Hailing from Toronto, Peach Luffe blossoms dream pop soundscapes with a summery glow produced, written, mixed and played from Jong Lee’s bedroom studio. Over the past three years, Peach Luffe has transitioned from a solo project to a collaborative effort with friends who specialize in various genres, from classical to metal.

The Daily Texan sat down with Lee ahead of his South by Southwest set to discuss his musical journey and artistry.

The Daily Texan: You’re classically trained in violin and majored in music. How does this background translate into your music now?

Jong Lee: Violins always get the best melodies in orchestra and the most romantic, beautiful compositions. So, I ended up recording a lot of violin in my music. I love lush, orchestral stuff from the 1800s. It feels nostalgic, sad, happy — it just makes me feel things.

DT: What was your creative process like for your debut album Everything is Peachy? 

JL: I was feeling so uninspired musically for months, and I was just like, “I’m just gonna lock myself in my apartment for like a month and write music.” I barely saw anyone, I was just in my room with my cat … (The album) was a month’s worth of stuff. I was able to crank it out as quickly as possible. After the album, I got really inspired to write. I just flushed out every idea that I had.

DT: How has music served as a medium of storytelling for you?

JL: Music is the only (way) I can portray myself. It’s kind of accurate, how I portray myself in real life and (through) music. There’s parts of me that are bubbly like my personality … so, my music has elements of that, but there’s also the more serious, cool version of me. 

DT: What’s it like being vulnerable in your music and presenting that more serious part of yourself?

JL: Once you do it a couple times, it becomes easier to present yourself. The hardest thing I find is … writing about these things in my life — whatever it may be, relationships with people or my inner self — that I haven’t even processed. I’m making songs about them, making content and recording it.

DT: What advice would you give to people who want to learn or start making their own music?

JL: Write music that you want to hear regardless of what is trending. Trends come and go but your tastes in music (are) something you will (always) have.

DT: It’s natural for people to be overly self-critical when starting out. How do you navigate that?

JL: I still have impostor syndrome all the time. It never goes away. I’ve been (doing Peach Luffe) for three years, and I’m still like, “Is this good? I can’t tell. I don’t know what’s going on.” But if you just release more music, feel more confident in what you’re doing and like hearing it, everything (will be) fine.

DT: Did you always think you were going to do music as a career?

JL: No, I picked up singing a year after I graduated (college), but I didn’t really take (music) seriously until the year after. I was like, “I can write some songs.” By the way, they were very bad, but at the time, I was like, “These are pretty good.” Somehow, I just kept doing it, and it ended up working out so far.

DT: Over time, you get better the more you do something, as you said.

JL: Absolutely. Every creative person has a taste or how they want things to be, and their taste is high because they’re exposed to top of the line things. You’re listening to songs (where) someone spent $100,000 (to make it). When you start out, your level is far below (your taste), but you (eventually) end up matching. That’s where you start seeing results, but you should still be proud of your material regardless.