“Over time, it became smoother and easier to work with each other, and it can be very hard to find people like that. I think constantly working on songs together over the years has helped us to where we are today.”
PRYVT
For Hanuel and JT, everything changed once they went from collaborating on songs in audio school to releasing music under the name PRYVT (pronounced private). Now, the Canadian-based duo has played sold-out shows, racked up thousands of streams, and released two albums. PRYVT spoke to NYOTA about their new album, ‘BACK TO REALITY,’ the accompanying visuals, and their advice for aspiring musicians.
What was the moment when music went from something you enjoyed to a full-blown passion that you wanted to pursue full-time?
Hanuel: Being able to do shows and opening for acts made me realize that this is what I wanted to do seriously. That’s when my mindset changed with how I viewed music.
JT: My grandparents made me do violin and piano, and it wasn’t until I started playing guitar that I really wanted to pursue this. Then, joining bands and forming PRYVT made me really want to double down and go for it.
When you met in audio school, was there an immediate click? What led you both to take that creative leap and decide to work together?
Hanuel: It took time to get to know each other, but before PRYVT, we would work on my solo stuff, and it was more R&B, hip-hop, and a lot of that. Over time, it became smoother and easier to work with each other, and it can be very hard to find people like that. I think constantly working on songs together over the years has helped us to where we are today.
How did your collaborative process evolve between coming out with &SCENE and working on BACK TO REALITY?
Hanuel: The process got a lot faster when it came to writing and making songs. JT understands what I want. Usually, our process was that I would write the song and an idea for guitar, then send it over, and JT would produce it. There was a lot of back-and-forth in the beginning; nowadays, it just clicks right away, and there will be minor tweaks we may or may not even need. Whether it’s in person or not, it feels efficient, which is very nice. So in that aspect, our songwriting has become a lot more comfortable yet efficient.
BACK TO REALITY is an album that you both have expressed is meant to be experienced live. How did keeping performance in mind influence the album’s overall sound?
Hanuel: With that in mind, it already shifted the way we saw the album. We’ve been on tours, opened for bigger acts, and learned from those experiences. Because of that, we wanted to do that for our tours and to give fans who show up for us an experience. With that in mind, it definitely shifted a lot of the things in the album. How it sounds and how we think it would sound in venues.
JT: Yeah, it’s one thing to listen to music in your car or on your phone, but when you’re at a show. It’s a different experience, and we want it to be a better experience than just listening on your own.
Opening and closing tracks can be the hardest to determine. When you were putting together the album, why did “PALETTE” seem like the right track to open the album, and what made “HEAVEN” the proper close?
Hanuel: We wanted to start the album kind of bright and high-energy. “PALETTE” was a very solid song when it came to those aspects. I didn’t want the album to be too heavy right off the bat because near the end, it is a little bit slower tempo, and in a way, grand-sounding. Then the order of things is very similar to that mindset. Going from brighter songs to a little bit darker songs. When we wrote “HEAVEN,” actually, the intention was to make it an outro from the beginning due to the strings and how it all came together. The word heaven itself is an ending or a beginning of some sort, and the song actually does talk about that. It’s a very short song, too, so having that as the outro was a no-brainer for me.
As you were working on the album, was there one song that changed the album’s sonic direction once it came together?
Hanuel: The moment that it clicked in my head was when we wrote “BACK TO REALITY,” the title track. That was one where I was like, ‘Okay, this feels different.’ It’s still like us from our first album, but it has evolved in sound. That was one of the first songs that we wrote for the album. From there, everything else came more naturally, and when I write for the album, I don’t limit myself and say, ‘Oh, it’s got to sound like this.’ We try out as many things as we can and then narrow it down from there.
When you switch between having songs in Korean and English, what guides that decision? Hanuel: Because I do write the lyrics for the songs, I wanted to challenge myself and see what I could write in Korean because I am Korean. So, sooner or later, I wanted to try that, and I was like, ‘Why not try with this?’ Korean is a very specific language that can show a lot of emotions differently from English, and the way I understand it is very different, too. So that’s where I got the inspiration for that one song and throughout the album. For JT, it’s more about how it flows and sounds.
JT: Honestly, yeah. If it sounds good, it sounds good.
The visuals you’ve come out with for “PALETTE” and “NEXT TO ME, AGAIN” couldn’t be more different, which in its own way emphasizes the way the album blends different genres and styles. How do you go about planning the visual worlds you want each song to embody?
Hanuel: Thankfully, we have a really solid team this year, and while writing the songs, JT and I both had ideas that we thought about while making the songs. That helps when we’re discussing with our team what we want when we set a direction, theme, and everything. It is cool to see the diversity and how different each video is. Even compared to last year’s first album, we weren’t really into videos, but with this album, we’re trying to be more hands-on. So, in a way, it is very unique to see that difference, especially “NEXT TO ME, AGAIN.” That was probably the odd one out in a good way, and it came out really nicely. The visuals definitely represent our songs very well, and whether it ties directly to the song itself or not, how it looks and feels is spot on.
You have a few live shows on the horizon. Are there particular songs you’re most excited to perform to see how they resonate with fans, especially since the album was made for those in-person moments?
Hanuel: I would have to say our title track for sure and the one song that really hits is “WITHER& DIE.” That would be a cool moment live too.
JT: I’d say “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?” and “NEXT TO ME, AGAIN.” Those would be good to play live for everyone.
What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?
Hanuel: Funny enough, I had a call with my friend who’s in school for music yesterday, and we were talking about this exact thing. I had a lot of doubts, and those moments held me back when I started playing music. But being consistent and not really caring about what people would say to you is important. After high school, I didn’t go to university, so a lot of my high school friends would worry on my behalf and be like, ‘What are you going to do?’ And it does get to your head a lot when your peers are “doing better.” But from the beginning till this day, it is do or die for me, and this is all I have. So with that in mind, being consistent and finding what you really like is also very important when it comes to sound and the role you want to play in music.
JT: I’d say be prepared and be focused. If you want to do this for a living, it’s not easy. It’s very oversaturated and competitive.
Production Credits
Photographer: Exavier Castro
Grooming: Jordan Hurst
Stylist: Tal Heruty
Gaffer: Marcelo Solis Mercado
This story first ran in NYOTA’s Music issue. Read more from the issue here and purchase a print copy here.
