- [NIve] I remember I was standing in a recording room.
And I was like…
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
Keeping like this for I think three minutes.
- [Eric] When did it start to feel like you started to…
Get recognized or felt more comfortable in your place…
As a musician, as a producer, as a writer?
When did you start feeling that?
- [NIve] 2019... April 1st.
- [Eric] Wow that's very specific.
- [NIve] Yeah because that was the day when EXO Chen’s ‘Beautiful Goodbye’ came out.
And that was my very first song that I debuted with as a writer.
- [Eric] Wow.
- [NIve] Yeah somebody took the song and then sang it.
That was my very very first time.
And I felt like finally…
I am on the start line of doing you know something professionally.
When I felt like oh…
Rather than me being recognized…
I just needed that confidence in my heart that I could do this.
And you know people could you know relate to my ideas.
Because before that I was in a place where I was very worried.
Because I love writing.
I love producing.
But then at some point I thought that I should be doing it professionally to really continue
with it because…
If people cannot relate to what I do…
I felt like I would lose confidence and keep on going.
But then at that time SM contacted our company saying that they liked the song.
And then Chen himself later told me that he really liked the song.
So the song wasn't supposed to be a title of the album in the initial phase.
And then…
I remember him telling me that he specifically
mentioned ‘Beautiful Goodbye’ that it should be the title…
Because he could relate to it.
And that was a huge moment for me where I thought… I can do this. You know?
- [Eric] Were you very involved in working with Chen in the recording process?
Or was it kind of one of those…
Where you wrote it.
And you send it off.
And they take it.
And they do it on their own.
They send it back.
- [NIve] Second one.
Just because… I was in LA.
And then
he was recording in Korea.
And I couldn't you know…
Fly to Korea just to record him.
If I could have done it… I could have but…
I would’ve.
- [Eric] What was that first feeling when you first heard his version of your song?
How did you feel.
- [NIve] I remember specifically that night…
It was night time when I first got the demo of him singing the first recording version.
And then I remember I was standing in a recording room.
And I was like…
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
- [Eric] Just clapping.
- [NIve] I was just like…
Keeping like this for I think three minutes.
And then the engineers were like looking at me like, “Dude stop.”
I'm like, “This is great.”
- [Eric] It's a big deal. This is my moment. Leave me alone.
- [NIve] And he sang it perfectly.
Like he knew exactly like what I kind of imagined...
A perfect version of this song could be.
Like you know when you sing a demo or like a song for somebody else…
You think of the final version and then I gotta admit…
In some way it could happen and it doesn't happen with you know singers…
From you know singers to singers… Case-by-case.
- [Eric] It's different yeah.
- [NIve] Yeah. But with Chen…
It was so impactful.
That I… To this day…
I think it was the perfect version of ‘Beautiful Goodbye.’
If not Chen… The song wouldn't be the same.
That's how I really feel about the song.
- [Eric] Man... Wow… That's awesome.