Exclusive Interview
Sep 12, 2024
Produced by: Rudy Manager
Edited by: Rudy Manager
Eugene Tsai – “Focus on making the best music and let everything else follow”
Eugene Tsai has rapidly emerged as a prominent figure in the music production world, known for his distinctive sound and versatile talent. Eugene dove into FL Studio in 2020 and soon caught the attention of major artists like Logic. Alongside his collaborations, he recently released his solo instrumental album, If My Hands Could Sing, showcasing his talent and personal musical journey. In this exclusive interview with Studio Talks, Eugene shares his story, creative process, and insights into the music industry, offering a glimpse into how he’s carved out a unique space in the world of production.
How did you first get into music and music production?
The story is kind of interesting. I didn't actually start producing music until 2020. However, I've been involved with music since I was a kid—playing music from as early as three or four years old. Initially, I dreamed of becoming a touring musician, maybe playing keys for artists like Justin Bieber or Bruno Mars. But I soon realized that touring is a challenging and demanding lifestyle, with long stretches away from family and friends, often 7 to 10 months at a time.
When the pandemic hit, a close friend was like; “Why don’t you try producing?” At that time, I didn't know much about it; I thought that artists like Drake made their own beats. I didn’t realize there were producers behind the scenes creating the instrumentals. So, I did some research and discovered FL Studio, which had a free version available. And the rest is history.
The first year was tough because coming from a background in jazz, I tended to overplay, especially on the piano. I would send my work to others, and they would often be like; “Bro, chill out. You don’t need to play too much.” It took about a year to adapt my style. By 2021, I had adjusted, and things started to take off.
What were your inspirations or influences when you started producing?
When I first started producing, some of my main inspirations were Boi-1da, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder, especially in terms of their melodic styles. I’m a big fan of sampling and do it almost every day. Early Kanye West was also a significant influence, particularly his production during the "Through the Wire" era.
In terms of beats, Boi-1da was a major influence on how my drums ended up sounding. My influences come from a wide range of genres—I listen to folk music, classical music, and a lot of jazz. Whenever I hear something that catches my ear, I add it to my catalog of sounds. The more sounds and variety you expose your mind to, the better overall producer you'll become.
I noticed on your YouTube that you’ve done a lot of remixes of popular songs. What’s the story behind that?
Before I officially started producing on a computer, I used to create random music on my phone. While I was commuting to school, on the bus, or on the subway, I’d play around with ideas just for fun. I reharmonized popular songs. Before my Instagram account became what it is now, I used to post a video every day where I’d take a song’s vocal stems and rework them with new chords.
One of my first viral videos was a reharmonization of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” by Charlie Puth. At that time, I didn’t have access to advanced tools, so I’d use low-quality vocal isolations from YouTube and add my own chords. I enjoyed it so much that I started uploading these videos for fun. Some of them got decent views, around 20,000 to 30,000, but nothing too crazy.
The breakthrough came with my remix of "This Is America." I was coming home from work one evening, around 10 p.m., and had this bouncy beat idea. "This Is America" was blowing up at the time, I thought, "What if I put those vocals on this beat?" I uploaded it to YouTube, and it went viral.
I made it using an app called Auxy on my phone. I tell this story to people all the time that while gear matters, I did that on the train ride home on my phone. After that, I continued experimenting with chord structures over pop songs and shared my work online.
Can you share more about the remix’s success?
That song has had an incredible journey. Every year, it seems to go viral in a new country. For a while, it was the number one song on China’s version of TikTok. Then, it went viral in Canada. My sister, who was in high school at the time, told me that people were dancing to the song, but nobody knew it was my remix.
A couple of years ago, it even went viral in Vietnam, reaching number five on their charts. It became so popular that one of their major local artists ended up copying the progression, he just added his own vocals. A lot of people pointed out in the comments saying, “Isn’t this Eugene’s remix?” I went on there and said, “It’s cool, if you credit me, but why did you have to make it your own?” This even made the national news in Vietnam. It’s amazing how that remix has taken on a life of its own.
What does your day look like? Do you have any special routines or habits before you get into the creative zone?
In the mornings, I usually start by digging for samples. I’ll put on my favorite channels on YouTube, drink my coffee, and listen to different tracks, saving the ones that inspire me. I often start ideas but don’t necessarily finish them right away.
After lunch, my routine includes going to the gym, buying groceries, cooking and doing things like that. I don’t really dive into serious production work until around 8 or 10 p.m. and continue until 4 or 6 a.m. For me, the most productive time tends to be at night.
You released a solo instrumental album titled If My Hands Could Sing. What inspired you to create this project?
A lot of the tracks on the album were actually created years ago, ranging from six to ten years. The song “if my hands could sing” was even made at my grandma’s house in Japan. This made me think about how, while I love being a producer and collaborating with others, I also wanted to share something that truly reflects who I am—what makes Eugene—Eugene.
That’s how the idea for the album started coming together. Each song on the album holds personal meaning, but one of my favorites is "Welcome Home," featuring Boslen and Aaron Paris. The story behind that track is pretty special.
Boslen and his friend Jeremy Kysiko came over to my old studio. Jeremy started playing the guitar, the one at the beginning of the track, and you can hear us talking in the background. We were talking about life, family, mental health stuff and it was around 2 a.m., and we were just hanging out after his album had come out. We recorded the guitar and some vocal ideas, then left the track sitting for a while.
Fast forward to when the album was about 80% complete, I thought it would be nice to include one track with vocals, as a surprise, everything else is instrumental tracks. Before finalizing everything, I went to LA to complete the vocals. I stayed with my friend Repko, and we worked on the vocals with Boslen from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. I finished the song to around 80-90% and called up Aaron, one of the most talented guys I know, and asked him if he could do the strings for the track. He said, “Of, course!” When I first heard the strings, I cried.
The whole process of creating and releasing this album was incredibly special to me. I enjoyed working on my own rollout, putting together a track list, and even creating an album trailer. It was a unique experience that meant a lot to me.
How do you start new ideas?
I usually start on the piano—there’s an upright piano in my studio that I often begin with. I’ll play around with chords and ideas, and if nothing specific comes to mind, I’ll go through my patches. If I find a cool sound, I’ll go with it. Honestly, I don’t have a set process. I just jam out and see what happens. If something clicks, I’ll play it again and think; “That’s cool, let me record that,” and that’s how it all starts. Sometimes, I hear something that sounds cool in my head and try to translate that down on paper.
What advice would you give to upcoming music producers trying to chase placements and work with artists?
My advice would be to have fun, don’t take it too seriously, and most importantly, be human. One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people starting out approach things in a very robotic way. If I see someone in my DMs with a generic “Yo” or “Let’s work,” I’m not really going to respond. I think most of my friends in the industry feel the same way. It’s important to provide value to producers, artists, or writers. If you have a special skill set—like being great at drums, textures, melodies, chords, or playing an instrument really well—highlight that as your main strength.
Focus on making music you genuinely enjoy rather than fixating on chasing placements. People can tell when you’re just in it for the placements. Lately, I’ve been adopting a new mentality: I just make what I like, and I’ll find a home for it later. This approach has helped me a lot.
At the end of the day, we’re making music, so enjoy the process. If the music is good, it’ll probably find its way to the right place. A lot of the tracks I’ve worked on ended up with artists in ways I couldn’t have predicted. So, yes, reach out, send emails, and network, but do it with a genuine and human touch. Don’t stress too much about placements—just focus on making great music.
As you mentioned, the “make what you like and find a home for it later” approach, how do you go about that?
I usually start by identifying producers I know who work in the style or genre that fits the track. If I think a particular artist would be a good match, I reach out to a few A&R friends and ask if they can get the track to that artist. If they can, great; if not, I’ll find another way. If I believe a certain artist would vibe with a track, I try to send it in that direction and see where it leads.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
I think I’m going to be traveling a lot. My main focus this year is to establish myself as the guy who plays everything. I want to get into more rooms and expand into different genres like country and folk. So, my goal is to be everywhere—whether that’s in songs or destinations.
Would you like to add something? Any last words?
I just want to say—a lot of people tend to take this music stuff way too seriously. At the end of the day, like I mentioned earlier, we’re literally making music and getting paid for it. Sure, the payments could be more on time, but still, we’re doing what we love. So, just have fun with it. Some people get too caught up in taking it all so seriously. Just focus on making the best music you can and let everything else follow from there. Be more human, enjoy life and have fun.
Follow Eugene Tsai on Instagram: @eugene.music
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