Glad You Said No

We last left off at the end of last year where I gave a mini update on things and to be honest the exhaustion was so intense (clearly) that time escaped me and I had no choice but to let it. I also couldn't bear returning to you until I had something to show for and well, I'm thrilled to share that my third ep, CRY, BABY is basically out and I’m basically in a swirly whirlpool-like haze that is my mind/life. SO. here is the first installment of my “CRY, BABY ep series,” where I will dive into how it all came to be. In this intro episode, you will meet Ryan Hughes, my friend, producer and confidant in le studio. He was behind the majority of this project so I figured, obviously, we gotta meet the man! We talk about production, writing and what a chore it is to work with me. Or a joy (one way to find out) and more. Stay tuned for future eps as I will be diving deeper into each song, the overall narrative of the project and what working on this has taught me about myself and how that has shifted a lot, in the best way. If you’re reading this, ilysm. And am so grateful for the process, journey and the people a part of it all. Currently, for sure, in celebration mode. AND I hope you are too for whatever reason. And that like you love the jams! LMK your fave or something. xx This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

On the last episode of 2021, I end this weird but good but hard but random but kind of nice-ish year with a solo sesh with yours truly, on things I HOPE bring any semblance of excitement and encouragement, or simply, a friendly reminder to just be you baby. I “accidentally” shared more things than I planned to but I’m also tired of planning and it shows. So here I go. For any listener who is curious about a woman’s journey through her art, her identity and story, these 20 minutes will be at the very least, super chill. Play it in the background while you make your coffee or go on a walk, play it with a pen and pad so you can write down your critiques, or play it when you miss me (hi mom). But just know that my tendency to overshare is an eagerness in always wanting to say, you’re not alone. Oops and xx.P.S. Thanks for listening. Then, and now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

This week we (I) welcome back Katy O’Kane since we last spoke a year ago. We catch up about a career landmark, the challenges in a visually driven industry, listening to your body and health, food and how it’s like art and the very American Way that is the whole working oneself into the ground thing.With our mutual agreement that working can be wildly addictive and rewarding, we also continue the conversation around the great importance in savoring the moments we’ve dreamt about our whole lives and deem life-changing. AND how we have to do our best to not move pass the places of blessings, if we can help it. FOLLOW KATY, HERECONTENT WARNING: This episode contains sensitive information and personal experiences centered around mental health & eds. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

OK, wow how did we get here? But we did it and it’s back ish to show biz baby. And now that we can return to this “normal” kind of hard stuff, I’m excited to launch Season 2 and chat about two things I have an adoration for: MUSIC & WOMEN and in this case, women in music. And in case you revered me solely as a lower-level podcaster, it’s important to note I also dabble hard with music. And that the last song I released was a cute minute ago called “SUCKER PUNCH” which I did with our very first guest….the one and the only, LUNA SHADOWS. Per GYSN usual, our convos center around Luna’s journey with music and the overall theme of hard work when things don’t go as planned. As someone who I respect and admire, (and who is a triple+ threat—ugh) I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did. FOLLOW LUNA, HERE. Listen to her latest album HERE. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

In this episode—I mean personal voice memo that feels like it’s meant for a best friend and not to be uploaded to a professional platform, I talk aimless but honest thoughts at you, accidentally mentioning politics and social event etiquette during Covid, purposefully tease projects coming up to only those special eyes that are reading/listening to this and I confess what has made me sad even well before our world started to fall apart. This is a palette cleanser mini-episode of the sorts that while it may confuse you a little for I’m overall just confused about a lot, I hope makes you curious about the things you do in the time you are given as it has put me in a perpetual state of wonder as I float in this life during these moments, and with you all. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

Hi, I’ve missed you. I took a week off because I can. But I’m glad to report, our return is real strong since in this episode, I get to share a conversation I had with my good friend, an incredible visionary, Jason Russell. As one of the founders of Invisible Children, author of A Little Radical and who currently runs a creative agency, Broomstick Engine all alongside his wife, Jason is someone who is clearly passionate about justice and the injustices of our world, strategies for change and most importantly, he’s all about people. I can gush about him all day. Instead, I did so on the podcast. So, we talk about A LOT. We traverse his journey and experiences with IC and devotion to literally saving lives, he shares his secret dream behind pushing the BLM movement even further through means of….marching bands! (COUNT ME IN), we lightly graze about that time he got advice from Oprah, what fear has fueled in him and there’s also an accidental rating of Taylor Swift’s catalogue which I mostly agree with.I’m excited for you to meet and get to know Jason. And yes, we are going to be working something together but I’m going to make you listen to find out. Enjoy. LYSM.The best way to do it is to do it. You just have to do it…I’d rather live on the other side of fear and actually fail than not having tried something that is deeply embedded into my heart. Subscribe + follow @gladyousaidno @TRACE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

Welcome to GYSN. An experiment in talking to people and also to myself. This week has been a tiny bit nutty, but in a very good way. Like I’m not sleeping and sincerely woke up 5 times last night. Why? ***Listen to find out. BUT I’m happy I got to take some time out to share a very important conversation I had with my mom via: Facetime and how you should do it in the morning for the hilarious pillow angles. Aside from my tech advice, in this briefish episode I basically share why our conversation this week made my heart explode. There’s chatter about our skin tones, our music careers and being Asian and also the haters. Sorta. And if that isn’t interesting enough, I reveal how the weather is likely hotter than my love life, my thoughts on body dysmorphia and how my nervousness means I actually just really care 4 u. —Subscribe + follow @gladyousaidno @TRACE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

Welcome to the hottest week Los Angeles has seen this year. Where all I want to do is drink a nice refreshing glass or two of alcohol, wine (the natural kind, duh) specifically and offer you some if you’re into that stuff. But I can’t, so instead, I bring you the next best thing, quality time with my wine [and samples] queen, Emily Koh of PinkiesUpLA!Side note: It may sound like I’ve hired someone to play their mini shakers while I speak but it’s just my earrings that I forget to take off before I record. Fashion over function. Apologies, as I already regret mentioning something I hope does not discourage you whatsoever from diving into this V DEEP eps.We talk about my literal favorite things: faith, wine and being Asian American women in industries that are…not so Asian American driven. Emily opens up about a failure I can SO relate to, her wine knowledge that I have transferred into notes on my legal pad and what it looks like to launch a small business the day before Stay At Home Orders were put in place. Yikes, but yay, because after you hear from Em, you’re going to want to adamantly cheers to the good, mysterious thing we call life. —I used to build a life around the status quo or the way I saw things happening and now I’ve released a lot of control over my life and what I think my life should look like … which has been really freeing.—Subscribe + follow @gladyousaidno @TRACE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

In this episode, I get to sit down digitally with my second guest, Katy Okane (or in my phone contacts, Kate O) for talks around her modeling career at a young age and literally being discovered at the mall, body image, fear and how morphing yourself can make you miserable, and her long time love for music and how it’s keeping her creatively fueled despite the at-times depressive waves that can trickle in amidst this very, very weird season. Maybe there’s a story about Paris Fashion Week and maybe I’m living through her, and maybe, overall I’m starting to feel ancient. BUT her words remind me, we are all in our own processes, living our own lives. And just trying to be ourselves, whoever that is. —Well I have to test this out, If I’m going to be myself in this industry lets see how it goes and if it’s not what people vibe with then there’s going to be something else.—Subscribe + follow @gladyousaidno @TRACE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com

The official second episode of GYSN is here and it’s all about the journey that led your girl to music. Regretfully I resisted the desire to talk solely about Love on the Spectrum and how much I melted and cried and had butterflies. Since I’m a freakin’ professional you guys, I refrained. BUT in this eps I accidentally admit I have some sort of talent, share my first dream career (3:20), talk about what creative soul pressure is (9:15), tips for getting your (my then) dream job (15:29), describe the moment I officially pursued music as a serious suitor (26:07), and lastly I do humbling reading of an article I wrote 100 years ago called “On Getting Lost and Finding the Unknown” that felt tres relevant. (32:03)— Subscribe + follow @gladyousaidno @TRACE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listentotrace.substack.com