Because when we listen to music together we are literally vibrating on the same frequency. It still creates visceral connection in a world where it’s easy to disconnect. Sometimes it’s hard to step into a conversation with strangers and open up vulnerably and truthfully. Music has a way of settling the body and spirit even before any words are uttered. An aural bridge for us to reach each other. Through my men’s group I seek to create that level of connection every time I show up. I love seeing that just happen naturally at shows where people loosen up and just talk about the mind blowing performance they just witnessed. I think social change and music are deeply interlinked, rightfully so.
As a part of our series about stars who are making an important social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lowhi.
Lowhi is a Los Angeles-based alt-R&B/Lo-fi artist whose vulnerable vocals and storytelling lyricism have been compared to Shiloh Dynasty, Daniel Caesar and Keshi. His top-performing song, “Faded Photo”, has been streamed 1.7M+ times on Spotify. He also runs weekly men’s mental health support groups through his company JinShan Collective to foster a consistent community of positive masculinity.
Thank you so much for joining us on this interview series. Can you share with us the backstory that led you to this career path?
Thank you for having me!
I was born in California but I’ve lived most of my life abroad in Beijing. I’ve learned recently that the term for this is Third Culture Kid. I always felt that I existed between those two cultures. That used to feel very lonely but embracing that about my journey has been healing.
To be honest, I started songwriting very early on because I wanted to feel special. I wanted to create my own world since I didn’t feel like I 100% fit in anywhere.I wasn’t the kid with the best grades or the best technical skills on an instrument. When I wrote my first song at age 14 I felt a sense of individuality and uniqueness that I had never felt before yet had craved so badly. It was called Fallen Angels and I can’t believe that I’m typing that song name out for people to see publicly. I wrote it for my first girlfriend and from there the craft became an obsession.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The absolute worst mistake I made starting out was eating pizza and drinking soda with my high school choir before we performed. Imagine 20 high schoolers that just chowed down on a bunch of Domino’s and washed it down with Diet Coke get up on stage to perform for the school board. It was a rough experience and I’ll never forget our choir director asking us afterwards why we sang so softly. To put it diplomatically, I learned that taking care of my body is incredibly important before, during and after a gig.
What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?
I would say to continue to be curious about yourself. It’s easy to get into a set image of who you believe you should be or continue to be. I know I’ve fallen into that trap myself and it felt constricting and difficult to create authentically from that place. Our emotions, mental states and preferences are all in flux constantly. I would encourage you to seek your version of balance in this pendulum swing of life. If what you’re reading here can even help you be 1% more accepting of yourself and where you are right now in life then I will be glad! I’m curious to hear about how your unique journey unfolds.
Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story?
Definitely my mom. She was the kind of mom that would tell me to stop doing homework and go outside to play. She encouraged me to try all sorts of different things from sports to music and art. That’s how I found out I had no talent for the visual arts but definitely some interest in music. She taught me to be open and curious about the world and the people in it. She loves telling this story of how I couldn’t sit still in kindergarten and kept getting up to dance while the teachers were talking. They called my parents into the office to discuss my problematic behavior and my mom just told them that they were withdrawing me and taking me to another school. It always makes me laugh and makes me think about how my creative audacity may have come from my mother’s unwavering support for my expression.
How are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting causes you’re working on right now?
I am currently organizing a daylong retreat to support Asian men’s mental health on May 25th! That’s been incredibly fulfilling work and it’s humbling to see the community come together in support of it. I’m proud of the online community work I have done over the years and through COVID but I’m excited to create more spaces where we can gather in person to connect, reflect and heal. This event is the culmination of 2+ years of biweekly support groups for Asian men hosted through Asian Mental Health Project.
Can you share with us a story behind why you chose to take up this particular cause?
In 2015–2019, Asian men were the least likely to use mental health services compared to any other race and gender combination according to a SAMHSA study.
I remember how in college I had many close guy friends but I rarely went to them about the deeper emotional problems in my life. I always went to the women in my life to talk about those things. It got me thinking about the emotional labor that women often do in that arena and helped me examine why I might be uncomfortable sharing personal things with the men in my life. From there I was inspired to create spaces where men could come together intentionally to discuss the hardships in their life in order to connect and feel part of a larger community. I’ve seen over and over how these kinds of communities can get men to get to therapy and receive the help they need in order to improve their mental health.
Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?
TW: Suicide
I’ll never forget this man that kept reaching out to me about my Asian men’s group. Multiple emails, double messaging, the works. He was wanting to make sure he had all the details right so that he didn’t miss the upcoming session. For clarity’s sake he has given me permission to tell this story. When he finally came to a session he opened up about how he had a friend who died of suicide. How he felt that that friend couldn’t find a sense of worth in the world as a man. How he wished he would’ve said something or helped even though they hadn’t been in touch in a while. It felt like a physical feeling in the virtual room, a weight that was sitting on this man’s shoulders. Gradually, as he spoke more and as the other men in the room chimed in with their sincere condolences and their own experiences as well, I felt the heaviness in the room slowly release. A friend once told me that we’re all carrying bags of sand. By gathering in community we help each other throw the sand around, slowly relieving each other of our burdens even if it’s just by a little bit. If my work can be an oasis for men struggling at any point in their lives then I am grateful.
We were not meant to walk this life alone, much less carry the weight of it in isolation.
Are there three things or are there things that individuals, society, or the government can do to support you in this effort?
Absolutely! Before I go into any of these, even spreading the word that there are organizations and individuals doing this work helps with destigmatizing men’s mental health. So thank you for being here and reading so far!
- I have a weekly men’s group that is open to men of all backgrounds. I’m proud of the community we are building there and I am excited for people looking for a space of positive masculinity to discover and engage with it. You can find more info here
- The Asian men’s group work I do is under a nonprofit organization called Asian Mental Health Project. You can make a tax-deductible donation to support the Proud Asian Men support group by going here. Make sure to write “Proud Asian Men” in the description to support this specific initiative!
- I am also starting to organize regular live events supporting men’s mental health and am actively looking for sponsors so any leads would be appreciated! We would love to work with brands with products and services including but not limited to men’s health, mental health and food and beverage.
- I am blessed to be a part of season 2 of Asian PaCIVICS under The Slants Foundation that supports artist-activists! I love the work they’re doing and they could not have been more supportive to me in my journey as both an artist and a mental health advocate. Please consider donating and supporting their work here.
Why do you think music in particular has the power to create social change and create a positive impact on humanity?
Because when we listen to music together we are literally vibrating on the same frequency. It still creates visceral connection in a world where it’s easy to disconnect. Sometimes it’s hard to step into a conversation with strangers and open up vulnerably and truthfully. Music has a way of settling the body and spirit even before any words are uttered. An aural bridge for us to reach each other. Through my men’s group I seek to create that level of connection every time I show up. I love seeing that just happen naturally at shows where people loosen up and just talk about the mind blowing performance they just witnessed. I think social change and music are deeply interlinked, rightfully so.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started”?
- Be curious about yourself and others.
- Don’t lose your connection to the joy of the music. It’s okay to take a break to reconnect to that.
- Call your parents more. They have life experiences and perspectives for you to learn from.
- Learn to cook earlier. There’s so many beautiful lessons in cooking that also apply to songwriting.
- Learn to express gratitude sincerely and often. It will come around in beautiful and unexpected ways.
You’re a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I’d love to see a movement of men complimenting each other sincerely. I see in my groups every week what an impact it can make and how it can brighten someone’s day and life. So often as men we feel that we’re in competition with another constantly so to slow down and be the first to offer a sincere compliment is a chain reaction I want to see happen in the world.
Can you please give us your favorite life lesson quote? And can you explain how that was relevant in your life?
“Be curious, not judgmental.” It’s a Walt Whitman quote that Ted from the show Ted Lasso says while preparing to decimate his opponent in a game of darts. It’s been my mantra and core value for everything I do whether it’s music or men’s support group work. The moment I stop being curious I can feel my heart close off to myself, other people and the possibilities of creation. All the beautiful things in life happen when I remain open, whether it’s in a songwriting session or in the men’s group.
We are blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Jason Mraz is my original songwriting inspiration so that would be a dream!
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring, and we wish you continued success!
Music Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Lowhi Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.