[FIRST LISTEN] Kevin Shin Premieres "Hotel Tokyo" on HypnoticAsia!

Kevin Shin will release”Hotel Tokyo” at 9PM today and HypnoticAsia readers get the first listen before it officially drops!

The Korean-American artist amps up the anticipation for his upcoming EP with first single!

Chicago-born and singer-songwriter, Kevin Shin, releases his new single ‘Hotel Tokyo’ today which is the first to be released off his upcoming EP. In the song, we get a taste of Shin’s Asian background at the very start with some noticeable oriental instruments such as the shamisen. As the song progresses, it’s a sweet blend of East and West as the vibey melody is light on the drums and meets Shin’s smooth flow. The single is produced by Kevin himself, Moodin’ and written by Kyle ‘KO’ Owens, Moodin’ and Kevin.

Influenced by the hip-hop culture in the U.S. and his upbringing in Seoul, Shin has an infused sound that leaves you wanting more. When asked, why Tokyo was the focus point, Shin replied: “Tokyo is a place that I love to travel to and whenever I visit, the culture inspires me to create things I’ve never imagined.”

Shin has already made waves in the Chinese market by co-producing with various chart-topping artists in Asia. After seeing success with his collaborative efforts, Shin knew it was time for him to evolve and elevate his own creative journey. He made waves with his debut EP in 2016 and with his follow up album “Evolution” in 2018.

Along with writing and producing the new track, Shin has some other projects in the works and is gearing up to release an upcoming EP next year. Shin is driven to make strides in U.S. pop culture saying “I want to make a scene in the Western market and do something that hasn’t been done before. I want to bridge the gap between East and West through music, culture, and fashion.”

Read our exclusive Q&A with Kevin Shin while listening to the track below!

HYPNOTICASIA: Please introduce your new single, “Hotel Tokyo” to our listeners.
KEVIN SHIN: “Hotel Tokyo” is my fresh, new single, releasing on December 20th. The record has a unique East meets West vibe that I tried to create with the instruments from Japan and heavy hip-hop bass and drum/lines. The song itself is about being in Tokyo and meeting that special girl, and this could only happen because of the energy that I was surrounded by from being on the streets in the middle of the night in Tokyo.

HYPNOTICASIA: When writing and producing this song, what was the process like?
KEVIN SHIN: The process was amazing, starting from writing the beat; Moodin’ and I went back and forth with different lines and for the main theme of the track. Once we had the whole sketch, we started to crack down on the sonics and really zone in on the details, and designing each instrument with different flavors. Then I reached out to my brother for life ‘KO’ and asked him if he had any ideas for some lyrical lines. I had already had a hook line on it, but I needed some new inspiration on the direction of the song, and there’s no better way for that then collaborating. From there, KO did his thing and we got verses down, hook good to go and was ready.to cut the record. I was out in LA and was able to take time to get a session in to cut the track with the fam, Ray, and also get a start with the direction of the mix. For me, the mix is such an important element of the whole process, so I was pretty excited that I got to really zone in on Hotel Tokyo for about 3-4 days deep with my mans, Drew. After that, the master was ready, and Hotel Tokyo was born.

HYPNOTICASIA: We know you have worked closely with artists in China and South Korea as a producer and songwriter; how is it different writing for yourself versus writing for others?
KEVIN SHIN: It’s actually something I’m used to because, before I wrote and produced for others, I started out in the underground scene as an artist in Korea. I think if I had to think of something different, writing for myself is more personal and I think I get more in to details with lyrical content and rhythm.

HYPNOTICASIA: You’ve went from the United States, to South Korea to China. Would you say living in different countries has influenced your music?
KEVIN SHIN: Yes, absolutely. Culture, language, environment, the people I’ve met, the food I’ve eaten, the things I’ve seen, the things I’ve had to go through or overcome. All these had influences on my music. Living in three different countries has had an amazing impact on my music, because it’s made me understand people from a whole different level of perspective. I think that’s the biggest take I’ve gotten.

HYPNOTICASIA: Is this track a start to more music releases in the future?
KEVIN SHIN: Yes, this track is the first of MANY more to come. I’ve been preparing all year for my official US debut, and this is just the start.