With her latest single “Roll With Me,” Jasmine Yen is stepping confidently into a new era, one defined by creative freedom, experimentation and a clearer sense of who she wants to be as an artist.
Now independent after beginning her career with RCA Records, the 22-year-old Hong Kong singer-songwriter is embracing a bolder, more alternative edge while remaining rooted in the confidence and female empowerment that have long inspired her music.
Jasmine spoke with Sweety High about creating “Roll With Me” during a whirlwind Los Angeles writing session, the meaning behind its alter-ego-filled music video, finding her voice as an independent artist, her dream collaborations and why she ultimately wants her music to help listeners become the most confident versions of themselves. Read on to hear more about her artistry, influences and aesthetic.
Sweety High: “Roll with Me” feels like a super carefree, confidence-boosting kind of song. What was your initial idea or feeling that kind of inspired this one?
Jasmine Yen: Growing up in the music that I like in general, there’s always like some kind of energy to it and always a female empowerment moment. Those are the songs that speak to me the most. I realize in my debut album there was a common theme of confidence and high energy, but not fully the way that I wanted to express it.
When I wrote “Roll With Me,” I started experimenting and writing a bunch of songs with a more upbeat alternative edge and a cooler vibe, and it was quite effortless when it all came together. I wrote this in October, and it was two days in L.A. and ended up becoming a two-day song camp where I wrote 17 to 18 half-songs in two days. The first day it was nine songs, and the second day it was eight. The one that spoke to me the most, instantly, was “Roll With Me.”
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SH: What is your favorite lyric from “Roll With Me” and why does that line stand out to you?
JY: The lyrics were quite easy, straightforward, repetitive. So I’d say, “I’d rather take you somewhere; it’s so hard to say when you like speak it. I’d rather take you somewhere you’ve never been to, expose you to a new view.” I think it’s just fun bringing people out of their shell.
I think that’s always been my personality, though. I love to see my close friends and family just have fun; it makes me happy. I want everyone in their most confident versions of themselves, like their alter ego. It makes me especially happy when I’m able to do that, when I’m able to bring that out of them.
(‘Roll With Me’ via Jasmine Yen)
SH: What did you want the visuals to communicate that listeners might not get from just listening to the song alone?
JY: A lot of people are probably really confused about why I’m kidnapping myself? What happened to me? It really sparked from this conversation that I had with the director. I have been a fan of his work.
The director Yuan is a very highly respected director. He’s half Japanese, half Chinese. And I didn’t know if they were available; they have so many like important projects, but I guess he really loved my music because he heard my other unreleased songs as well, and we just clicked.
We ended up becoming really close. And I was just telling him my story a little bit. I felt that, at the time when I was signed to RCA, my debut album, it was me. It did represent me at the time, but I was so green, and I was so young that I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted or who I was as an artist. I was just kind of excited to write music and put music out and I was excited to sing and write.
But I feel like there was a side to me that I wanted to show others, which is that confident diva side. The idea of Jasmine, the cute, soft bubblegum Jasmine, and the diva Jasmine kind of came to life, and that’s why they were like two me’s. And also pigs are my favorite animal, and we wanted to incorporate some of my own personality into it. And I don’t know if you spotted it, but on my outfit, there are two pig drawings that I drew.
It was really random too, because we shot it at the end of January, and the first week of Jan, the stylist, like, called me and asked if I would like to draw? If I did not go to Berkeley, I would have gone to Parsons or something. The creative side has always been around me, and I really take my art seriously. It was a big part of my life growing up.
(Image courtesy of Jasmine Yen)
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SH: You signed with RCA earlier in your career. And now you’re entering this new chapter as an independent artist. What have you learned about yourself through that transition?
JY: Every experience and opportunity is a learning experience. It’s always something positive and something to be grateful for. And so I had such a great time learning and growing with my time in RCA, but I also grew so much so quickly being an independent artist.
And I realized I do have many ideas, because when I write music, I also visualize colors and concepts. So I think in general, it’s not just the music itself that I want to be a part of. I think it’s this whole universe or world that I’d love to create this vision that I have, and I feel like the more that I’m making my own choices, the more I’m confident in them, and I get to flourish.
SH: Has becoming independent changed the way you approach songwriting or decisions that you make creatively?
JY: Definitely, I have more confidence in my decision-making. I’m so grateful to be working with so many, really top experienced people and music people. And I think for the longest time I was just curious; I was open because I wanted to learn from other people. But the more that I write, the more I know what I want, and what I want to convey as an artist. And I ended up becoming really good friends with some of my music people, and we make music, and it’s really so rewarding and crazy when people really respect me and tell me really great things about myself.
I’m just a lover of music. I didn’t know it was good, you know. So yeah, it’s pretty cool that people love to work with me and want to work with me.
SH: You started writing songs super early. When you look back at that little girl writing songs compared to the artist that you are now, what parts of her are kind of still present in your music?
JY: I think the creative aspect. There’s not much to write about when you’re 7 years old, but when I started out, it was a creative outlet, like I was just creating stories. And I love poetry as well. I just love being able to create and make things, and I still do that. I still like to like beef up my stories, like if it’s not that interesting, I like to make it juicy.
But I do think there’s, like I said before, the consistent theme of just being confident. Even in my art that I draw, I’ve always been drawn to portraits of women. It’s always been strong women.
I think it’s because I grew up in a very female-dominant household, and we all have very strong personalities. Being in that environment and just admiring my mom, my grandma, my aunt, and hearing their music, because they love to dance. They are confident and diva-like as well, which I think I get from them.
(Image courtesy of Jasmine Yen)
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SH: Who are three artists currently on your dream collaboration list?
JY: I love Doechii or Doja Cat. They’re the type of artists who are unafraid to step outside their comfort zone, take a risk and experiment, which I really love. I also love Adéla. I’m so glad that she’s popping off though, because I remember watching that Netflix show. She was my favorite from Dream Academy. And so obviously when the show ended, I was her first follower, and I was sharing her with all these producers and music writers. She’s amazing, so I’m glad that she’s getting the recognition she deserves.
SH: What’s something that your fans would probably be surprised to learn about you?
JY: I’m quirky. No, I’m kidding. I don’t know. I get this a lot from my friends that they think on the outside I may seem intimidating, especially from the way I like to portray myself. But honestly, I’m not that serious. I’m actually not serious at all.
My favorite movie is Trolls, the second one. It makes me cry so much. All different types of music genres, they’re beefing. And the final song was them all coming together. And it was such a beautiful moment that makes you emotional. It’s my guilty pleasure. Every time I’m bored, or I get tired or whatever, I just play Sudoku on my phone. I’m a Disney girl.
I’m a Capricorn, which a lot of people can’t tell. I’m a Pisces rising, which a lot of people can see. When I’m in work mode, I’m so serious.
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SH: What is one thing that you’re manifesting for this new chapter?
JY: I’m manifesting more performances. I love human connection. And I think with performances, having that face-to-face energy is really good. And also I love to dance. And I grew up being a musical theater kid.
I’m so dramatic, especially on stage. I’m pretty mellow, normally, but then on stage I get to rock out, and I love it when I feel that from people too.
(Image courtesy of Jasmine Yen)
SH: What do you hope people feel about themselves after spending some time in your world? That can be whether they’re like watching music videos, watching like your interviews, just listening to your songs, etc.
JY: I just want everyone to be their most confident versions of themselves. I used to be really, really shy, but I think I got over that. Now I’m pretty open and comfortable within myself.
Sometimes I’m an introvert still, but if you told me to like scream on the street, I could. Since I used to be shy, I think that’s part of the reason why I loved that diva-type music. So listening to like Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, Shakira, Brittany, that really helped me so much. Beyoncé is my idol, so I just want to do that for other people as well. I want people to listen to my music and then feel like they wanna dance.
For more insights from the artists we adore, click HERE to read our interview with WayV on their new mini-album, Vision Wings.
