---
title: "The Soul of an Artist (with Human Barbie and veronicavon — Chris Hackman and Xuan Nguyen)"

description: 'Chris and Xuan join the pod to discuss artistic serendipity, co-writing, unexpected choices, and how recording choices inform genre. Veronicavon, the brainchild of songwriters Chris Hackman (Human Barbie) and Xuan Nguyen (Xuan), emerged in 2020 with a (secret) mission to explore uncharted horizons in lo-fi pop. Their universe of grainy synths, cassette-drenched drums, and warbling guitars, complemented by Nguyen’s enchanting vocals, creates a wistful, playful, and instantly addictive dreamscape. Flood Magazine dubbed them "casually devastating," and their hypnotic bedroom aesthetic quickly garnered a passionate audience, with over 500k streams on Spotify in their first year. They''ve been featured on editorial playlists like ‘Fresh Finds’, ‘Borderless’, and ‘Fuzzy’. Keep a close eye on this duo, as they follow in the footsteps of alt-pop icons Men I Trust, Alvvays, and Japanese Breakfast.'

status: complete

date: 2023-07-18

kind: guest

guestSlugs:
  - xuan-nguyen

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/The-Soul-of-an-Artist-with-Human-Barbie-and-veronicavon--Chris-Hackman-and-Xuan-Nguyen-e272gag"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-soul-of-an-artist-with-human/id1567355195?i=1000621510181&uo=4"

spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uzlerqnWzs5BHEB2DmwTU"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Soul and R&B"
  - "Analog"
  - "Collaboration"
  - "Creativity"
  - "Genre"
  - "Music production"
  - "Singing and vocals"
  - "Artistic serendipity"
  - "Co-writing strategies"
  - "Impact of recording choices"
  - "Vocal performance techniques"
  - "Adapting creative processes"

hostNote: |
  In this episode of **Love Music More**, we dive deep into the creative synergy of *Veronica Vaughn*, the dynamic duo of Chris Hackman (Human Barbie) and Xuan Nguyen. As they share insights about their artistic journey, Their engaging discussions touch on everything from the interplay between lo-fi pop and analog production to the serendipity that can lead to unexpected artistic collaborations.
  
  With their whimsical soundscapes and a shared passion for pushing musical boundaries, Chris and Xuan help illuminate the essence of collaboration in music-making. This conversation isn't just for fans of their work—it's for anyone interested in the creative process and the beauty of music’s evolving landscape.

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Differences in project production styles"
    startSec: 97
    note: "Chris discusses the contrasting production styles between Human Barbie and Veronica Vaughn, highlighting the impact of using both tape and digital methods."
  - label: "The speed of digital recording"
    startSec: 175
    note: "Xuan talks about the advantages of digital recording, emphasizing decision-making speed compared to tape."
  - label: "The importance of vocal performance"
    startSec: 412
    note: "Chris and Xuan reflect on how their vocal sessions differ from the use of traditional techniques, prioritizing emotion over precision."
  - label: "Exploring AI and creativity"
    startSec: 650
    note: "They discuss the implications of using AI in music and the intrinsic value of the human voice in conveying emotion."
  - label: "The evolution of songwriting"
    startSec: 1053
    note: "Xuan shares insights on their songwriting approach, focusing on the balance between emotional vulnerability and collaboration."
  - label: "The role of unexpected moments in music"
    startSec: 2383
    note: "Chris explains how moments of serendipity can dramatically shift the path of their musical journey."
  - label: "The life cycle of an album"
    startSec: 2524
    note: "Xuan discusses the emotional toll of finishing an album compared to the more lighthearted nature of working on singles."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "I think that's really cool to have, you know, a tape-based project and then a computer-based one."
    startSec: 88
    reviewed: true
  - text: "There are many things that are faster about tape... you're having to lay it down to tape and so there's not that endless loop of let me tweak this."
    startSec: 174
    reviewed: true
  - text: "I love recording vocals so much because you can take lyrics that are kind of questionable and if you sing them right, they're an absolute gut punch."
    startSec: 568
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Even the voice, like, emulators are so far from even scratching the surface of the, like, majesty and expression of what we can do with our voices."
    startSec: 651
    reviewed: true
  - text: "I try to catch a feeling rather than just singing on the right note."
    startSec: 413
    reviewed: true
  - text: "I believe very strongly in serendipity... you have to work together or whatever but when you put it out there stuff like that happens."
    startSec: 2182
    reviewed: true
  - text: "If lightning strikes, if not, also awesome. I went for it."
    startSec: 2680
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "What influences Chris Hackman and Xuan Nguyen's music style?"
    answer: "Their music is influenced by a blend of lo-fi aesthetics, emotional vocal performances, and the interplay between analog and digital production methods."
  - question: "How do Chris and Xuan co-write their songs?"
    answer: "They approach co-writing as a collaborative puzzle, allowing moments of spontaneity and emotional exploration to lead to their creative output."
  - question: "What is the significance of analog vs. digital recording for Xuan and Chris?"
    answer: "They believe that both methods offer unique advantages and shape the emotional and sonic characteristics of their music in different ways."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---