Hanbee has unveiled the lead single from her forthcoming debut album, small love.
The rising Korean-New Zealand indie pop artist has today released “days months years”, which is, as the title suggests, about the passing of time.
“Although we talk of timeless love, for us humans, time is precious. Spending all your treasured time with someone can mean the world – ‘days months years’ is about that very desire; willing to spend days, months, and years with your loved one,” hanbee explains of the sugary sweet track, which recalls indie pop luminaries such as Claire and girl in red.
You can watch the accompanying music video below, which was made possible with support from NZ On Air.
It’s hanbee’s first single of the year, following a big 2023 for the fledgling Auckland-based musician. As well as showcasing her music at SXSW Sydney, hanbee was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 2023 Panhead Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards, only narrowly losing out to Coterie.
More recently she appeared at Laneway Festival in New Zealand, while her sweet music featured in the soundtrack of the ABC series White Fever, which celebrates contemporary music and experiences from the Asian diaspora.
Ahead of her Laneway set this year, Rolling Stone AU/NZ caught up with hanbee, delving into her creative process and influences. On her musical style being described as “small music”, she answered, “honestly, when I started, I didn’t have expectations about how well my music would do.
“I thought of it on a scale of being personal and intimate, like something created in a bedroom. In that sense, I thought of it as “small music.” But still, I want to make music that feels personal to listeners.”
She also discussed the musical direction she’s heading in this year: “I want to continue making music that feels like daydreaming or music that somehow helps people get through the day – just music that people can relate to.”
hanbee’s “days months years” is out now.
