METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Ji-In, so glad to be catching up with you. Thank you for answering some questions for Metal Pulp AndPaper. We appreciate it.
JI-IN CHO: Hello! Of course- it's a pleasure.
MPAP: How are you? How is your summer going so far this year for you and your band And Then She Came?
JI-IN: Thank you– we feel great. Everything has gone great so far. We are very happy about all these positive reactions to And Then She Came– concerning the album but also our shows. We didn't dare to expect that.
MPAP: You’re a German-Korean rock/metal band from Aachen, Germany that was founded in 2016? What else can you tell us about And Then She Came that everyone needs to know about?
JI-IN: Well, And Then She Came was not planned. We've been together in another band named Krypteria for almost 10 years. And after our 'baby break' Frank called us one day to work with him on one of the films. He has a music studio where he produces many movie scores. We just started writing songs, and with all these ideas coming out we slowly recognized that we should get together again as a band.
MPAP: What is the German music scene like in your hometown of Aachen?
JI-IN: Actually, I live near Cologne, but to be honest I am the last person you should ask about the music scene in Aachen or Cologne. Musically I live in my own world. I can relate to different types of music from all over the world as long as it inspires me or touches me in an emotional way.
MPAP: Is it hard to break free from being a rock/metal band there? Are you able to get any radio air play there?
JI-IN: Yes, I find it very hard for a new rock/metal band to get any air play. Most of the radio stations are to tame and prefer easy listening or pop music, something that does not disturb or bother you while you drive your car or iron your shirts. Unless you are famous, that is. I feel that in other countries there are more radio stations that play rock and metal. Sadly this is not yet the case over here.
MPAP: What have been some of your musical influences? What inspired you to want to sing?
JI-IN: I've been singing since my early childhood. As a child I considered singing as natural as talking.That's why I can not tell about any concrete event that inspired me to sing. I grew up with singing and playing classical music and I thought this was normal and common in every household. I discovered rock music later when I was a teenager.
MPAP: Your band, who are the rest of your partners in crime in it? Who are they and what do they play?
JI-IN: There is Frank, our bass player and producer, Kusch plays drums, and Olli is our guitar hero.
MPAP:And Then She Came is the rebirth from the ashes of your previous band Krypteria correct?
JI-IN: I would not call it a rebirth. As I already mentioned And Then She Came grew naturally and unexpectedly. When Frank called us we didn't think about Krypteria at all. And I think that was a major reason for the genesis of And Then She Came: There were no creative barriers or any demands by anyone but ourselves. We just started writing songs and this was pure fun!
MPAP: Will Krypteria ever happen again, or is AndThen She Came your focus, your main priority right now?
JI-IN: The time with Krypteria was very exciting and there are a lot of wonderful memories. But now we have an entirely new playground and unbelievably much fun doing it.
MPAP: What about the band name And Then SheCame? What is the meaning behind it?
JI-IN: Well, it depends on who you ask. It's very interesting to see how people react when they hear this name. As you can imagine, our bass player Frank has a totally different interpretation than I have as a mother of a little girl. I like the ambiguity of And Then She Came.
MPAP: Let’s talk about your first and latest self-titled release, And Then She Came (2016)? What can you tell us about it?
JI-IN: We offer a very diverse record. There is Rock, Metal– even with a lot of alternative vibes but also some pretty catchy hooks involved too. Looking back to the creative process we felt so free and independent because there were no barriers or regulations as to how to write or what our music should sound like. We only had this white board and could use all these different colors. That was so much fun and maybe the luxury you only have for your debut album.
MPAP: How do you think your fans of Krypteria reacted to And Then She Came?
JI-IN:And Then She Came is in so many ways different from Krypteria that we could not really anticipate how our fans would react to this change. Luckily, our fans were open minded and we got a ton of positive reactions so far. We love our fans very much. They are awesome and crazy and we are very excited to hear from them what they think about our upcoming second And Then She Came album.
MPAP: Was it difficult starting the new band? Or were you glad that you had the experience and the resources Krypteria had started and created?
JI-IN: I think it's a big advantage that we can benefit from our past experiences– even the bad ones. We definitely know what we do not want anymore and that's what other newcomer bands will still have to figure out.
MPAP: You also have some very special guests on the release, Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy) and Jen Majura (Evanescence)? How did you end up getting them to collaborate with you on the record?
JI-IN: We've known them for a couple of years now and what I love about them– besides the fact that both of them are very strong perfomers– is that they are uncomplicated and super kind and sweet. I am very proud to have them as fantastic representatives of the female gender on our album!
MPAP: When you sit down to plan your next release, will it also be written to have guests on it as well?
JI-IN: I am super excited about our next album. If all goes as planned it should hit the stores in the spring of 2018. Right now we are still in the creative process, so I cannot reveal much more at this point. I don't want to ruin the surprise. Let's just say it will be a worthy successor of the first album.
MPAP: When a new listener hears your music for the first time, what are you hoping they walk away with? Is there one thing you hope stands out to them?
JI-IN:And Then She Came is for anyone with an open mind for different colors of rock. I really hope that the listener feels the love we put in this rough sound, in this synergy of organic rock instruments and electronical elements. We unofficially christened this sound: Adrenalectrica!
MPAP: In five years where do you hope to see yourself and the band? Do you all have goals you want to achieve in that time period?
JI-IN: Oh, wow.. I haven't thought so far ahead, yet. I like the notion of touring all over the world with the biggest problem being the decision which songs of our 5 albums we should play on stage!
MPAP: What can your fans expect next? What does And Then She Came has planned up their sleeve?
JI-IN: As I already mentioned, the rest of 2017 will be dedicated to our second album. In addition to that, I have the honor to play a role in a musical named Der Fluch des Drachen (The Dragon's Curse), written by the famous German fantasay author Marcus Heitz and musically created by the medieval band Corvus Corax. Next year's highlight will be the release of the second album. And of course we will be on tour again. Personally, I am very excited about another Asia tour, especially to Korea. Besides the festivals throughout Europe there might also be an opportunity to tour the U.S. I really hope that we can fit everything in our schedule.
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Ji-In, for being a part of this interview. Look forward to what And Then She Came does to finish out the year 2017 and beyond.
Any last words you’d like to say to the readers and all your fans out there?
JI-IN: Thank you very much for your interest and attention. We would very much love to welcome you and your readers to one of our shows. So, please keep your fingers crossed for our plans to hit a place near you. That would be awseome.