min.a faces her insecurities head-on with her newest project, i hope i get well soon.
Thematically, i hope i get well soon is a slow build that centers around an overwhelming feeling of imposter syndrome. Through the metallic synth and ascending chords, the 23-year-old Korean American singer-songwriter narrates a tug-of-war between herself and her expectations. Whether it is the EP’s opening track, the pondering, drowsy and rhetorical “what do i do” featuring Laiko, or the quietly gentle, vulnerable piano ballad “company,” min.a reiterates her want to be closer, be somebody, or simply be something that is only theoretically better. While the EP is certainly brutally honest, min.a’s songwriting feels more self-therapeutic rather than self-sabotaging as she recognizes she’s exactly where she needs to be.
Beyond the spectrum of emotions, min.a explores various production styles with i hope i get well soon. Tracks like “what do i do” and “company” lean towards a dreamy bedroom pop sound, while “say you’ll be there” and “headache” have a crunchy, anti-pop spin to them. Moments similar to “company” reminisces early singles by Billie Eilish and beabadoobee, featuring min.a’s own take of a K-R&B sound. Another highlight being the EP’s last song, “8bitcrush,” a glitchy and punchy, lollipop-esque treat.
min.a explains the EP best in her own words: “i hope i get well soon is a collection of songs I wrote during a period of time where the future of both my music career and my life in general was really uncertain. I wasn’t signed to a label, I wasn’t on tour, I was struggling with anxiety and insecurity, etc.. But the process of writing these songs (especially those that I made with the help of my friends Laiko, Shigecki and Jack Laboz) reminded me that things do get better. This industry is full of the unexpected. If you spend too much time comparing yourself to others, you forget that you are where you wanted to be a year ago. It’s ok to be insecure and anxious about the future, but it’s important to take the time to appreciate the work you’ve put in and where it’s taken you.”
