Interview with Star2

Hello! It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with star two over zoom video star two was born in Thailand. He had quite a childhood growing up in a refugee camp, ended up moving to San Diego, California at age six. So here bit about the backstory there, him landing in San Diego, which I was born and raised there along with my wife and kids. But so it was cool to talk to him about San Diego, but we hear about growing up in San Diego, how he got into music, how he ended up meeting his first producers, the success of the music video for the song, thinking about you releasing a song with little Papa from Florida called real life and the message behind the most recent song runaway. 3 (2m 18s): And he also teases a song coming out with Soulja boy as well. You can watch the interview with star two on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribe to our channel, if you like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, Stitcher, I heart. We would love it. If you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review, 4 (2m 46s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 3 (2m 52s): We're bringing it backwards with star two, but I'm Adam. And this is about you, your journey and music. And obviously we'll talk about the new record runaway, but I'm, I'm really curious to hear your story about, you know, arriving to San Diego. You were what? Six when you got here. 5 (3m 7s): Yeah. Like, yeah. If I were six. Yeah. 3 (3m 9s): What a, what a ride can you, I don't know how, how open you are with talking about that, but I don't know if you feel like if you could tell me about that experience. I mean, 5 (3m 18s): You 3 (3m 18s): Can remember what you remember. Like, I mean, that's, it sounds like a lot, man. 5 (3m 24s): So yeah, I came when I was looking for sex, but before, before we could come to the U S you know, there was like a waiting list. My grandma's signed up for it. You know? Like now she's like suddenly, you know, there's a imitation notice that she was like, you know, we're about to move out. And then she left all of us knowing like we about to move out. We gotta like go to the U S America. So it's kind of crazy. Cause my uncle wanted to come actually. That's why she she's signed up on, got on the waiting list. So then we got here cause my uncle wanted to come here for education. So my grandma like sacrifice herself to like come into a place where we don't speak the language and all that stuff. 3 (4m 10s): Yeah. And don't know anyone. You're just kind of showing up. Right. I mean, that's, that's very brave. But from what I read that you were born, born in, in Thailand, is that what I saw? 5 (4m 22s): Yeah. I'm born in silent. 3 (4m 23s): Okay. So you born in Thailand and then you did, were you part of the whole, like pilgrimage out of this crazy, like, you know, this bad situation, you had to walk like 500 miles and like, were you around during all of this? 5 (4m 36s): I wasn't around, but I've heard a story about it, but I've walked like 500 miles, but I've walked like a lot of miles to like probably like at least 10 miles a day, you know, you try and go out to camp. Cause you know, in EA there's like seven, eight different camps or nine, I can't remember. But yeah, each camp has like a different, like different section and different like borders. Like you want to go into this canvas? Like people like security to check and stuff, but yeah, if you want to go back into like the BMR where like the jungle, like that's where it's, that's not the refugee camp. That's a whole different like world basically. 5 (5m 16s): And there's like, landmines, you got to watch. Where are you going? Yeah. So it's like crazy. It's not safe. 3 (5m 24s): Oh my gosh. That is, that is so scary. So you were in like a refugee camp that was surrounded by a certain area. And then if you wanted to get into the next or go to the next camp over you as a, Did you know people that were in different different camps or do you have family in different camps? 5 (5m 40s): Well, I've heard, I love seeing like people from other camps we'll move closer into like the, cause my canvas Carmela cam is the closest to like the Thai border. The refugee camp is in Thailand is part of Thai, you know, ties. It's like, they're trying to separate us, like put us in a little like different section type thing. But yeah, our Mellencamp is the closest to the Thai border. So people would try to come move into the mail account. Cause it's the biggest canvas is more, a little bit more developed the other, you know, camps. But even though, even though it's developed, it's like, there's still like don't, world's not too much technologies. 5 (6m 25s): You know, people buying a little more like buys like less list on like roads where cars came and drive up or drive down. Cause it's like mountains. You know, we live on 0 (6m 37s): Here at Freddy's sweet could tell you how our original double is. This steak burger made with 100% lean ground beef cooked to order with delicious crispy edges and finished off with our Freddy's famous seasoning. But we'd rather let her original doublespeak for itself. Couldn't have said it better ourselves. 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I mean, look at that woven detailing and the Italian leather for good about that. 7 (7m 56s): Look at mom's face. 9 (7m 57s): We have tears, ladies and gentlemen, is that good? Oh, 7 (7m 59s): That's good. Mom loves 9 (8m 1s): It. And I love that Italian leather, fabulous 7 (8m 3s): Brands 9 (8m 4s): Feel good prices every day at Marshall's. 3 (8m 7s): Wow. Wow. And so your grandmother applies for like a lottery. It sounds like it's like a lottery type system 5 (8m 13s): Or like a lottery type thing. Yeah. 3 (8m 15s): And she, she gets chosen and then it's like, how many people can she bring with her? Like what does that look like? 5 (8m 21s): It's the whole family. Like, it's just like, it's like your, your wife pretending to me. I have a wife like me and my wife and my kids is like that Cousins and stuff can't come unless they have to do that. Then on seven separate family, you know, it's like, 3 (8m 38s): Yeah. So you were able to come with your grandmother. 5 (8m 41s): Yeah. I came with my grandma because for me to do that, you know, she had to basically live on my parents were dead. Cause then there was no way she could've brought me home. My parents weren't there. It's just, they, they were very young. They made, you know, they had me when they were young. So, 3 (8m 59s): But still, I mean, wow. What a, what for your parents to say? Yeah, we need, he needs to go with you to go to America. Like what? A big, big thing. I mean, wow. 5 (9m 9s): No, my parents didn't say I just chose to go because 3 (9m 12s): Chose to go 5 (9m 13s): Before I got like, there was a there's two CS and then like, I don't know who those people were. They were probably like somebody important, but yeah, they were like pick a seat where you want to go set. One side is my grandma. One side is my dad. I haven't seen my mom. Cause she was like in Bangkok and like the big city of Thailand. So I went with my grandma of course, because she raised me, you know, as a sense of little baby. 3 (9m 37s): Yeah. So with your go with your grandma and then your grandma gets this lottery ticket essentially. And you guys moved to United States and did they, is San Diego the place that they're they go, okay, you're going to land in San Diego or do you get a chance? Does she choose? Like how does that even work? 5 (9m 55s): I think she chose, she chose, chose the, she chose him. San Diego. 3 (9m 60s): That's cool. 5 (10m 1s): Yeah. I think so. And then yeah, we've been in San Diego ever since, man. I love it. I'm glad I'm 3 (10m 9s): Not a bad place to land. Right. 5 (10m 12s): It's the perfect place to land. 3 (10m 14s): Yeah. My wife is her she's Filipino. Her mom came. Yeah. It came to the, came to the United States when she was 12, I believe. And she, they land in San Diego too. They got a chance to leave. And then in San Diego and her mom and her, her, her relatives have been in San Diego for ever since. I just think that's cool. The, the, how that, you know the yeah. San Diego like perfect. And 5 (10m 40s): Then that's where you met your wife in 3 (10m 42s): San Diego? Yeah. San 5 (10m 44s): Diego. 3 (10m 45s): Yeah. 5 (10m 46s): Filipino food. 3 (10m 47s): Oh dude. Yes. It's unreal. I'm always well fed when I hang out with her family. Well, so, okay. So you're in San Diego. What part of San Diego you're in, if you don't mind me asking 5 (11m 2s): I'm in like city highs, like no. 3 (11m 5s): Yeah. I know. I know. I live there. I know exactly what you're talking about. Yeah. Fremont avenue was like around where I lived for awhile and like university avenue. Yeah. Yeah. So that's okay. So you're in San Diego. And how did you get into music then? Like it's T tell me about like when you get here your, your six and then you got to obviously adapt with the culture and you got to learn English and all this stuff is kind of happening. I'm sure. Pretty quickly as a young young kid, was that difficult to, to kind of navigate. And then how did you get into music? 5 (11m 43s): Well, I started off by just going, like YouTube came on and then I just, like I found out about you too. So I started listening to music on YouTube. You listen to Justin Bieber growing up, you know, like all those big mainstream artists at that time. Like joy, all those big other like artists like Tupac, everybody. I listened to every artist, every artist has their own special skills and technique that brought them into the game. But yeah. So I got, I don't know, as a kid I've always wanted to be a superstar at some, you know, like I wanted to be a musician. I like an artist more, this angle rap has always been my passion. 5 (12m 27s): So as a kid, I was, that was my goal ever since then. And then, and then I, the older I got, I like that more like me and my friends, we, you know, like talked about it. We collect, we like, you know, make like some music here and there, but it's not like anything too crazy. It's just like little kids, things playing around, but you know, learn from him. And then I met a white lady named star and she, you know, she found out I do music and then she helped me out. And then she like got me to work with this producer named Chico Bennett and ever since then, that's when, after I met Chico, Bennett is when I started to take my music career receivers. 5 (13m 12s): You know what I've seen? 3 (13m 13s): How do you meet star? 5 (13m 15s): Most one, a tutoring program that she did for her son. 3 (13m 19s): Oh, okay. And was she T she taught you music or do you like, 5 (13m 25s): Nah, she just found out I didn't use it because of my email, you know? Cause my YouTube email cause she like checking like my, you know, I'm trying to check my background, I guess on Google You can check people's email on Google and it shows up a lot of studies it's like, and then she found out I was like doing music. I was singing this and that. So she's like, oh that's cool. 3 (13m 47s): She put it in. Then she puts you in contact with a producer. 5 (13m 52s): Yeah. 3 (13m 53s): And how did, how did she know the producer? Was it just a friend or like a workout? 5 (13m 60s): I don't know. I think it was, it was a BA it was like a bidding thing. Like it was a bidding thing on one website on the internet. Some something like that Can explain it yet. 3 (14m 13s): No, no worries. And then, so you, you meet it at this producer and then that's where your music career begins. Do you, and how does that start? Where, where does is the person in San Diego to, 5 (14m 22s): Oh no, it does. He's in LA. 3 (14m 26s): Okay. Let's 5 (14m 27s): Do it. Yeah. So his studios in Burbank, you know, so I would drive up there and there, my first time going up, I couldn't go along because I was 17 years old. You know, I didn't want to meet, didn't want to, you know, a minor to go in by himself. So start how to go with me. So that's how we met and man, we exchanged contact ever since then, you know, we got closer, we became a big family. 3 (14m 53s): What was it like going up there the first time? You know, now you're in LA you, your dreams are to be, you know, an artist and you're in LA and you're working in a studio and what a big day, 5 (15m 3s): The first time it was, it was pretty nervous. You know? And then I don't know, I was maybe shy and nervous and maybe my first time it was hard because I've never been in a huge studio in a, like a real studio. You know, I used to just be like the living room. You just put it on your Mike computer, a laptop, whatever. It was like nothing major. But yeah, it was very, I was very nervous, but I got used to it more. I went and then the more songs I made, I got more comfortable with what I do 3 (15m 38s): And flows the first, like after you, you know, record some songs like, well, what was the first moment for you that kind of like got your career off the ground? 5 (15m 51s): Well, most of the stuff I did and the only reason why my career got like kind of blew up was because my friends, I have a strong friend base, you know, my current people actually in my common people, they support me. So they, they want to show me, they just show us, show me, love this for me to not do everything. You know, there are some haters, but yeah. And then the songs that actually blue bloom Mia was thinking about you. Yeah. I hit a million views on that. So that's, that's the one song that maybe blew up. 3 (16m 28s): That's awesome. Was that something on YouTube? Yeah. Wow. And was that like a video or like, tell me about that moment. 5 (16m 36s): Yeah. It was a music video and actually my current fans started to like respect me or to like support me more when I dropped the song featuring little Papa and like there's a, Qur'an like artists, podcasts, you know, like paper podcasts. And like I did an interview there and then all the fans from there, like, you know, transfer into my fan, Then they started to follow me, subscribe to my stuff. Yeah. Ever since then, no, they've been loyal fans. 3 (17m 10s): That's amazing. And like the credit fence or is this a community that you've built like worldwide? Like, I mean online or like 5 (17m 24s): There's now, well, it's kind of as worldwide because there's crime people everywhere. Right. I'm Korean too. And there's like, there's Korean people in Australia, you know, in different countries and different states all around the United States too. So yeah, it's kind of worldwide, 3 (17m 41s): But like w ah, I mean, I guess, how do you, like, how do they know who you, and like, you, you know, are creating, you're doing this project and like to get the support, like, did you get, was it through the, the, you know, those interviews or working with certain artists that kind of Like lent yourself to their audience? Or like, how did they, like, how do you, I guess, like, how did, how did that all kind of happen for you? 5 (18m 10s): You know, I have some share my stuff and there is all about it's all through social media, you know, interview. And then, you know, I jump a music video, for example, I wear a Korean shirt and then knew like, oh yeah, he's coming. Because, you know, I wear my traditional current support. They support their people, you know, I didn't want to see make it on him. 3 (18m 34s): That's amazing. I love that. I really love that. And so you said thinking about it, she was the first one that really popped it off. It's a million views on YouTube. Tell me about that, that moment when that's going, like, are you like, oh my gosh, like, look, this is, this is crazy. Like, look at this. 9 (18m 50s): It is mother's day. And we are about to witness the big mother's day moment. 7 (18m 54s): Absolutely R and I for one and both nervous and excited. 9 (18m 57s): Here we go. 7 (18m 59s): It's a beautiful Royal blue designer bag that she got at Marshall's Bourne, incredible price. 9 (19m 4s): Brianna has done very well. I mean, look at that woven detailing and the Italian leather for good about that. 7 (19m 10s): Look at mom's face. 9 (19m 11s): We have tears, ladies and gentlemen, is that good? 7 (19m 13s): Oh, that's good. Mom loves 9 (19m 15s): It. And I love that Italian leather, fabulous 7 (19m 17s): Brands 9 (19m 18s): Feel good prices every day at Marshall's. 6 (19m 20s): I didn't realize you liked me that way deal because it's one thing to receive McDonald's but an entirely other thing to know that they woke up early to face the world and bring you McDonald's breakfast, still hot in the back. 7 (19m 34s): Appreciate you. 8 (19m 36s): There's a deal for every morning. Now grab two loaded sausage burritos for only three bucks prices and participation may vary single item at regular price and not be combined with any other offer combo meal. 11 (19m 53s): This is Sarah's a Riley auto parts store 12 (19m 55s): Driving cross country with two young children is ambitious to say the least. Then our check engine light came on. We pulled into O'Reilly auto parts and they tested, it, turned out. It was a faulty sensor. They referred us to a great mechanic, just down the street. And we were back on the road in no time. 5 (20m 21s): Yeah, it is crazy because you know, that was my goal before the year before 2022, you know, before this year. And before it started, I told, you know, we had a team meeting. I told a star, you know, I was going to, I wanted, my goal was a million views before the year end. And then hers, it was like two 50 K. And she kind of like whatever here mainly, and probably not this year, maybe next year, but <inaudible>, it takes them. They were happy. 3 (20m 60s): That's amazing. That's amazing. Well, tell me about this new song, real life. And you have a collaboration on there as well, right? 5 (21m 7s): Oh, no, we are alive. We're alive is already. This has already out. 3 (21m 13s): Yeah. Yeah. Tell him yet. Oh yeah. Runaway. Sorry. Real life. Tell me about real life. And then we'll talk about runaway. Sorry. I got, I got ahead of myself. 5 (21m 21s): We are alive as a Fisher with a, a rapper named little Papa, Florida. He's a rapper. So I like seeing what avenue he hopped on, you know, the first verse. And it's a collab that people want to see, you know, like more hip hop. I used to do most of my songs before I, I pulled real life out. It was mostly like, love stuff, you know? Like seeing more like pop scene. It's more like a hip hop tracks or a lot of the fans started to like, you know, like now who's this guy, you know, they liked that. They liked to see me do different things and you know, yeah. 5 (22m 1s): So we don't live debt free due to, it's like almost 200 K views on YouTube. 3 (22m 6s): Amazing. 5 (22m 7s): Yeah. And runway, 3 (22m 10s): Well, how did you know a little, a little pop, but he was that sort of you've met. 5 (22m 13s): What was the artist I've been listening to? I said, you know, when I was like growing up a couple of years ago, I've been listening to little Papa. I've always liked his flow and the way he, you know, we're absent stuff. Yeah. 3 (22m 26s): Do you reach out to him? Like how did, how does that collaboration happen? 5 (22m 31s): Yeah. I reach out to him and yeah. Got in touch with his mom. The mom is the manager, so yeah. And yeah, ever since then we kept in contact. You know, we have like tune two new songs coming out together. 3 (22m 46s): Amazing. 5 (22m 46s): It's crazy. 3 (22m 48s): That's cool. And runaways the new one. So I got it. Like I said, I got him on my cell phone to hear about runaway. 5 (22m 53s): Yeah. One was a runaway is it's doing good. Cause you know, we dropped a lyric video first, like at 40 K 40 K views now for the lyrics media video. And then the other one is like, like 30, 30 K something like that. It's just, we just recently dropped it. But yeah. Runaways about like, you know, it was so there's so many things that's going on around the world and you know, all this space that are happening, you know, sometimes you just want to escape from the world and then, you know, run away from it. So that's why I made that song, man. My intention was not to make it in a job, be like, as you know, like, I didn't know to buy like the Ukraine and the Russians, you know, that it was in planning basically. 5 (23m 38s): So it was like, but it was the right moment to jot that kind of song to, you know, They're not thankful for their life. You know that they're living over here, you know, there's people out there, you know, suffering. They don't understand people over here wants to talk about money again. Wish. But yeah, I know it's all about money, but at the end of the day, you know, there's people out there suffering. So you gotta be happy with what you got sometimes, you know, in life you gotta just be happy with that. You have somebody to in your life, you know, like you love, there's some people who you don't don't have anybody. 3 (24m 19s): That's a beautiful message. I love 5 (24m 21s): That. So it's full of messages. 3 (24m 26s): Well, this has been awesome, man. Thank you so much. I mean that, that record just came out, but you have a bunch of other stuff like coming out, like lined up or 5 (24m 36s): Yeah, a lot of big projects coming up. I have some music video shoes or have like a song coming featuring soldier. Boy. That's 3 (24m 45s): Really Huge. 5 (24m 48s): Yeah. That was a very big, you know, I'm excited for that because the song is done. It's called new me. That's the title of the song and shoot the music video in a couple of weeks and we'll probably be out in a couple months. And then 3 (25m 2s): That's massive. How did you get in contact with soldier boy? And were you a fan of his prior? 5 (25m 7s): Well, it was my idea. And they're like, you know, it's all about knowing people in the industry, to be honest, like you gotta know people to do a certain thing. Sometimes even if you got money, they're not going to you. Can't contact people. Yeah. So I know Someone in my team knows someone, you know, and like, right. And then that's someone, you know, knows soldier boys. So we locked down a agreement and we, you know, finished on data collab and now it's set to set for the video <inaudible> and we were ready to shoot the video. 3 (25m 49s): Is he going to be in the video with you? 5 (25m 50s): Oh, hell yeah man. Yeah. That's the, that's the main point Asian artists, you know, to do a song with. So your boy 3 (26m 1s): Really that's 5 (26m 4s): The first Asian artists won't have to do a Fisher with, you know, I'm the age first, never done any features with any Asian artists, you know, 3 (26m 12s): It's incredible. 5 (26m 13s): It's crazy. So, 3 (26m 15s): Wow. I'm looking forward to hearing that again. Runaway is an amazing song and I love, love what you got going on and I appreciate you taking time to do this interview. Thank you so much. 5 (26m 26s): Thank you. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. 3 (26m 30s): Are you playing out at all in San Diego doing live shows? 5 (26m 33s): I'm planning on Ampyra. I'm probably about to start doing some gags and stuff like little shows just for like, you know, get to get comfortable before, again, like doing before I started doing and stuff. 3 (26m 44s): Right, right. Is there any venue in San Diego that you were like, particularly want to play? 5 (26m 51s): I haven't done my researchers, but not really, but I'll perform anywhere. To be honest. 3 (26m 59s): There you go. 5 (27m 1s): The money's right. You know. 3 (27m 6s): Well, thank you again so much. I got one more question for you. I want to know if you have any advice for aspiring artists. 5 (27m 13s): Well, you guys just got to keep on trying, you know, and he's like, don't quit. Don't ever quit, man. You, you, you must have a team. You know, you gotta have a team to do this. You can't do this alone in the music and issue or else you'll get with the partner. You'll just want to quit. And then it will never happen. You need a team because you need a team to protect you and then to, you know, guide you too. So 3 (27m 39s): I love it. 5 (27m 40s): Just keep, yeah, just keep grinding. Don't quit. Don't ever quit. Make sure you finish it. You know, when you start something, you gotta finish it. That's just how it is, man.