Artist Spotlight: Linying Rides the Waves of Life in Sophomore EP “Swim, Swim”

You can’t stop the waves, but with Los Angeles-via-Singapore singer-songwriter Linying’s newest EP, you can learn how to swim through them. Released April 4th, Swim, Swim is a musical voyage for lovers of poetry, oceanography, and all-around artistry. The ten-track EP dives into the emotions and experiences Linying learned to embrace during her time in the Philippine island of Siargao.

Ahead of Swim, Swim’s official release and in the midst of a busy move, Linying found time for an early morning chat with EnVi via Zoom. As we shared how our mornings were moving along, we cheerily connected over the importance of condensed milk in Thai tea. That would be the first of many connections we would make as Linying spoke with an empathy-driven poeticism. She shared a plethora of anecdotes and wisdom, all evocative of the sincerity that pierces through her music.  

From the Lion City to the City of Angels

Linying is a Singaporean native who now resides in Los Angeles. Linying spent her formative years in Singapore, all the while honing her artistry. Since childhood, she possessed an innate ability to convey emotion through art. Whether it was through playing piano or writing a solemn poem to commemorate the passing of her beloved pet hamster, Pearly, art was always intertwined in Linying’s life. In her teenage years, she found her calling in singing and songwriting. In 2016, she released “Sticky Leaves,” which earned her a deal with her current label, Nettwerk Music Group. As Linying continued to build upon her artistry, she was commissioned by the Singaporean government to compose the 2021 National Day of Singapore theme song. The theme song, entitled “The Road Ahead,” continues to be revisited each year as a beloved, emblematic song for Singapore. 

Though it has been around two years since her big move across the globe, Linying says that she only recently recognized how much her Singaporean upbringing influenced her character. “I think when I first came to Los Angeles, I felt this strong sense of belonging — but culturally I’m so different,” Linying shared with a small laugh. “I’ve really surprised myself by how Asian I am; I’m pretty uptight, and that’s not something that I ever thought of myself like. I always thought of myself as such a free flowing spirit. It turns out, in the context of L.A., I’m an uptight person.” 

In pursuit of the structure she grew accustomed to in Singapore, Linying found herself in an unlikely, yet homely space. “I started playing badminton at this local badminton club […] and this town just feels like China. They don’t even speak to you in English, because that’s the modus operandi.” Linying says the experience led her to an important realization. “I need that [environment] in this land of freedom and ultimate liberty. I still need that feeling of being around old people who don’t give a shit about what I do, who are gonna give me unsolicited life advice, and [who are gonna] tell me what to do!” 

An Island of Inspiration

Contrary to her recent epiphany, structure is the opposite of what inspired Linying’s latest EP, Swim, Swim. The EP was born from a retrospective period Linying spent in the Philippine island of Siargao. Linying excitedly asked me if I had ever visited the island. I responded with a dejected, “No, but it has been a bucket list destination for years.” Without missing a beat, Linying encouragingly replied, “Yeah, you have to go!”

“Siargao is so lawless, open, and empty,” she said. “I think that also means that there’s so much room for potential, so much growth, and the possibilities are endless, right? There are so many memories of just being alone, being in complete solitude, looking at leaves. I was looking at a tree and the wind blowing the leaves, and I realized, ‘Oh, that’s the level of stimulation that a human should be receiving, not the constant bombardment that we get in our modern lives.’”

In Siargao, lulling time away in fantasy-like lagoons is the norm — a complete 180 from the hustle and bustle of big cities. Linying originally visited the island to assist a Filipina movie star in her music ventures. However, Linying, fresh from uprooting her life in Singapore and undergoing personal heartbreak, found solace in the tranquil tides of Siargao. Before she realized it, she returned a total of four times within the course of a year. Linying’s time spent in Siargao not only resulted in profound self-reflection, but also in the framework for a brand-new EP.

The waters of Siargao became the muse for Swim, Swim. Linying shared that water represents the word “surrender,” a concept she developed as a surfer. “I started understanding that you just can’t control anything,” she mused. “Everything is circumstantial, everything is specific, everything is contextual. You know, there’s no two waves that are the same. You’re on a wave, you roll the perfect wave, and then you can go back to the exact same position, and everything will be different. The tides, the person you are, everything’s just different moment to moment.”

“If You Want To Swim, Swim”

The EP’s namesake title track “Swim, Swim” is an ode to Linying’s bygone and forlorn mindset of indecision. Linying recognized how being indecisive was setting her back and actively taking a toll on her life: “That kind of state of mind where you’re constantly flip flopping between things and looking to see what’s out there all the time ends up putting you in a really sad place, and then you start being resentful of your circumstances.”

Linying described the studio session for “Swim, Swim” as a “pretty magical moment.” Her team took a 45-minute vow of silence out of boredom to see what could be accomplished without words. The result? The team mixed the entire song in one sitting! “Swim, Swim” is a pop track carved from elements of punk-rock goodness. Linying also dives into experimental territory with textures created from manipulating her performance on an old piano. The track is bursting with unapologetic energy through Linying’s powerful vocal delivery and honest lyricism. She sings in the chorus, “Well you can forget about leaning closer / ‘Til you’re on your knees, say it’s over / Give yourself a holiday.” 

“The title came from this moment where I told myself, ‘If you want to swim, swim,’” she revealed. “Swim, Swim” eventually transformed from a pivotal message she told herself in a moment shrouded by self-doubt to the proud name of her sophomore EP’s focus track. “It felt representative of all the decisions I had to make at the time about my circumstances, and it just felt so fitting — [both] visually [and] thematically.”

The Tides of Life

Swim, Swim features ten tracks, a polished collection of poetic lyricism that float atop diverse indie-pop melodies. “Fridge” kicks off the EP on an upbeat note — a primarily acoustic song with a playful chorus melody where she advises, “Don’t do what I did / Though you can keep my number on your fridge.” Linying released the tracks “Dial Tone” and “Donovan” in advance with accompanying music videos. 

In “Dial Tone,” Linying takes a nuanced perspective on the dynamics of masculinity. Linying worked with a crew of inspiring Asian artists in order to make the vision for this track come to life in the music video. The music video, directed by visionary Singaporean artist Lenne Chai, stars The L Word’s Leo Sheng, 13 Reasons Why’s Michele Selene Ang, and trans actor and drag queen Mikey Xu. 

“Lenne really took the song and gave it another life,” Linying shared. “I’ve always felt like the music I make is so inward-looking and I’ve always sort of felt guilty about that. It’s really valuable for me to make music that extends outside of my own experience, and working with people who can give an accurate representation of life is a beautiful thing to achieve.”

The EP comes to a close with the slow-paced ballad “Good Is Better Than Better.” It is the longest track and deviates from the band sound with a tender piano. Linying deliberately chose “Good Is Better Than Better” as the final track, as it is both a love letter to her album’s close collaborators and a symbol of acceptance for this current phase in her life. Her creative partners Jon Graber, Jordan Blackmon, and Brandon Benson informed her artistic process and welcomed her into a space where her art could thrive. From Linying’s studio sessions, she recognized the importance of acceptance and free-flowing creativity.

Linying’s Next Voyage

Linying went from a girl uploading acoustic song covers in her room to a cherished artist with proud accolades and numerous experiences under her belt. From Singapore to Los Angeles, Linying strives to be her most authentic self in all of her pursuits. “I hope that listeners remember that allowing is really key to living the most out of life,” she said as a takeaway for the EP. “If you don’t let things go, you can’t let things in. Change is the only constant, and it can be a really beautiful thing if you just let it. I also hope they get into the water more — because it does wonders for your soul and your body and your mind!”

Linying is now proudly a decade into her musical endeavors, and she shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. Expanding on her creative horizons, Linying announced a companion book to Swim, Swim. The book, If I Looked My Lack In The Eye, is a “kaleidoscopic journey of self-discovery” with a mosaic of poetry, diary entries, photography, and more. 

Linying just set sail with Swim, Swim, and there is no telling where this journey will take her next. However, with her renewed mindset and unbridled creativity, Linying is ready to master even the most turbulent of seas. 

Tune into Swim, Swim on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Join along on Linying’s journey by following her on Instagram, TikTok, and X.

Want more recent releases on your radar? Check out EnVi’s interview with Alisa Xayalith on her debut album here!