We were lucky to catch up with Bethanie Liu recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bethanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I started music lessons at an early age as an extracurricular activity, which gradually nurtured my passion for music. Pursuing music professionally had been a secret dream of mine, but I kept it hidden for a long time. Like many of my peers at the time, I was often steered toward paths traditionally deemed “professional and elite” instead of music, with people convincing me that music is not a viable career. For many years I felt very conflicted too. I knew deep down I wanted to give my dream a try, but the constant opposition from those around me made it difficult. I also understood how volatile the music industry could be, and being completely honest, at the time I feared failure, especially if I were to take the leap to pursue the road less travelled.

I think my experiences performing as a recorder player and working with people with disabilities were key catalysts in my decision to pursue music professionally. I performed internationally as a recorder player throughout my teenage years. Whether it was playing with musicians from around the world, feeling the nervous chills before going on stage, rushing back to school after long-haul flights from overseas performances, or most importantly, performing on stage and connecting with the audience, all of these moments led me to envision a life as a performer. I also looked up to many artists outside of the recorder or classical music world, which fueled my eagerness to explore a broader range of music styles, eventually leading me to study at Berklee College of Music. During high school, I also volunteered as a recorder tutor at a school for children with visual impairments. It was very fulfilling to witness their transformation –– from being hesitant to even hold a recorder, to confidently performing a tune with it. This experience exemplified the power of music and showed me how it could make a difference in people’s lives. I have carried this passion to this day, being involved in research on music technology to develop expression tools for people with disabilities.

I found joy and confidence through music, and I want to share the same joy with more people.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an electronic musician, playback engineer, producer, software developer and researcher in music technology.

As a performer, I am a live electronic performer and multi-instrumentalist. My current artistic practice amalgamates acoustic elements, such as recorder, flute, and voice, with controllerism. You will often see me performing with knobs and faders, looping my recorder playing, and performing vibrant synth lines on grid controllers.

I love helping others succeed by applying my areas of expertise in music technology. As such, I have taken on roles such as playback engineer, audio programmer and musical director, working with artists to build shows that bring their artistic vision to life.

As a researcher, my work focuses on developing musical expression systems for individuals with disabilities, and I have been fortunate to have presented my research in multiple international conferences.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal has always been to empower people through music. I find meaning and purpose in being able to inspire others and make a difference in their lives through my passion for music technology.

Looking back on my journey, there are songs that accompanied me through tough times, songs that brought back good memories, songs that uplifted me, and songs that inspired me to feel and think. Having experienced the power of music firsthand, my goal is to create music that could bring the same impact — music that people could resonate with and connect to emotionally. It would be an honor if my music could play even a small part in someone’s journey!

I have also been very fortunate to have role models and nurturing mentors in electronic performance and music technology who have greatly inspired me, and I aim to share the same light through my music.

Through my work in developing interactive technology for people with disabilities, I hope to empower individuals to perform music in ways tailored to their needs, making musical expression accessible and enjoyable for all.

Whether performing as an artist, building and programming shows for other artists, or conducting research work in music technology, empowering others through music has always been, and will continue to be, my biggest goal in my creative journey.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Most of my family and friends in my hometown are non-creatives, and there have definitely been times when they struggled to understand what I do. Unlike non-creative fields, where progress or success often have clearer benchmarks, the creative field can be less defined. From what I’ve heard, many corporate settings offer more structured paths with clearer ladders. There are promotions, salary increases, bonuses, and there could be an estimated timeline for how many years it might take to climb the ladder. The creative field has some structure, but it is definitely not as clear-cut. Most musicians carve our own paths, which come with great flexibility we’re grateful for, but that also come with many uncertainties. This might be related to the culture I grew up in, there is often pressure to “report” our accomplishments during family gatherings. As a freelance musician, it can be difficult to talk about what I consider achievements (since their definition of success is different), or to give an estimate of how long it will take to reach certain milestones. However, that really doesn’t mean I haven’t been working just as hard as my peers in non-creative fields. Ultimately, whether in creative or non-creative professions, everyone is working towards their goals and aspirations, so it’s important to keep an open mind and respect all professions.

It can also be difficult for musicians to plan our schedules ahead or take regular time off, since we never know what might come up. For my friends working 9-to-5 jobs, it is easier to take a few days off, shut down their computers and, say, go hiking. But for musicians, if an opportunity arises while I’m on vacation and I don’t have my gears with me, or if I’m simply out of town, it could mean missing out on something I’ve worked long and hard for, and it might take years for a similar opportunity to come around. There is often a romanticization of an artist’s life among non-creatives. When I share my schedule with my friends working in non-creative fields, they are usually shocked by how much I have on my plate. They often ask why I juggle so many things at once, and honestly, I don’t have a clear answer yet! I think it’s generally tricky for musicians to separate work and life because so much of our music creation is drawn from our life experiences. Finding a healthy balance is something I am still figuring out. One of my goals this year is to have a proper answer when people ask what non-music-related hobbies I have!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bethanie-liu.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethanie_music/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bethanie_music

Image Credits

Erin Liu
Thomas Nguyen