Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Cho.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Music–singing in particular–has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I can’t recall exactly when I realized I was able to sing, but I remember as a kid people telling me that I sang well. So I guess I just thought to myself, “Oh, I guess I can sing?” And I haven’t stopped singing since. I grew up singing in church, and I loved being in front of people and performing. It wasn’t until I was in my freshman year of high school that I decided to try my hand at writing songs, and of course…my first attempts were completely terrible! But I think that’s where all singer/songwriters begin their journey, so I suppose I can take comfort in that, haha.
Around the time when I discovered my ability to sing, my parents were also having me take piano lessons just like any other good Asian child. And just like almost every other kid forced to take piano lessons…I hated it! Although I enjoy listening to classical music, I just wasn’t a fan if I was the one who had to play it. But in high school, my piano teacher taught me about improvising and coming up with my own style of playing certain songs. Looking back, I realize she was the one who opened the door for me to begin creating my own songs, and for that, I’m so thankful.
About four years ago, I got connected with my producer-now-friend, Eric (aka Hello Harry), who at the time was in school and working on an EP with another friend for one of his classes. They were looking for vocalists to help with the EP, and my sister–who is friends with him–threw my name out there. I ended up singing on their EP, which was such an awesome experience, and I honestly thought that would be the start and end of my musical career, haha. But he reached out again a few months later, asking if I would be down to work with him. And of course, I said YES, and I am so glad that I did.
Working with him really opened up a whole other world for me in terms of genre, writing, and recording music. I was totally and completely pushed out of my comfort zone in the best way! (I actually came up with my stage name Mahrah–which is my Korean name flipped–while I was working with him.) We released our EP, Threads, in 2017 and are currently working on another EP that we’ll be releasing sometime this year.
Please tell us about what you work.
I am a singer/songwriter, and when I do write, it’s usually just me and the keys. I found that giving voice to my thoughts in this form has been the most cathartic rather than just writing them down and leaving it at that. My brain is always on overdrive, so I’m constantly thinking about something, and sometimes a phrase or line will flit across my brain and I’ll write it down before I forget. Then when I’m sitting in front of the piano, I’ll try to fit a melody to the words and try to continue the process from there.
The majority of my songs have been based on my experiences with love and relationships, the joy and the heartache that comes with those experiences. I would say like 99% of my songs are sad, but I swear I’m not generally a sad person! I find that writing about the lows of love is easier than writing about the highs, not that I haven’t experienced the highs. I just think that it’s something most everyone goes through, so I think it’s easy to relate to that subject.
My hope is that when people listen to these songs, they’ll feel like their own thoughts and experiences have been given a voice, that they know that they’re not alone in whatever relational crap they may be going through. I just want people to feel understood. We’ve been through shiz and we can wallow together and that’s okay!
All of my songs–every word, every melody, all of it–are a part of who I am and who I was in those moments. Lyrically, it’s all very raw and honest, and I hope that people can sense that and relate to it.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I can’t speak for other artists because I think every story and journey is so different. But for myself, at least, one of the greatest challenges is not second-guessing myself. There are so many amazing artists and vocalists out there, and to be just one voice in the sea of many can be pretty daunting at times. I definitely have thoughts of whether or not my voice is good enough or if my music and songs carry any weight when there is so much music constantly being released into the world. But then at the end of the day, I remember that this is something that I love to do. I love to sing. I love to write. When I’m singing, I feel the most doubt yet the most myself…I feel more sure of myself, and it’s something that brings me joy. As long as that fact remains, I think it’s something worth doing and continuing to pursue despite the fear and the doubts. I think fear and doubt are always going to be there for anybody. But to press forward and pursue what you love in spite of the obstacles? That’s a battle worth fighting and it can lead to beautiful things.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can find my music on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, pretty much all the major platforms under the name Mahrah.
And be sure to follow me on IG @mahrahmusic 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5NQZv3L9ybTHx8jTwkq2qx
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mahrahmusic/
Image Credit:
Nancy-Jae Park
Klarisse Gepilano
Irvin K. Liu
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