Transcript: Episode #252: A Star2 is Born
Below is the complete transcript for this podcast episode. This transcript was generated using an AI transcription service and has not been reviewed by a human editor. As a result, certain words in the text may not accurately reflect the speaker's actual words. This is especially noticeable when speakers have strong accents, as AI transcription may introduce more errors in interpreting and transcribing their speech. Therefore, it is advisable not to reference this transcript in any article or document without cross-referencing the timestamp to ensure the accuracy of the guest's precise words.
0:20
Everybody let me now the fame and money smells better stay away from matter of fact six feet away from me.
0:30
Everybody said they love me now could they see the fame and the money younger to smell funny better stay away from me. Matter of fact six feet away from him.
0:39
When I told him about my dreams, it was laughing in my face. I didn't believe in this refugee it was about the fame I just want to put kids on a map but ever since I got the faith a hell of pictures of my being and trying to get me sloppy Tuffy sibilla They just want to come around we just want to come around for district friends too and now they want to tag around those times Bish Tony Your love is to be broke and nobody that I helped me out they became an alt right when I shut them out. So we now sorry I'm stepping in. So don't be mad when you're visually registering a baby. Tell me who the fuck is laughing now. Everybody said they love me now. The Fame and the money smell funny better stay away from matter of fact six feet away from me.
1:29
Everybody said they love me know because they see the fame and the money y'all smell funny better stay away from me that affects everybody tell me that they love me but tell me what they hold me down.
Host 1:42
Hi there and thanks for listening. If you're enjoying our podcast and have a recommendation about someone you think that we should have on to share their voice and journey with the world by all means let us know it could be an aid worker monastic author, journalist Doctor resistance leader really anyone with some Thai or another to the ongoing situation in Myanmar to offer up a name go to our website insight myanmar.org And let us know but for now just sit back and take a listen to today's podcast.
Host 3:10
all right and we're here with star to the intro track that you heard coming on to this interview before we start up is from his for Song of 2023 six feet away we're going to be playing some more of his music and also talking a bit about the meaning behind the music as well as his own life and work as an artist. So start to Thanks for sitting down and talking to us.
Star2 3:33
Thank you Thank you for having me.
Host 3:38
No, absolutely. I'm looking forward to this i i got into your music and it's gonna be fun to play them for audience and also talked about the meaning behind so before we get into your life which I want to because your your own personal journey is definitely something to explore. Let's just take the song that our listeners just heard six feet away and just tell us anything you want about the meaning behind this.
Star2 3:59
Oh, well you know six feet away meaning like I wrote that song doing like COVID Time Coronavirus, but you know like once a slide not necessarily meaning somebody has like Coronavirus but like you know like six feet away Kamini It could mean for the females, you know, when you're artists when you have like SoundCloud, when you get money coming in, people want to come close to you know, so that sound represent, you know, stay six feet away, you know, because before the fame before the money starts to come in, nobody wants to be around you but you know, as soon as they smell as money or smell fame, they want to come near you you know, so stay, you know, just like telling the people are fake to keep their distance, you know?
Host 4:45
Right. So this was a song that came out as you start to get more well known and that's a great segue into who you were before you have the standing when you didn't have to tell people to stay six feet away because you came from I'm quite a different background from being growing, growing up and being raised in a refugee camp in Thailand. So tell us about those early experiences how you you had to leave Myanmar and growing up and then coming to America.
Star2 5:13
So my grandma used to like when she was still, when it was in like Myanmar, we call it kotula. She had a flare when the, you know, the Burmese military, you know, burned out villages and stuff. So she had a flat run across the river swim across the river, a salary waiver to get on to the Thai, Thailand. So you know, I grew up, I was born to Thai refugee care, call me like, even at that at a, you know, we had to find a better way, you know, so she, if she had an opportunity to take come bring us to the US, you know, around 2007 2008, around that time when we can. So yeah, she chose that she chose I chose, I decided to come with her, you know, had opportunity to either stay with my birth father or call my grandma. So I chose to call my grandma because I was closer to her, who had to leave their behind to come get like, to get a better life, hoping to get a better life in the US. But it's still, it was pretty hard, you know, the church transition, the change, and everything. Because it was either, we didn't have a lot of opportunities there. Even at a Thai refugee camp, so it was better for me to be here. And I'm glad I came here. You know,
Host 6:42
So how old were you when you came over? And what were some of those challenges you faced?
Star2 6:47
Oh, I was around like, five, five years old, when I first came to the US. Challenges was like, the language barrier that was one of them, you know, the food, the you know, all of sudden, to fool you grew up eating over there. They don't have to hear their own salary, or they they weren't any agent grocery stores, I was like selling the food that we grew up, you know, I grew up eating over there. Live in rice, when I first came, there wasn't like, the rice that we eat are completely different, different from the rice they sell here. But now is much better as whatever, there's more Asian like, Mark is a lot now. Now it's easier to find the food and we just don't we it's easier for us.
Host 7:38
So if you were just five years old, do you have many memories of growing up in the refugee camp? And if so, what are they?
Star2 7:45
Well, one was to know water water was the biggest thing every morning. We would have to go you know go get water you know the water that we shower with cook with? He would clean us out with basically yeah, water and then another one would be like protein source of protein, the young man you know, the man has to go hunt. You know, even you're in a refugee camp. Since it's a refugee camp. It's not like there you go. You have to sneak out the camp to go find food you source your source of protein, all that stuff, you know, go fishing, or whatever, you know, or, or another one is hard, you know, the rice field sometimes if you're lucky if you like grow rice, rice is you get rice you know you will get to rice but for some of us in a refugee camp, it says it's a cat you know, they don't grow rice fields. There's no rice field inside the capsule. Rice was pretty sometimes you we have to ask for our neighbours rice, you know, borrow their rice, by you know, can like a cup full of rice. And that will feed the whole family. And I used to walk barefoot around the camp. I used to ditch school as a little care. You know, I would go fishing I don't remember a lot. I would like my dad would take me back to his house, you know, because you know, I was living my grandma. And that was sneak and when they're not looking or they fall they fall asleep I will sneak out and go back to my grandma's cabin or something like that.
Host 9:23
That's quite a number of memories as a five year old.
Star2 9:28
So a lot of memories.
Host 9:31
And so then as you came to America and you're still quite young and still quite a child and trying to fit in a culture, language, food, these are all parts of it but you're also coming from such a different experience and then then I imagine many people there did you experience racism or just simply people not understanding who you were or what you came from?
Star2 9:53
Yeah, it starts all with then knowing like where we come from people with thing with data, you know? Chinese people from the lurk, they'll just assume that we're Chinese. Or when you say when we tell them Thailand or thing we're Thai, you know, but we're not Thai, you know? Or we tell them we're from Burma, Myanmar, they'll think we're Burmese. You know, they don't know what. Yeah, that's correct. People are. But yeah, I did get bullied a little bit here and there, but I, you know, I learned how to speak English real quick. And I was being mostly being bully, about what I wear in all my clothes, because, you know, I couldn't afford anything. Like socks, I couldn't afford socks, I would wear like, mix match shocks, you know, so I was always just like, basic stuff like that. I used to get bullied. But I worked out a lot as a little kid. And I was buff, I had like, abs and everything. So nobody mess with me. Like, physically, you know, nobody was trying to find me or anything, but they will talk bad, he will like make fun of me, you know, stuff like that.
Host 11:02
And did you? Did you find any kind of refuge or connection with the current community or what, what was the current community, like, where you were living
Star2 11:11
over here, and city is the current community is pretty. When I first kind of us, it was pretty big, you know, crime community there. We were, like, one of the first generation so even there, you know, they told us, they told all the crap, people that resident that was living in city heights in San Diego, they told me, they told us that, you know, don't go outside and at a certain time, be careful, you know, like, stuff like that. But I wasn't really wasn't really with the, you know, with the community. And in really, like, pay attention to that I just did my own thing growing up,
Host 11:52
I am sure. And so eventually, along your way you find something that you're looking for in the form of music, hip hop. So tell us about how the this came along. And what your early influences were, what you were listening to, and how it made you feel and how it inspired you.
Star2 12:09
So when I first got here, I don't know I was listening to Justin Bieber a lot. You know, I even like a style his like, his love hairstyle. I was trying to dress like how you dress all that stuff as a kid you know, the young Justin Bieber but growing up in a hurry, you know, then the hood mentality, the hood lifestyle kicked in, you know, because everybody I grew up around with our like, you know, it's in a hurry. So, you know, had black friend Mexican friends, Asian friends, not just Korea. So yes, that influence it put influenced me to become like one of them for a little bit. You know, I'm gonna start rapping and start listening to like, hip hop. Start listening to rappers, like, you know, when I first came here, I was like, this need to, to Pa was very, you know, well known. When I first I was listening to a lot of Tupac,
Host 13:02
you mentioned just to be Justin Bieber. The the look and the appeal. Tupac was big at the time. What What drew you specifically to Tupac? How did his music make you feel as well as any other musicians or rappers at the time?
Star2 13:17
Well, first, we asked her like movies documentaries about how he, you know, came about how to puppy came to park. And, you know, I'm like, pretty much similar to how I'm going on so you know, and everybody around me like, because I look up to like the older, you know, older people, older teenager that was couple years older than me, they will listen to this and ask that, you know, the way they dress, you know, most like West Coast vibe. I don't know if that's a hard question. For me, I listened to a lot of artists, you know, I take what inspires me is I know they came, they all have their tough times. They all have, you know, they all had to go through their path. So I feel like oh, no, they could if they can make it, I can make it. That's how I always see always see it.
Host 14:05
And what's interesting and looking at that is they're obviously talking about racism in America growing up black, and what from poverty and what those experiences are. And so I imagine your your background, as tough as it was and the challenges you had that there was some way to connect with that, but the the specificities of what you went through a refugee camp and the writing for the Burmese army and being assimilating into another culture and country, was there was there anyone really speaking or an artist that was producing content that that kind of spoke more specifically to who you were and where you were coming from?
Star2 14:46
That's kind of high. Oh, no. Guess artists that I know that's kind of hard
Host 14:58
to Was there no one?
Star2 15:02
Oh, no growing up, I just listened to a bunch of artists. I don't I don't think any artists. I don't see any artists that was going through what I was going through is care. I can't compare to what I was going through. It's different. But yeah, let's say there was like to pot yet racism and bullying was one thing and you know, the gangs of when you try to have a normal life going to school, you know, you know, you get caught up in a gang life. Yeah, that was part of it. You know, that was one reason why I listen to Paul a little bit. Other than that. I don't I don't see any I don't. There isn't any artist that has gone through what I've gone through. I think I'm the first one out of my group. Wow, phone.
Host 15:48
Right. Yeah. And so did you also go through were affected by gang violence and gang involvement as you were growing up?
Star2 15:57
I was but I kind of, I mean, I'm a very smart person. I know how to defend myself that, you know, when I smell trouble, I don't I tend to you know, I just focus on myself, I just do my own thing. The game of Aliaga I did have a little crew, you know, my own crew, my own people, you know, we got tired of being bullied and we we gather together and then make our own little crew. I wouldn't call it a gang. But, you know, we had each other's back, like in school, you know, we have our little group does about it.
Host 16:29
It was like those were those were other Korean friends or from different backgrounds,
Star2 16:33
friends or Asian friends that you know, me, my group is very diverse, not just Korea. I'm like, I'm different. But most most of the correct kids nowadays, yes. They just stick to their own chi. You know, they just stick to the old people.
Host 16:50
And what do you do? In contrast to?
Star2 16:55
Me, I'm easy to talk to, you know, I'm I don't really do anything. I just, I'm just cool with everybody. That's cool with me. Very neutral.
Host 17:07
Great. So a broad appeal. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So you're, you're painting this picture of this, this hardscrabble life growing up and being inspired by some of these musical influences and assimilating into this culture, avoiding some of the violence that's there, and then you make a transition at some point to not just be a listener of this music and appreciate it, but to look at developing your own skills on your own musical talent, tell us about this journey. And where this came from.
Star2 17:39
That journey led to like, so those Asian artists or listen to name stupid, yeah, you know, he kind of opened away for the Asian community or Asia, if you want to be an artist, you know, he made it. He showed us as possible, you know, because he made out the hood. So, oh, there were says there, too, just do just do my own thing. Where music, me I make different type of music, you know, I just, I don't make just one type of genre. I make a lot of like, pop, r&b, hip hop. I'm all over the place.
Host 18:20
I noticed that. And I also noticed not just your musical genres, but what you're talking about in your songs, it seems to be a mix, from bravado, to vulnerability to talking about the life of money and girls to coming out of poverty, your inspirational stuff, it's, it seems like you you really try to take on a number of different topics, and also show a number of different sides of yourself as well,
Star2 18:44
I guess, what I've gone through in life and what I experienced and things, you know, I've seen, you know, fail, you know, all that stuff I put in my music, sometimes. So my songs are not just about me sometimes about what other people are going through, you know, and sometimes they tell me and then I put in a chance to put in a song and make a song out of it.
Host 19:10
And it's interesting that you reference to park as and as one of your inspirations because Tupac was obviously very, very famous for his ability to show all these different sides of himself as well to show his aggression, his vulnerability, his regret, his anger, you just had so many different versions of Tupac that came out authentically through his music even when it contradicted itself and I think that's part of his broad appeal. Correct. So let's listen to one of your songs here. This song is called pain. So set this up for us. Tell us about who you collaborated with and where the song came from.
Star2 19:51
So this song pain is feature with an artist and a little Papa. The title is real life, you know is bad about my life growing up you know coming from the refugee camp and then come like going up here you know it's the love back home like back in like God lay you will people will run when they hear you know planes or you know any aircraft thing and Eric they'll run because they'll things a bomb jumping but you know living in the Navy and city heights and San Diego instead of hearing that you hear like sirens you know every day every night is you know you hear the sirens so that's like something I mentioned in my song we were alive about you know about my what I go through and I talked a little bit about you know, my grandma a little bit in the song just yeah and other artists little Papa you know I want to have to put some what he's gone through like where he's going what his lifestyle is like, you know and Jackson, Florida so yeah, snow Florida kid and West Coast kid you know collabing on a song titled call real life that will we gone you know are going through what we've experienced growing up
21:10
gotta roam your woods just to feel good don't ask him why it's funny. Hello cush. This che helps me Cohen my pain I don't like taking drugs without feel like this the only way to slowly ease my pain and every time I'm solving this pain it's coming right? I don't know what to do. Gotta stay strong. Pain shaking down. I end up dead on the ground. Oh. Oh, do you get your pain you deal with the clown days nobody wants to help out for free the charging they're taxing they saying you're famous now you're paying now. He probably made him money but now they don't understand the shit that I'm dealing with the thought of a nightmare if you were in my shoes you will feel the same pain okay, it's my feeling a nightmare if you were in my shoes you will feel the same pain it's okay to smile and find a way to fix it
trying to find myself because I'm missing probably won't be proud of myself. I could tell him walk into hell but came from all of these drills that I'm in love our day you're taking this job I don't see that being a failure I don't need anymore I say you owe my life and you can be sure you don't finish nightmare if you're in my shoes, you will feel the same pain so it's my feeling if you're in my shoes do feel the same pain and so find a way to fix it
if you were in my shoes, you will feel the same pain it's okay it's my way to fix.
Host 24:19
so that was pain and that we just heard and you mentioned collaborating with an African American artists little Papa who based in Jacksonville, Florida. And you're what's interesting about this is that you're you're both talking about these, this this pain that you both had to go through and you're in challenges in your upbringing, but your upbringings are are very different I imagine although there's probably some similarities and cross sections and just the human experience of what you've had to go through. So despite the differences in your background identities and communities and growing up, what what did you find with him or with others like him that you had some commonality, you can talk to fellow artists about the experience of overcoming suffering challenges, channeling them to music, where are some similarities there
Star2 25:13
I say for pay on, you know, everybody behind the big smile, everybody's gonna, you know, has dealt with pain I've had been, you know, felt pain before I saw he's another kid from poverty, you know, from Jacksonville is you know, very rough neighborhood, similar to my, and, you know, he had to hustle his way out he has to music, he's pretty much in a you know, similar to what I go through, you know, to make him to become artists to make a living out of it. Stuff like that. And every man, every man, you know, Christ on time, so you know, like, pain is like a very touching sign, I guess, you know, to like really, like speak sometimes it's hard to talk to somebody about how you feel. So it's easiest for some people to put in a song and just, you know, share it to the world.
Host 26:14
And so in becoming a musician, did you have any formal training? Did you have a background in this? How did you just learn how to make music?
Star2 26:24
First, when I was in city, I San Diego, it was on 51st Street, orange Avenue. A my apartment was for 201 That's the apartment building number. My had a friend that his mom was the manager of the complex. And then you know, my friend in his living room, he had a, you know, computer, he had a Wi Fi, he had all the stuff you need, you know, to make, to record music. We started off, you know, in his living room, just making music for fun getting YouTube is just like, playing around with it. You know, that's the only time I I've always wanted to become be an artist. So yeah, it was just me and my boy as a kid. And after that, at the age of 17. You know, before I got out of high school, yeah. After I graduated high school, I took it very serious, you know, as that was about it.
Host 27:32
And I imagine someone coming to the genre making music as you do here in the West and the US the type of music you're doing. There's not a lot of people necessarily coming from your background, possibly not a lot of people that even really look like you that are attempting to do this. So did you feel there were barriers or racism or just kind of prejudice? Or assumptions about you based on that?
Star2 27:57
Well, you know, in my opinion, you know, and that was I think that was black, I was blown up way bigger way faster, you know, I would have, I would have gotten more attention since I'm Asian, you know, people with Asian hating going out, you know, it's harder for the Asian artists to make it like to, to make it big in the industry where it's not, you know, the hip hop lane, and you know, even r&b, you know, so it's a, it's not a fair game for us, but that's why I'm going back to I've been going back to Thailand, China, like network out there, build a big, big enough fan base out there, to come back and, you know, be a become a big star.
Host 28:44
Well, that's what I was going to ask because who you find your audience is because you're on one hand, you're coming from a very distinct background and speaking about that, but on the other hand, you're, you're in a different environment, and you're collaborating with people from a completely different kind of place. So what what have you found who gravitates towards your music as far as you can tell?
Star2 29:05
I say the Asian community people that has gone through what I've gone through people that you know, they feel like they don't fit in because, you know, I haven't, I never, never fit in but I was different, you know, people that are different. They're usually my people. They're big, they're very supportive, you know, back home of their lab went back into the jungle and they were like, they listen to my stuff, you know, there's no service out there and I was like, you know, wow, it's crazy. Even Myanmar have a big fan base and Myanmar too, you know, Burmese people. I say all the Asian people when an agent but because I'm Agent so it doesn't matter. Like what type of agent Are you as long as I'm like You know, growing, becoming bigger and become more well known, I'm the voice for the Asian community, you know, not just my people on the heel for my people, but I'm the voice for the Asians, you know?
Host 30:13
And have you ever wrapped her song and Burmese or Korean or language besides English?
Star2 30:18
Qur'an is coming soon Burmese now because I don't, I can't read and write Burmese. I used to know how to like read a talk, speak a little bit in Burmese, but now I forgot. Even Koran, my current language I used to know how to read and write by there, you know, all of that. I didn't practice it. So it didn't stick with the older I got, the more I forgot. I forgot how to read and write. But yeah, current songs are coming up. I'm trying I'm working on a current album. So yeah, so yeah, with a couple Burmese artists to anti artists, I've been working great.
Host 31:02
Yes, that's great. Well, you mentioned how you felt like you never really fit in and I think that those are the best kinds of artists right, the kinds of people who see the world differently don't really know where they belong and so they create a new lane for through their creativity that others can then come to and appreciate and you know, also it's there's not a lot of Asian rappers out there there's of course more and more with their own kind of niche followings and the way the internet works and being able to kind of create your own your own audience but you're not just Asian you're coming from from Burma, Myanmar, which is one of the least known Asian countries and you're not you're also not Burmese you're you're not Bomar but and you didn't even really grew up in the country. So this is something we talked about I mentioned before the interview we connected with the urban village and I am Kenya and something that came up in those interviews was just the sense of belonging and you have growing up in one country where your human rights are violated you're being attacked by majority ethnicity growing up in a refugee camp and coming here and then kind of trying to figure out well well who am i what culture do I belong to? What is my identity and and so I imagine that's also something you're touching upon when it's not just your your personality that maybe you feel like you You don't belong you have this artistic sense but also you have a background and a life live that is that not too many other people out there have gone through those experiences correct All right, well let's listen to another one of your songs this one is bottle service
Star2 32:39
I love that song year to year ago is about you know it was about a you know girl you know not wanting to grow all you know just want to be young forever you know with your lover and don't you don't want to grow just celebrating when you you know achieve something you know you've that's about it oh no this bottle service a song about is you know the older we get we will remember our childhood all that stuff verse by lover you know to lover by me and my partner you know, being together no wanting to grow.
33:25
I don't ever want us to grow plugging down this chart to firm love. Firm A girl walking in the classroom you weren't in the bad mood you was giving me an attitude. I was like, slow down. Bad cutie surely I can make a smile again. Ha ha we don't fly far away and take you places you never bet I will be that guy don't treat you like a shorty you we can be short lived the bottom black shirt fix my broken heart never ever never get asked you you must show you my loyalty many years has passed given given me your loyalty the way you're treating me out get you used to be scared scared shorty weakened God never learned to borrow like a hidden short like I don't ever want us to grow to borrow short I don't ever want us to grow to borrow short
Host 37:32
so that was bottle service and I have to say I really liked this mute this video I would recommend people to go and check out the YouTube of this. I watched this a couple times I just thought it was really sweet and it also couldn't watch that can help but wonder if this is you there's there's this there's incidences from your child from or I don't know from your childhood, there's incidences depicted in the video that feel very realistic. And so I'm wondering to what extent the person and the things depicted here are authentic to your life?
Star2 38:04
Well, you know, a bottle service if you look at the video, you know, is like, you know, as a kid, you have this crushing, you know, elementary, you know, it goes no, like couple years later, your middle school, boom in high school, you know, it's like, you were that one person forever and then you don't want to grow old, you know, because the older you get the more distant you know, you start off with elementary school you two year together together to go to high school, then you graduate, then when you go to college, boom, you know, you gotta separate is there your own lane and that's sad to do. It's sad to you know, part ways but yeah, that's what so is a song, you know, for your loved one.
Host 38:49
So it was this kind of an, an aggregate of different people that you knew put into creative song or is this if you feel if you feel comfortable saying is this an actual person that songs based on?
Star2 39:04
Ah, it was a mix of 5050 You know, both, I won't say not necessarily all one person because I'm not with that person anymore. And river crashing Elementary School is kind of like, you know, I mean, I did like a couple of girls but I never like I was very young I didn't know anything about until I was in middle school. But yeah, the storyline was based on you know, like Stein off in middle school boom to high school.
Host 39:34
Well, that's a really sweet video and I found myself rooting for the two people to somehow managed to stay together it just kind of kind of brought you into their love story. So that was kind of cool.
Star2 39:42
But the name I used for the girl it was it was my ex nine some parts you know, you just got to figure out which one is real which part isn't you know, and
Host 39:55
and that was another part that as I as I started to listen to your music and open these videos that I was really intrigued by as I, you know, you reference a mix of what your life is both in being an immigrant in the US and sometimes, you know, being very much kind of in an American vibe and something that if you showed someone not knowing who you were, they would not knowing your background, it would, it wouldn't look too dissimilar from a lot of other American videos you're seeing these days, and then other videos that are that are much more referencing your specific background in terms of coming from Korean and Myanmar and the Thai refugee camp, and then some that are kind of putting a wider group of just being an Asian in America. So there's a lot of different parts of your life and your personhood that get shown in in these different songs.
Star2 40:43
If we, if I wanted to, like film, the lifestyle I grew up in, like back over there, it would, it would have been hard because not we don't have a theme, you know, like a set that will look exactly the same, you know? Sure. Yeah. So, and you want it to, we want to make it you know, as sweet and as nice as possible, when it comes to like singing so, you know, we try and make it more, you know, enjoyable, entertaining. And yeah, when you look at the rap stuff, you know, the rap song is more grimy, you know, more hood ish. You know, want to show audience, the audience that, you know, it's different, different. Different vibe to every different song like they have their own story. It's all over the place. Sure.
Host 41:38
Yeah. And you reference how to your own people back home, not just the Korean community in refugee community, but also Burmese now that they're claiming you was one of their own and really happy to see you blowing up and making it big. How about the other side? Like looking at a western audience, a white or black audience, let's say? To what degree are you finding they're tuning in to your songs, and maybe even using your artistry as a vehicle to better understand where you come from? And what's happening there today?
Star2 42:11
Oh, no, the Western fan dates, they don't understand why I come from until they do the research about me, then they will understand, you know, why sound like? Why sound like how sound and you know, like, why I make those type of music, they only know and understand. Understand me, they look me up because, ya know, my people from you know, from where I'm from, they know, they know, the house for refugee care. You know, one thing with most of the features or do like with the artists, the Western artist I do, they, they will start to understand me a little bit and they understand why I've where I came from, you know, I tell them we tell them about, you know, the story of wealth, when you know, we give them a little bio of my, where I was originally from, and then not a thing with my music. You know, I'm also I could also be the voice for people, you know, I could put in my music and show them you know, because I do have Western fans, I do have a pretty, you know, like a 50 fit. Some days, my people and a 50% of the Western fan. Another thing you know, in Thailand, when I went when I was working with the Thai artists, they didn't know anything about my people as well, you know, I've never heard of them. But after they met me, I showed them I told them about you know where we were from because they were curious, you know, like, they say, Oh, you're born in Thailand, but you don't speak Thai because they don't they don't know, you know, that we were put in the refugee. So I educated them a little bit woowoo and then they start to learn, understand, you know, you're like wow, they were shocked and then now there's a lot couple of big Thai artists that wants to like go and see the refugee camp and all that stuff.
Host 44:00
That's really interesting. Yeah, so that really opens it up. Yeah. So do you have aspirations or desire to want to be more than the music and also bring attention and awareness and advocacy to what's happening or do you really see your job primarily is just an artist making music and whatever comes out of it is organic.
Star2 44:25
I will say I'm focused on just because being an artist because I don't like to get into politics I don't like you know when it goes into that you're creating enemies you know, because the Burmese people don't want don't want don't want nobody to know about what they're doing to my people you know, that I'm already a target and Myanmar you know if I in Burma if I were to go back you know because I'm sure they're all They're talking about his me start to every time they do a little like little slideshow little podcast about me. Yeah, you know, they get a lot of mail interviews because, and that's why they introduce people as they introduce, they tell people that I'm like one of them, you know, but if I, if I had opportunity to, you know, to be the voice on people and speak, you know, I'll let the world know, you know, what my people are going through, you know, what they've done to my people? And yeah, if, but at first, you know, I want to focus on my career go as far as possible, and deal didn't offend days where I could then become, you know, maybe a spokesperson for my people. That's the plan. So,
Host 45:35
I'm wondering for you, you know, coming, you've kind of had a double edged sword of both being, being poor, being Asian being an immigrant in America, but also being persecuted to an even greater degree. Well, you know, it's hard to be a Burmese refugee, a current refugee in Thailand, but in Burma itself, you know, that's really the most egregious violation of human rights and violence that that's been faced. And so, as an artist and a person, how do you work kind of similar to that example of black rappers growing up in and dealing with racism in America and import environments? How have you confronted and dealt with as a person and as an artist, the those forms not just of racism you might experience in America, but of you know, real acute violence and terror that on the Burmese side, and you know, more exploitation on the Thai side, and working through that.
Star2 46:27
as well. I just I surround myself with positive people, and I just, you know, people that once want to see me when I surround myself people like that, where, you know, I don't go to places where I don't belong, you know, and I watch what I say because, you know, there's always people looking at me, you know, I try not to make because even though it's the Burmese military that has killed my people, it's not the Burmese people, you know, this city. And you know, so to my people, they may they make it seem like you know, if your Burmese Burmese your enemy to them I don't see like that, you know? Because, whoo, the Burmese in the crowd like brothers and sisters saw me I just watch what I say and I don't I know sometimes you know, you gotta be careful there's gonna be people that's gone, you know? Like, ah, I haven't really dealt with anything with the barista yet but I know for sure if I do like trying to do a show out there or trying to fly in with the nobody they will probably try to come arrest me you know? Because yeah, because I have a big following over there so yeah
Host 47:45
well let's listen to one more song here and this song is just like the waterfall so once again set this up for us. Just
Star2 47:53
like them waterfalls is a song about a girl you know? She got nice curvy body like waterfall how waterfall falls on a mountain sometimes about talks about beautiful girl a beautiful girl with a nice body move her body moves every time she does it moves like a waterfall you know like nature. tropical vibe. It's a song where you will probably live want to listen to when you're on heading to the beach with your lover
48:29
every time I look at you looking better dances last Miss plays hoping you can show me the way the way to your heart. One of the one that costs you you're the one that makes me the way guy missing you
just can't can't get enough for your love. Every time you ask what I like about you is all of the above. I'm never gonna lie to you. I was gonna say you can be the blue ocean I can be the lead. You can meet them by the frogs. It can be your mouth. The way your body the way Let me see got me seeing you night well your mood and great cast can be seen you
Host 51:09
so that was just like the waterfalls and again suggest to listeners to check out these these songs with their video on YouTube they're they're quite well done and produced and and and give a bit more to the songs meaning than just the words alone and yeah really quite a quite a love song this one?
Star2 51:28
Yes, there's a lot that's left off.
Host 51:33
So going back to Vermont, Thailand, the situation there. Tell us your reaction when you heard about the 2021 military coup that happened and what's been and your reaction these past several years as well as it's dragged on
Star2 51:53
is Oh no, it's been an ongoing work for a long time. So, to me, I just, I don't pay attention to politics. I don't pay attention to like what? You know, I try not to think about that. I just focus on myself. I just focus on my music career and trying to elevate myself so I can actually help my people in the long run in the future. But yeah, that's it's sad. That you know, understood that's been going on.
Host 52:21
I imagine you must have family and friends in Thailand and Burma Korean state right now.
Star2 52:30
Yeah, my grandma's over here. My mom, she's someone in Thailand, my dad someone in Thailand. But yeah, they got they got families over there. People have to fly. Because when I went back to God the lay like, a month two months ago. Yeah. So the people in a in you know, go through les Myanmar. They every time you know, we flew a drone up so they thought you know, there was a plane, you know, jet that was about a job a boss. So a lot of the villager brothers were slapped by the river because they saw our Jones flying in the air. You know, they didn't know that it was us, you know? So it was a you know, like, people are still scared. But they were happy that I wouldn't bet because they give them hope, you know, give them you know, there's nothing to be sure there's nothing you know, to be scared of.
Host 53:20
So tell me about that trip. That must have been quite emotional to to be back at this time. And did you do a concert or meet people or what happened?
Star2 53:30
Well, it was more meeting people seeing what their live is over. They're like, what, you know how they live day to day. Those people don't, you know, they just it's very sad. Some of them have some that you know, lost their because there's kids that lost their parents. There's like grownups that lost a leg or you know, or from you know, the battle war. And there's like single women that you know, like single moms that lost their husband, you know, front of war, and all that stuff. Because when we were there most of the men were even in a village because they were in the frontline, you know, protecting the villages. Yeah, so it was it was pretty sad. But it was also eye opening also motivated me to you know, to work harder to not you know, go as far as I can. And in the music lane so, in return I can help them out too.
Host 54:34
That's great to hear. And so in what ways did that inspire you? What are you looking to do that might have motivated you from that trip?
Star2 54:41
You know, as an artist, the bigger you get the bigger fan base you get the there's more like eyes and yours and you know, focusing on you when I have enough attention and not focus on me then yeah, I'll let the world know about my people. And I'm the I'm the first for my people you know, to like make this fun. Is the industry to anyone actually. So I, I can't let them down. That's how I see, you know, I came a long way, and they still suffering, you know, from the stuff I was on my family how to deal with before I came to us. So you know, like it was very sad, you know, and I'm motivating me to keep going and not give up. Because there's a lot of negative negative comments too, you know, sometimes when you do music all the time, actually, so it doesn't matter. I just say, so it just motivates me to keep going.
Host 55:33
Does that feel like a burden or responsibility or wait, having to feeling like your representative
Star2 55:39
is not a burden to me, I feel like it's more of like, it gives me like energy strength, because it makes it gives me strength, actually, you know, like it's sad already, you know, I felt I felt pain I felt, you know, the sadness, I don't know how I feel. So you know, at this point, see what you what am I gonna do with it, you know, I use it as a fuel to, you know, elevate myself if I if I'm successful in life, I could help you know, my people in the future. That's how I see it.
Host 56:14
That's very true. I mean, through you and through your example. There, there could be a whole new audience that's open up that can learn about who your people are based on an interest in you and on the flip side there people in your community can see what you've been able to achieve and the respect and the status you've been able to gain and realize that you can come from anything and achieve anything.
Star2 56:38
Yeah
Host 56:42
that's great. So So for those that are listening we have a large audience of people who care about the situation in Myanmar in some form and and follow it and I'm sure are very interested to hear your story where what's the best place for them to go to learn more about you and taking your music
Star2 57:01
that's play so right now if you my vlogs are how I went back to you know go to like ATL and Burma just search of star two S TA R and the number two so start to Instagram start to official have wheels and you know short you know stuff that I post on their Facebook page and start to and Tiktok start to official so yeah, look me up. Mostly YouTube is the most updated you know, event there you will get to watch the venture start to see all the vlogs and stuff I do and yeah is search star too. So I'm too keen to see what our where I'll be performing and stuff. It'll be on my Instagram. So yeah, make sure you guys follow me on instagram start to official so Jana will be performing live. Absolutely.
Host 57:52
I'm really glad we had a chance to make this work I hear your story is really interesting to get out there and what you represent and I'm glad to be able to bring it to a wider audience as well. So we're gonna have one more song as we go on our outro this is what we're going to hear as as our credits so to speak rolling the song that we'll be playing on the outro is lies so setup what the song is about. So
Star2 58:16
this song lies is about you know like STIs to harbor a heartbreak so you know like this girl you love you know she Cha you can see that you know she's not happy she's lying. You can see you can see in her eyes you know about the lies and then somebody you forgiven a couple of times and then they still tend to you know still be the same person they won't change you know, and are grateful for your love and you know your energy so yeah, so live
58:48
far away from home. Then I saw you want to get to know you want to get to know you ever since I met you have always got love for you. I can never get out of you every time I get thank you to you Mike can't never do never do to do to me honestly you never really careful careful me. Tell me what you really hear me what you spent a long time haven't seen in a long time. eyes and the eyes don't know
Long time long time it was love you please you never heard that thank you always in the bad mood you still forget I just can't keep on living like this can you tell me is true love can you tell me are we meant to be made a fool out of me because I thought I was you every day I don't want you to know long time longtime longtime
Host 1:01:30
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