really helped.
Did your school environment support and encourage your artistic endeavors? If not, how did you navigate that?
My high school environment had both limitations and strengths. While there was a sector of the arts that was celebrated, it was harder to reach a broader audience because many students were focused on their own activities. Arts, especially performing arts, were often belittled and not seen as beneficial for college applications compared to athletics. However, the school system allowed students freedom to create their own events, which I utilized by organizing busking events. I specifically scheduled these performances to accommodate students' busy after-school schedules with hagwon (academic academies). This was a way to adapt to the self-oriented environment while still creating opportunities for artistic expression.
How has this gap year been so far? What have you been focusing on?
The gap year has been interesting as my first step into society. I'm mostly surrounded by people in their mid-20s or entering their 30s, which was initially challenging to adjust to. The past four months have been about navigating the company environment and learning how the industry works. I've learned that art is very subjective, and as an artist, you need to be confident in what you're doing. I've had the opportunity to write songs for K-pop idols, including a pre-release song for the group Kepler that was performed in Germany. However, I've also struggled with artistic identity, realizing that in a company, you become a product, and everything becomes money-oriented. It was challenging when they wanted me to change my style to be more marketable, but the Kepler project actually helped me rediscover my love for music by allowing me to explore new genres like hyperpop.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or past, who would it be and why?
Michael Jackson. I would love to see his workflow in the studio and understand how he comes up with his ideas. He's described his songwriting process as spiritual, saying he gets his ideas from God, and I'm really curious to understand what that means and how it manifests in his creative process.
What advice would you give to young artists, especially those struggling or finding ways to juggle schoolwork and their passions?
There are many ways to integrate your art into your academic journey. For example, if you're taking IB Art, use that as an opportunity to pursue your artistic interests. Club activities can be another excuse to do your art. You don't need to do extracurriculars that have nothing to do with your passions just for college applications - extracurriculars should reflect what you're genuinely interested in. It is absolutely possible to balance school and art; you just need to wait for the right time to fully pursue art. Don't feel pressured to do it all at once.
Tell us more about your plans at Brown University. What are you most excited to explore there?
I'm very excited to explore the different creative student groups at Brown, like the Jabberwoks acapella group. I'm looking forward to utilizing Brown's open curriculum, which will allow me to take classes outside my major, including business and economics courses. This interests me because my gap year experience has shown me how important understanding business and economics is in the music industry. I'm majoring in music, art, and modern culture and media, but I'm excited to explore diverse subjects that can help me better understand how to navigate the industry professionally.
