On this episode of Mind Massage, Lexie Liu takes us on a sound journey using some of her favorite items such as hot Tea, dried fruit and marbles. She whispers about getting her start on YouTube singing Lana Del Rey and Britney Spears covers and her music inspirations.
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MusicTranscript
00:00 [door opens] [shushing]
00:02 Hey guys, this is Lexi Liu. Welcome to my mind massage.
00:11 I'm going to take you through a sound journey using some of my favorite items.
00:16 [liquid pouring]
00:19 [ice clinking]
00:25 [ice clinking]
00:54 This is my favorite drink.
00:57 It calms and makes me feel...
01:01 healthy.
01:04 [liquid pouring]
01:13 Every time I come to the United States,
01:17 I have to ask for hot water in restaurants.
01:23 I have an obsession with hot water and herb tea.
01:30 In traditional Chinese medicine,
01:35 I'm told that hot water is better for your health.
01:40 So, I trust it.
01:43 [liquid pouring]
01:54 [scrubbing]
02:00 [lid clicks]
02:01 [liquid pouring]
02:09 [lid clicks]
02:13 I started making music when I was 15 years old.
02:18 I started off by doing covers on the internet.
02:23 I did some of Rihanna's songs,
02:26 and some Lana Del Rey's,
02:28 and some Britney Spears' and stuff.
02:30 Yeah, like that.
02:32 I would say my music is a little bit of everything.
02:36 It has so many different elements and influences,
02:42 so I really can't describe it specifically.
02:48 So, if you're curious,
02:49 maybe just go to my page and listen to my music.
02:52 Thank you.
02:53 My biggest musical influence is Michael Jackson.
02:58 I think I first watched his live performance tape
03:03 in elementary school,
03:05 and I felt like my world was just shook.
03:10 Sensational.
03:13 So, I don't know.
03:15 Just at that moment,
03:16 I felt like there's a new world opening up to me.
03:21 [plastic crinkling]
03:26 This is one of my favorite snacks.
03:28 [plastic crinkling]
03:31 Dried fruits.
03:33 [plastic crinkling]
03:36 I didn't have breakfast today yet, so...
03:39 [plastic crinkling]
03:46 [chewing]
03:56 [plastic crinkling]
03:59 I thought it's gonna be crunchy,
04:02 but...
04:03 [plastic crinkling]
04:08 It's not.
04:09 [laughs]
04:11 "The Happy Star" is an album that I created
04:18 after an important spiritual journey
04:22 of my stepping into the 20s.
04:25 [laughs]
04:27 Some stuff happened,
04:28 and I realized how important it is to be healthy
04:34 physically and mentally and spiritually,
04:37 and energy-wise as well.
04:41 I took some time studying about astrology,
04:47 tarot cards,
04:48 and I think I learned some really important messages,
04:55 I guess,
04:56 and I tried to put that into my music.
04:58 So "The Happy Star," the whole album,
05:01 every track is inspired by one tarot card
05:04 in the major arcana cards.
05:07 Maybe they're not so obvious,
05:10 but there are some hidden messages behind.
05:15 Yeah.
05:16 That's it.
05:18 [plastic crinkling]
05:26 My favorite song of "The Happy Star" --
05:30 I think I have many,
05:31 because it just feels like every track is my baby,
05:36 so I really can't, like, pick my favorite baby.
05:39 [laughs]
05:40 So, um...
05:41 But I'll say I have a special connection with...
05:47 with...
05:48 What's that called in English again?
05:51 [speaking Mandarin]
05:55 Oh, yeah, right.
05:56 I want to tell you,
05:57 'cause I have English name and Chinese name for every track,
06:01 so sometimes I kind of forget.
06:03 I want to tell you it's inspired by, like,
06:07 a really bad heartbreak experience of mine.
06:10 So I guess pain just connects you with your memory
06:13 in a most brutal but beautiful way.
06:17 [plastic crinkling]
06:20 Dried mango is the best.
06:24 And it's even organic.
06:27 [plastic crinkling]
06:41 I hope it's crunchy.
06:44 [plastic crinkling]
06:48 No, it's not.
06:50 [plastic crinkling]
06:55 My top three snack choices are
06:59 dried mango,
07:01 seaweed,
07:03 and...
07:05 spicy gluten.
07:08 Do you know what spicy gluten is?
07:11 [laughs]
07:13 [sniffs]
07:15 [chewing]
07:18 It's a famous snack in China called "la tiao."
07:25 It's most popular among elementary school students.
07:30 [laughs]
07:32 It's red because it's spicy
07:36 and full of unhealthy additives,
07:39 but it's so delicious.
07:43 I want to collab with J. Chou for sure,
07:50 'cause he's a Mandarin pop legend.
07:54 [plastic crinkling]
08:00 [plastic crinkling]
08:08 [plastic crinkling]
08:18 I hope I don't mess this up.
08:21 [plastic crinkling]
08:26 I did it.
08:28 [laughs]
08:30 [plastic crinkling]
08:33 I'm not sure if it massaged your mind.
08:36 Sorry about that.
08:38 [plastic crinkling]
08:43 Is this better?
08:45 [plastic crinkling]
08:51 These marbles are so cute.
08:54 [plastic crinkling]
08:56 Like boba.
08:59 [plastic crinkling]
09:03 But with unhealthy additives.
09:06 [laughs]
09:08 If I could have a different job for one day,
09:11 I would choose to be a con woman.
09:14 I am obsessed with watching TV dramas
09:19 with people just conning other people,
09:22 and I feel like they're all good actors and actresses as con--
09:31 like, as con people.
09:32 Like, what do you say? What's the word?
09:34 - Con artists. - Con artists.
09:35 Yes, con artists. Yes.
09:38 And if I could have a job for one day,
09:42 and if I only do it for one day,
09:44 I could get away with it.
09:47 [plastic crinkling]
09:52 Best self-love advice?
09:54 I'd say accepting every emotion you have,
09:59 because we all want to be happy all the time,
10:03 but that is not possible.
10:06 And sometimes when we face negative emotions,
10:10 we want to get rid of it,
10:12 but I don't think that is the right way to do it.
10:18 Thank you for coming to my mind massage.
10:22 Go listen to "The Happy Star" now.
10:25 [electronic beeping]
10:26 (static)