Okay, honey bees what do dwarf planet Pluto and Koi fish have in common? Okay not much we admit but stay with us because we have one of the most relatable up-and-coming singer-songwriters for you right here: Pluto Koi! Yep, this guy is about to deliver the goods musically we can just feel it and he basically already has too because the music he has put out so far has been just relatable bangers!
Have we convinced you to give this guy a shot yet? Yes? Good! Anyway, we got to talk to Pluto Koi himself about his music, his stage name and other things so keep scrolling and dig in.
First of all, it is a pleasure to talk to you Pluto Koi! How do you feel about the release of your latest single ‘Mediocre at Best’ and it finally being out in the world?
First off, thank you so much for having me and taking the time to chat! I’m so happy this song is finally out! It’s a song I’ve wanted to write for a very long time, but I just never figured out how to actually put it into words until now. In a way, having this song finally out there is extremely freeing. I’ve always wanted to express a level of vulnerability with my music outside of love and heartbreak— so tackling something like feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, feelings that have been even more prevalent in my life for the past few years, felt like the perfect thing to do. Releasing this song, to me, literally felt like letting go of all my insecurities. Not getting rid of them completely, but being more aware of them and accepting the fact that it’s okay to be “mediocre.” I hope lots of people, after listening to the song, can find comfort in its message and perhaps provide a sense of relatability in that even though you’re like me, 25 and still lost in life, it’s okay and you’re definitely not alone.
We have to admit the title of the song alone is really relatable as being mediocre at something is something everyone has faced before, and honestly, it’s not a bad thing. However, what is something you consider yourself more than mediocre at?
Honestly, it’s hard to say since the whole reason I wrote the song is because I feel like I’m not not mediocre at anything haha. I guess the thing I’m best at is writing music, singing, and playing guitar… but I don’t have a lot of confidence in saying I’m above average at those things. To this day, I still struggle with hitting a falsetto, harmonizing to a melody, or strumming on time to a beat. That feeling could also be in part due to growing up Asian American, living with the model minority stereotype, and striving to reach a ceiling that I always fell short of. I feel like this led me to grow up always being kind of hard on myself. I was proud of my achievements, but I always felt like I could have done something better.. In truth, no matter how good you are at something, there’s always something more to strive for. There’s always an opportunity to better yourself. So there’s no point in downplaying your achievements with regret. I’m definitely still working on coming to grips with that fact.
And now the opposite what is something you know you are mediocre at and feel content about not being better at? Or do you want to be better at it?
Continuing off of my previous answer, although I would say my best skill lies in doing the music thing, I wouldn’t really consider myself great by any means. That’s not to say I’ve gotten complacent though. I definitely want to get better and continue to improve my skills. I think I’ve just come to accept that maybe I don’t progress as fast as other people, and that’s okay. I still enjoy what I do, and I’m still creating projects that I’m very proud of. So at the end of the day, I think that’s what ultimately matters!
Now that we’ve asked about the title, let’s get into the music and how ‘Mediocre’ came about! Is there a specific event that triggered you to write this song? Came a lyric or the melody for the song to you first?
Being ‘Mediocre at Best’ was a feeling that just built up after months and months of being constantly let down. I knew I wanted to write a song that tackled this insecurity, but I didn’t have much of an idea of how I wanted to approach it. I was initially thinking about making this song a really depressing piano ballad— but then I thought maybe that would’ve been too much. I then had this idea of maybe making it really upbeat, cause there was always something I really liked about songs that sounded super fun and energetic but also had these kinds of depressing undertones. But then I figured maybe I could just combine both ideas together? Have the song start off kinda slow… but then gradually build up into this bright, energetic, and buoyant track. I loved this idea because I’ve always been drawn to songs that had a similar kind of build-up. Actually putting the song together was a different beast though. I think most, if not all, artists aspire to a certain level of perfectionism in their work. I’m no exception to that, and when it comes to writing music, I can be very particular about how I want a certain part to sound and spend days just trying to get it right. Although, with this song, and its overlying theme being mediocrity, I thought it might actually fit better narratively if the song did have some imperfections. In that sense, there was a lot less pressure in writing the song and needing it to sound as close to perfect as it could be. I was also fortunate enough to work alongside an amazing producer, Ming (@prodbyming), to help me fully realize this song, and I can say that after all that, I’ve never been more satisfied with a finished product.
We believe ‘Mediocre at Best’ is just the start of Pluto Koi music in 2024 and a new EP. Can you tell us anything about the overall concept of the EP? What is the color and vibe going to be?
Yes! A new EP is definitely on the way. As I mentioned previously, I definitely want to experiment more with my lyrics and themes. Music for me has always been about expressing myself, and writing about my vulnerabilities is for sure a part of that. With my EP, I want to showcase a more complex side of myself. With this EP, I’m planning on tackling themes of inadequacy, impostor syndrome, and self-doubt, which again, are feelings that have been very present in my life as of late. Vibe-wise, I think it’ll be very similar to a lot of the songs I’ve released thus far, just with more personal subject matters that I hope will create a stronger sense of relatability and intimacy among listeners. I’ve been having a blast so far working on this project, and I hope any of my fans or new listeners are just as excited as I am to finally get this out there.
Do you associate certain smells or tastes with your music? If so what are they?
Interesting question! I would say it probably varies with each song. I’m thinking ‘Wonderland’ probably gives off a mint flavor or ocean-scented vibes. ‘Evergreen,’ would probably be more sage or forest scented? ‘Mediocre at Best’ though, for sure, would most likely taste something like rocky road or cookie dough.
Let us focus more on your talents as a singer-songwriter, out of all the songs you have released so far what is your favorite lyric?
Sometimes when I’m listening to my music, there are moments where I’ll hear a line and be like, “Damn, this one is actually really good.” Writing lyrics has always been the most challenging aspect of making music for me, but sometimes, I’ll surprise myself and somehow churn out a golden line that fits perfectly into whatever verse I’m working on. A lyric that comes to mind that I really really like is from ‘Evergreen,’ where I say “Her smile it takes me through the evergreen, and her eyes look like the ones from movie scenes.” This line was something that just naturally came to me without much thought or effort. The words just seamlessly made their way into the page, and those are the lines that tend to always end up becoming some of my favorites.
You moved from the Philippines to California and we were wondering how that shift in environment was for you. Do you take any inspiration from either of those places and use it in your music or songwriting process?
There was definitely that initial culture shock when moving to the States for the first time. Everything was different. The people, the weather, the atmosphere. It felt a lot like being a fish out of water. I also didn’t grow up around many people who were also Asian-American. This made it difficult to find anyone that I could relate with. Instead, I found myself itching to fit in with people who weren’t like me at all. Throughout high school, I feel like I changed as a person more times than I can count; constantly finding ways to transform myself into a kind of person I thought others might want to be around. I think this made it hard for me to be satisfied with who I was. I was slowly distancing myself away from my ethnic origins, while at the same time trying so hard to be accepted by people that I didn’t fit in with. Now that I’m older, I’m able to look at these memories from a different lens. I think that’s part of what inspired me to write this song, and have the EP revolve around this theme of self-doubt and personal acceptance.
As you go by the stage name Pluto Koi. How do you feel about Pluto being an outcast and being a dwarf planet after being considered a planet for a long time? Where did the fascination with Pluto come from?
It’s funny cause I actually don’t really have much of a fascination for the planet as people might think haha. I think there is an interesting metaphor to be made though about Pluto being an outcast dwarf planet versus me growing up introverted and always looking for ways to fit in… but I would be wrong to say that’s not entirely coincidental. Freddie Mercury was one of the first names that came to mind when I was coming up with ideas for a stage name. I’m faaaaar from even a spec of what Freddie Mercury came to be, but I always thought including a planet in your name made for a really cool moniker. Pluto was a random choice, but perhaps it was that idea of it being outcasted that resonated with me subconsciously? Who knows haha but I like to think I was right in that it does make for a cool stage name.
The second part of your stage name references Koi fish, we are also lovers of the fish and wonder what’s your favorite color on a Koi fish?
Koi was a little bit more intentional! I also really love Koi fish, and I especially love that they can also symbolize perseverance. I think there’s something kind of beautiful about the juxtaposition of Pluto, again, being that outcast planet, and a Koi fish, that represents resilience and pushing through adversities. I think that’s what might have drawn me to combining these two words together. As for my favorite color on a Koi fish… I would probably say orange, since that’s also my favorite color in general!
We can’t help but absolutely love your Instagram feed and we saw the most adorable dog! Who is this little fella and where does he love to be pet the most?
That’s my dog Luffy!! He’s only a year and half and he’s the sweetest, happiest little guy. He loves his walks and naps. He’s a big attention seeker, so he’ll be happy if you pet him anywhere!
Last, but not least, we want to know who Pluto Koi listens to, is there a song you start or end your day with? Who is on your playlist?
I listen to a lot of different things! But I would say I primarily lean towards indie pop. Rex Orange County is one of my favorite artists, and someone I look to a lot for inspiration. I’m also a huge fan of Dominic Fike and Keshi, especially when it comes to their more alternative sounds. But yeah, I mean I’ll listen to anything as long as it sounds good, really. My current playlist has a pretty eclectic combination of genres, from K-pop, jazz, lo-fi, rap, acoustic… sometimes Disney music if I’m really feeling it. When it comes to inspiration, I find it mostly in the music I listen to. So listening to a wide array of different sounds keeps me inspired and eager to actually make something. A lot of the time, an idea for a song will spark just from listening to another song and thinking, “Oh, I want to make a song that sounds just like that”. My favorite song currently is ‘Accidentally In Love’ by Counting Crows so… we’ll see where that takes me. Anyway, thank you so much for having me for this interview!! It was a blast getting to answer all these great questions and learn more about myself in the process as well. (:
No, we thank you Koi for sitting down with us to answer these questions! We can’t wait to see our playlist fill up more and more with Pluto Koi songs, and cry to them or sing them at the top of our lungs. We are definitely gonna check those songs out as well that Pluto Koi suggested to us!
What about you? Are you ready to dig into Pluto Koi’s music? What do you think about ‘Mediocre at Best?’ Let us know over on Twitter @thehoneypop, and you can also talk to us over on Facebook and Instagram!
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PLUTO KOI:
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