Koven Wei speaks on “LATE NIGHT TALKS” and his inspirations

by Nicole Abriam

Photographer: Amanda Kuo @amandaskuoo
Stylists: Anael Domingo @anaelofficial & Mc Joyin Rey Sy Pagalan @mcjoyinrey
MUA: Sharon Xu @sharon.iee
Assist: Ryan Ng @dinoooo.r, Jackie Tan @jaackietaan, & Morgan Patterson @itsmorganpatterson
Location: LAB0916 @lab0916

Beginning with a beat reminiscent of the likes of nostalgic pop-punk music, Chinese Canadian artist and producer Koven Wei’s latest single “LATE NIGHT TALKS,” which was released on June 30, explores the meaning of situationships. “LATE NIGHT TALKS” refers to late-night conversations in the front seat of a car, building chemistry and intimacy as the night goes on. It digs incisively into the nuances of a complicated kind of “situationship” - when you’re intimate with someone without the relationship label. With the upbeat melody of drums and guitar, Koven’s new single pays homage to 2000s legends like blink-182 and Panic! At the Disco. 

“It’s very visual, like you’re in a parking lot with a single light overhanging - kind of casting a shadow,” Koven explained as he rocked in his squeaky gamer chair. “With this generation in the dating scene, relationships, and labels, I feel that [‘LATE NIGHT TALKS’] is an interesting way to cut the tension in a somewhat romantic setting.” 

In this feature interview with Rice & Spice, Koven explores, not just the meanings and ideas behind his new single, but his musical identity, inspirations, and prospective outlooks in his career. 

“LATE NIGHT TALKS” cover art by @xyanaid

Who Koven Wei is as an artist 

Koven is not just a nostalgic artist drawing inspiration from the pop-punk scene – he also appears to be a chameleon who’s constantly changing and evolving his identity. “I really try to embrace genre fluidity,” said Koven, in response to our question on his music inspirations. He’s had a rock phase, a K-pop phase where he was inspired by the cult-classic group BIGBANG, and was into hip-hop throughout high school. An old song can be listened to with a vision of memories can come flooding back. “I feel like music is cyclical,” he said, referring to the revival of early 2000s sounds with artists and groups like beabadoobee and Flo. 

With his currently released singles on Spotify, like “LIPSTICK” and his collaboration with Fruitypoppin for a slow, lo-fi cover of The Neighborhood’s “Sweater Weather,” we see the range and exploration of different genres and styles of music. 

Music as a space to escape

During high school, Koven found an entryway into what would be his musical career now through freestyle rapping. For him, freestyle rap felt natural to him, and he locked in the flow the more he started doing it. “I don’t think it’s something I really wanted to do, and it’s more like something that found me.” Like many art forms, Koven saw music as a space to express himself - it was mostly a place to let go of negative emotions like anxiety and depression: “When I’m running away, or I’m trying to address or resolve something, I feel like that gives me a little push to make music.”

His ambition and competitive drive to make his next song better than the last is what makes Koven continuously grow as a creator. For him and like many aspirational artists, he has the constant need to create better than his last. To have this emotional intent, the desire to be better, is part of his creative process - “It’s how I really get into that flow.” 

Growing up Chinese Canadian in the suburbs 

Born in Canada to Chinese parents and raised in the suburbs of Markham, Koven sees himself standing at the edge of two worlds. He described his hometown as nothing “fun, unique, or artistic” and said, “It was creatively oppressive.” He started LAB0916, an all-Asian creative agency that specializes in music video productions, with the hopes of inspiring other artistically talented kids of Asian descent to pursue their creative dreams. A lot of talented kids don’t end up pursuing the arts, he noticed, and just end up doing what Asian parents expect you to follow like medicine or accounting. He told Rice & Spice that he lives by his motto, “You can do it too,” which stands proudly on his Instagram bio.

Koven expressed he has no desire to be a star-studded wealthy celebrity. “I always try to outline that there’s nothing special or unique about me,” Koven said. “I don’t want [my fans] to look at me like that because I want these kids to look up at me and believe that they can do it too.” 

With his growing music career, Koven is riding the wave. One thing that Koven is looking forward to as he continues to evolve as an artist is to just make music and inspire more people like him. “I feel like the next generation will have so much more access to these opportunities. Like I just want the next generation to thrive.”