Suran on New Single “Blanket,” Launching Her Label, and Collaborations
In two years, the coronavirus pandemic has changed almost every aspect of our lives, but when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade — at least that’s what musician Shin Suran, known mononymously as Suran, did.
You’d probably recognize her name from many notable projects. She's worked with BTS member Suga on his Agust D song “So Far Away,” and with DEAN on her hit “1+1=0,” just to name a few. Meanwhile, she's contributed OSTs for popular K-dramas like Strong Girl Bong-soon, Abyss, and this year’s Lovestruck in the City. After launching her own label, S-TASY, and releasing her first independent single earlier this year, now the South Korean singer-songwriter is back with her new COVID-inspired single “Blanket,” featuring 26-year-old rapper Wonstein.
Suran’s venture into the entertainment world wasn’t as smooth a ride as it might seem from the outside. Born in the coastal city of Busan with a fascination for math, she actually got a degree in computer science before dipping her toes into music in her early 20s, which is somewhat late by Korean entertainment standards. “I really wanted to be a singer when I was young, but there's no [creative] people in my family. So I couldn't [openly express] my dream,” she now tells Teen Vogue. Suran first erupted in the K-music scene in the summer of 2014, just shy of 28 years old, as part of ATC Entertainment’s duo LODIA under the stage moniker of Elena. (She had previously also been singing on her own as BailyShoo.) Later that year, in December, the singer also made her solo debut with the single "I Feel" and, this time, she chose to go by her birth name.
“I wanted to [focus] on my art expression, to be more authentic to my vision,” she says of the name change, adding that she also strived to diversify and put her own input into multiple facets of art, from singing to songwriting and even music video planning. “I wanted to start a new way, as the real me. From that time, I started making my own music. Before that, I was really just a singer. I was singing well. [Laughs] But suddenly, I got interested in making music. That was the starting point.”
Around that time, Suran was also diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo a mastectomy. “I found out about the fact that I had cancer at an early stage,” Suran recounts. “It was a really simple surgery. I wanted to hide. It affected my confidence [but] I could also focus more on music deeply. [It was] some years later I realized that actually I got really hurt from that surgery and situation. At that time, I didn't know.” Even if unexpected, going through that experience in her late 20s proved instrumental for the artist, who says, aided by her music producer Zayson, that it made her both want to hide behind baggier clothes but be more expressive through her music.
Artistically speaking, the surgery shifted something in Suran. Fast forward to 2021 and she is more invigorated than ever, thanks greatly to the launch of S-TASY. “I really love new challenges,” Suran says. “I really think that this is my destiny in my whole life. It feels like I have to [keep pushing myself.]” Suran illustrates her independent progression with a mountain metaphor. But, instead of longing to reach the summit once and for all, she enjoys an uphill battle and is always excited to have more to climb. “I was very good at Million Market, my previous company. We started together, from the beginning, so it really felt like a family but there was [no room to grow.] I really respect them in the Korean industry and the Korean market, but I had bigger dreams. Still, we have a really good relationship. Sometimes they still help me. But I just wanted to go on a new journey.”
For now, the S-TASY “family,” as Suran describes the company, is small but mighty. The label broke into the scene with a bang with the release of her single “Sunny” in February. Suran is enjoying the freedom of having her own company, but she is also aware that having to be “constantly involved in everything” can be taxing. “We are still developing,” Zayson adds. “She's really hands-on with every aspect of everything. [For me, joining] was a really natural process. We were already making music together. And I really love her direction in music. It was always a really fun challenge. I think that what we make is pretty fresh, so I love exploring that with her.”
Released on July 21, "Blanket" is the second official offering from S-TASY. Described by Suran and Zayson as “bedroom R&B,” the track was born out of a feeling of depression during the pandemic and a longing to cherish the happy memories we might have taken for granted before, all from the safety and comfort of our blankets. “Blanket” finds the singer next to Wonstein, who also debuted in 2014 but garnered much attention appearing on the ninth season of MNET’s rap competition program Show Me The Money. (The artist also has an upcoming release with EXO member D.O. slated for this month.)
Suran started working on the track last summer, “when Corona was really serious,” she says, referring to the stricter restrictions South Korea had then put in place. “I couldn't go out, I didn't have a schedule. [I was like,] ‘Who am I?’ It's confusing,” she says of her feelings at the time. Though the track has been over a year in the making, she says she developed it slowly with Wonstein from an initial sketch and they revised the lyrics up until quite recently.
Given the chill vibes of the song and its accompanying music video, having Wonstein as the featured artist came as a no-brainer for Suran, who notes that the pair have really great chemistry. “Wonstein is a really young musician. I really liked his voice. His voice is very cozy and warm and he has a lot of charms,” Suran says. She says she was also drawn to him because his lyrics are really honest and straightforward and his approach to music felt fresh. “You can feel that he really loves music. I really wanted to work together with him [before] and he was [on board] from the beginning. He really loved the song. He said it like that,” she adds as she lets out a coy laugh.
Looking at Suran’s catalog, you might notice collaborations are a constant. She has songs with the likes of Beenzino, Crush, Loco, pH-1, and Heize – among many others. Even "Sunny," her previous release, which was not a collaboration, got a remix that added H1GHR Music’s BIG Naughty as a featured artist.
Suran says all these collabs came “naturally” and has a beauteous way of describing the process. “The thing is I really love making music. Of course, I'm an artist and I have all my own fantasies. But, sometimes, to finish this fantasy, I need another role. [Imagine it if it were] a movie, just one actor is really [not enough],” she says, using the Korean expression ‘부족하잖아.’ She mentions different artists can add different nuances needed to complete a picture. Similarly, she likens her solo songs to monologues. “Sometimes I need to go into a ‘real talk’ or ‘deep zone’ and, that kind of song, I'm just doing myself.”
“It's like she has her own world. But all these other collaborations, whether it's featuring, in both ways, or an OST, is her chance to visit another world and enjoy being a musician, working in a new context or for a new concept,” Zayson adds. “With all the different collaborations, there's always synergy and it's always kind of different and that is a really good learning experience for her all the time," he also notes, interpreting for Suran.
In a YouTube Q&A from June 2020, Suran mentions her collaboration with MAMAMOO’s Hwasa, "Ddang" (or “땡땡땡”) as one of her best songs – or, rather, one she feels could have been more popular. In our chat, she namechecks "오늘 취하면," also known as “WINE,” her collaboration with Changmo, produced by Suga, as well as "I Feel" and "Sunny," as some of her “most proud and meaningful” releases to date.
“‘WINE’ is a really important song in my career. A lot of people love that song and say it is really a masterpiece. I've heard it many times and [whenever I hear it], I feel really proud and thankful,” Suran says. “I really didn't expect anything at that time. I just released it. So it’s very meaningful for me. ‘I Feel,’ [on the other hand], I made it when I finished my cancer surgery. When I made that song, the feelings were very real. When I hear that song, I can go there… to that time. I can remember and keep humble. It helps me remember who I am and who I was. It's weird. ‘Sunny’ marked a new journey and was very challenging for me. It was really raw and real. ‘Sunny’ [represents] what I want now… I don't know exactly where I'm going, but [I'm looking forward to new] challenges.”
For now at least, the immediate next challenge is finalizing and releasing her first full-length studio album sometime in the near future — all while continuing to build a rich, fantastical world of her own.
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