We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Candice Wu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Candice below.

Alright, Candice thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I was put into singing, guitar, and dance lessons when I was little, but I rebelled and quickly quit because I wanted to do sports, though there were also financial factors. When I started High School, I found myself wanting to explore dance and music again, so I joined my school choir and dance department. I also took outside dance classes and got humbled quickly when I was the only 15-year-old in classes of kids 5-8 years younger than me with years more of experience and training. However, I think because I took that initiative to explore music and dance again as someone older and stereotypically considered a “late starter”, I was able to adapt quickly and figure out ways of creating and moving that suited how I wanted to express. I slowly developed my own voice and dance style, tuning into my emotions and those of others, translating and interpreting them into these mediums.

The learning curve for music and dance was steep for me, largely due to my lack of strong foundations, because I felt I had started so “late”. I battled feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome, thinking, “I don’t know enough music theory,” or “my flexibility isn’t enough.” Despite being in the NYU Master’s program for songwriting for a year and writing over 20 songs, I didn’t consider myself a songwriter until my second year. I now refer to myself as a “wiggler” instead of a dancer intentionally, but it originally stemmed from feeling unqualified to call myself a dancer. This mindset held me back from opportunities, and I almost quit music and dance altogether, which I’m grateful I didn’t!

I still have these occasional doubts now, but the trust I have in my abilities outweighs the negative thoughts, as well as the trust in the support and words of the people who enjoy my music or my dances. Their words of encouragement play a huge role in how fast and healthily I’m evolving and growing. Trust is earned and built, so it’s easier said than done to just trust yourself and go for it. However, I think being able to acknowledge your hard work and embrace the imperfection of learning something new is always the way to go. It took me a long time to realize this, but once I stopped trying to be perfect, even at the learning stage, I progressed so much quicker and happier.

Candice, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

HI!

My name is Candice Wu. I’m a San Francisco native Chinese-American currently based in Brooklyn, NY. I’m a multi-disciplinary creative: singer, songwriter, composer, vocal instructor, producer, dancer, choreographer, and more. My creative works are a reflection of the influences and emotions I’ve absorbed through my travels. Although my primary creative focus is music, my goal is to work on a myriad of interdisciplinary projects, blurring the lines between the mediums!

For music, my sonic identity showcases my introspective lyrics and soothing melodies, acting as a form of release and expression, all laced with a whirlwind of identity crises, internal conflicts, and indecision. I’ve been characterized to have soulful vocals and intimate lyricism inspired by the beautiful people, experiences, and memories I’ve encountered. I’m against genres, but if I were to be asked about my sonic identity, I would say it’s a blend of Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Jazz, R&B, and Blues.

I have a BA in Creative Musicianship from the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, and I graduated last year with an MM in Songwriting from NYU in New York. I didn’t really commit to being a songwriter or musician until I got into my master’s program. With the intention of going to law school after studying music for my undergrad, my focus shifted during COVID, and I decided to go full force into music. I realized that anything can happen, with plans never going as you expect them to, no matter how well thought-out. Even with the uncertainty and instability of the music industry at the time, and even now, it felt right to commit to a craft that healed me on so many occasions, though with realistic expectations. I got into music and dance through my desire and need to express, but I didn’t have the self-confidence to do so verbally. I was pretty introverted and quiet from middle school until around my sophomore year of High School. I also felt like I kind of just existed but never belonged anywhere, which isn’t an uncommon feeling for many adolescents. However, I found my voice and community through music and dance, which is something I try to do for others, too, whether it’s through vocal lessons or creative input on projects, etc.

With all this said, my self-plug is that I can do almost anything creative, whether that be conceptualizing ideas for a project, providing direct creative help, project planning, etc.! For music, if you need background vocals, vocal production, music production, songwriting, film scores, and more, I have experience in all of these, both educationally and professionally. For the past 6 years, I have produced and organized events, shows, and concerts for myself as an indie artist, as well as for NYU and other past jobs. For dance, I have danced in and choreographed for people’s music videos and classes. I’ve also worked as an editorial assistant for a fashion magazine for 5+ years, so I can provide creative direction for shoots or social media campaigns. I’m a jack of all trades! I used to hate that term because people often misused it in the context of insulting someone for being unfocused or unskilled. However, the full phrase is “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”, which rings true to what I can provide as a creative for myself and for others’ projects.

I am and will always be about creative identity and journey first, before the industry standards or procedures. I believe this is the best way to achieve a final product that feels and sounds good and truly resonates with others. If you’re not into it, people can feel that through your work, and I practice this with my own work as well. If I’m not feeling the direction of a song, I’ll revisit it later and start creating something new. I can quickly adapt and adjust while keeping in mind the intentions of the project or craft, so I don’t break myself trying to make something work that could be better for another project. In the same breath, I’m also great at conceptualizing, shaping, or actualizing ideas, no matter how big, small, or abstract, something I take great pride in. It took me a long time to translate my own thoughts and emotions and build up my own confidence, so this made me into a more empathetic and in-tune listener. But, at the core of everything, I’m just a creative wanting to create to the best of my abilities!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I believe there’s a misconception that pursuing a passion leads to less stress or negativity in that career. “You must love it because it’s what you want to do.” To a certain degree, that can be true, but a job is still just a job when you’re trying to make a living, which is unromantic but realistic. You’ll have rewarding moments where you feel like everything was worth it, and then you’ll have your lowest points where nothing is ever good enough. It varies, but I personally believe the opposite is true. The more passion you have for something, the more you emotionally and mentally invest, which, if not done in moderation, can really drain you.

A lot of creatives, as well, like myself, find it hard separating ourselves from our craft because we’re so intrinsically tied sometimes, especially if you’re translating your experiences into a creative form that is constantly evaluated, consumed, or judged by others. There’s also no clear, laid-out path for creatives, especially if you’re an independent artist with no industry backing. You are your own label, and you just have to figure things out by trial and error or just pure luck and timing. I don’t regret choosing this path, though I’m definitely not always sure of the direction I’m going. Sometimes I hate it all, and sometimes I love every second of it. But, despite my ups and downs, I still do the best that I can to create!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being able to share my creations with people is definitely up there, but the friends, family, and listeners who have supported me or are new to joining me on this journey are the best part of this path. I am not creating for anybody, but when someone tells me they resonated with a song that I wrote or praises my growth and hard work, it makes everything worth it. I write songs and dance in a way that translates the emotions I didn’t know how to express when I was younger into freer forms. My goal as an artist and creative is to interpret and mould thoughts and emotions into creative forms that can be reinterpreted and reshaped by others. If my works can give a voice to someone else who may be in a similar stage of their life that I was in and give them the courage to express, that would be amazing and so rewarding!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF62P5f6LQ/YZBAWTG3ecYhfDfP6Efj0w/view?utm_content=DAF62P5f6LQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h6eacc61b19
• Instagram: instagram.com/candice_x9
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/candicexywu/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@candice_x9
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/candice_x9
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@candice_x9

Image Credits
Andrea Aguilar, Savannah Cribbs, Sabrina Wu, & Jessi Snapp