Overnight Success Was Years in the Making for Xi'an Trip-Hop Protege WestByWest

Earlier this summer I was floored by the young singer-songwriter WestByWest who seemingly popped out of nowhere in Xi’an with her hypnotic and commanding debut NaNe.

The artist, named after Hitchcock’s dizzyingly fun flick North by Northwest, had teamed up with Wang Dong of longstanding electro-rock group TBOR for the release – a sensual dive into trip-hop that felt vulnerable and dangerous all at once. Utilizing an array of modular synthesizers and vocal sampling in the arrangements, even if the aesthetics of WestByWest’s music is digital in a large sense, the emotion is purely organic, evoking a rigid cold serving of haunting beauty and resonating lyricism that lingers long after.

The duo makes their Beijing debut this Saturday, Dec 15 at DDC as part of Live Beijing Music’s Winter Pilgrimage alongside Wuhan outfit Cod New and Beijing’s own Nocturnes. I chatted with singer Wang Xixi about her love of music, dishing it out in Xi’an, and finding her calling. 

Hou must have some sort of origin story to tell. What compelled you to pursue this career? 
As you see, I seemed to have appeared with only an EP. Yet, I've been writing songs for three years now. It’s quite simple – I love music. Nothing gives me more pleasure than creating new work. And after years of accumulating and exposing myself to music, whether from listening to numerous records or practicing, I finally had the ability to compose myself. But no one tells you what is behind the keys, you gotta find out yourself. 

There’s a lot of love that goes into your music – when an idea comes to you, how do you nurture it and help it expand into something bigger? 
There is always a theme in each of my songs. Otherwise it would be too vacant and shallow. I'm not good at making up stories - I prefer to express the feelings by using a metaphor or exaggerating the subtle emotions which, in most people's eyes, may be apparent in life. As for the words and phrases I chose to use, I’d say the simpler they are, the more powerful and sharp they can be.

Alright, I love getting all the dirt I can on Xi’an (I spend every Chinese New Year there). What’s the best thing about the city? The worst? How was it changed in the past couple of years, particularly for the music scene? 
I've been in Xi'an for about six years. As far as I am concerned, "easiness" could both be the best thing and the worst thing about being here. You can feel it during your daily routine as well as in the music scene. The good part is that you can live the life you want without being under much pressure, you can easily achieve little goals you set for yourself. Yet, the problem here is you might lose your ambition too. For example, you may set up a band quickly here and may even get famous quite quickly. But once you get used to the applause and praise, you won't be able to push your career any further. And that's something I've always been aware of. More and more livehouses are appearing in Xi'an these days. It gives bands and artists more opportunities to perform which also means there can more people out there enjoying shows in their spare time. It’s great.

How does a song like NaNe blow up in terms of receiving so many hits on Xiami and various other music streaming platforms? 
First off, I think a good album cover helps it a lot since no one has heard of me before. We shot that on a day we were supposed to shoot a music video in the Xi’an Expo Park. As for the song, I think it’s just a great combination of intense drum beats and charming vocals that a lot of people can relate to. It’s a great contrast. To be honest, we never think about feedback when making a song. I just do what I think works best and everyone can enjoy it.

For all the music geeks out there – what sort of equipment do you perform with? Do you try to keep your set-up minimal, particularly when recording, or do you find yourself drawn to more elaborate complex arrangements? 
We use MASCHINE as DAW with various synthesizers. I also play electric guitar. No matter how many sounds I end up using, I try to choose them appropriately. We always consider what equipment will support the ideas first. Make sure that all the instruments work only to support the integrity of music. Though of course, sometimes we’ll compose by playing the synthesizers randomly.

It’s my understanding you worked on your debut with TBOR – how did that collaboration come together? 
Yes, my producer is Wang Dong from TBOR. We started working together right after he heard one of my songs which I played with acoustic guitar. It's about two years ago. He has always made music, and I'm always singing. It's like everything had prepared us for this moment when we finally got to know each other. So at first, he produced one song for me, then another and another till finally I became the lead singer and songwriter in TBOR. 

Will this be your first time performing in Beijing? Any expectations?
Yes, it is. I'm definitely hoping audiences in Beijing will enjoy the show. And I'm looking forward to seeing the other two bands (Cod New and Nocturnes). I really appreciate the chance to perform there and hope this won’t be the last time.

Catch WestByWest alongside Wuhan's Cod New and Beijing's Nocturnes this Saturday at DDC. Tickets cost RMB 60 advance or RMB 80 on the door. Read more and get tickets here.

Never miss a gig: click here for a huge list of live shows in the city, updated daily.

Images courtesy of WestbyWest