Singer-songwriter Dixie Lynne finds musical inspiration wherever she goes in Hong Kong
It’s not just her own experiences from where singer-songwriter Dixie Lynne draws inspiration for her music, it’s the very city of Hong Kong itself too
Dixie Lynne performed for Young Post during a Live@YP set more than a year ago. Singer-songwriter Dixie Lynne first graced Young Post with a stunning Live@YP set a little over a year ago. Since then, the 16-year-old has attended a songwriting programme at the Berkeley School of Music in Los Angeles, which gave her new ideas on what to do with her creativity.
“I got to hear lots of lyrics from other students, and that changed the way that I thought,” Dixie revealed, before adding, “I would copy their ways of finding inspiration. That helped as I felt like I could better understand the concepts they were getting.”
Over the past year, Dixie has been working with determination on her craft and has been trying to write a new song every two weeks. “I try to get as much as I can out of my life, and I try to write as much as possible. I carry a little notebook with me, and I’ll write down street signs, and try to find inspiration from them,” she said, before delving further into her thought processes. “I’ll experience more as I grow older, so I’ll be able to write more, but right now I find just travelling, drawing, and walking around Hong Kong really inspiring.”
When asked about her recent compositions, she confessed: “I focus on personal things, but they’re also about things people my age have experienced. My songs are based on my own feelings, but I know that it’s not just me that feels these things … I have about five more [songs] that I really enjoy singing.”
Of those five, one song, I Just Can’t Let You Go Again, holds the most significance for her. “I wrote it recently, and I’m really excited by it. It’s a little different from what I usually do.” She debuted the song at Lion Rock Festival at King George V School, and performed at one of The Underground’s gigs on consecutive nights last month.
The conversation moved towards her desire to learn about the business side of music, and of throwing herself into new opportunities whenever possible. “I’ve been doing an internship with The Underground, where I’ve been working at the actual shows rather than performing. I’ve now got some experience in what it’s like to run an event. I think it’s really interesting,” she said, adding that she hoped to use her new-found knowledge she gained during the summer at a jazz programme in the US.
Dixie is also heavily involved in charity concerts: as well as Lion Rock Festival, she recently played at the Hong Kong International School Gala alongside a jazz band for the first time. She has also tried her hand at busking to get her music out there. “It was kind of a new thing for me. And it was nice to see how people would react. I love seeing the joy music brings to people. That’s not something you get every day.”
And what of an album from Dixie? “I really want to release one this year!”
Find Dixie Lynne on Facebook.
Edited by Ginny Wong