Interview: Textpainting with LMST – Reconciling with the Ordinary Self

Images courtesy of K-lab Company

A sales director at an IT company by day and a talented singer-songwriter by night, LMST strives to be your artist-next-door, making music about the wide spectrum of emotions that people all around the world experience in their daily lives.

‘Lenny, a restless creator of catchy music and art content’.

LMST stands for “LENNY MAKES SOME-THING.” Always working to create music and visual content, it’s embedded in his brand that Lenny wishes to express himself and be a voice for others that he could not do so by living the ordinary life.

From navigating the artist alter ego to the introspection of the ordinary through his latest release, “Satellite”:

Is there an event or feeling that specifically inspired this song?

“Satellite” is a song that reflects our lives, orbiting through our daily routines, likening ourselves to satellites. Satellites, for some reason, revolve around planets—far larger and brighter than themselves—sometimes envying the planet, and at other times, wondering about the world beyond their own orbit. I wanted to tell the story and thoughts of these satellites.

I think about how each of us is living our lives and walking our own paths. One day, as I was following my not-so-different orbit, a flood of questions overwhelmed me. The endless dissatisfaction with my present life overlapped with the memories of the past that seemed good, and the comparison of my own life with the seemingly impressive paths of others. I found myself searching for answers, yet failing to find them, feeling like I was drifting further away each day.

This self-reflection made me draw the parallels between the cyclical nature of life and that of a satellite, which is how this song eventually came about.

If you were to visualize “Satellite” with 1-3 colors, what color(s) would you choose, and why?

The first color that came to mind when creating this song was the dark color of the night sky. It was the time of day when I decided to make this song, and it felt like a time that would suit the song well. However, it’s not the typical deep black, but rather a mysterious shade of black with a hint of starlight or moonlight.

The second color was red, inspired by the red traffic lights I witnessed on a calm night. In the music video, there are red cactus flowers and a chair, which act as signals conveying a certain meaning to the protagonist. They serve as signals asking, “How do you feel about the orbit you’re on?” or “How about pausing for a moment to reflect?” like a traffic light.

Lastly, green came to mind. In contrast to the red, green seems to symbolize a signal that it’s okay to stop thinking and start a new orbit. I also think green is a calming color, and I hope that people who listen to this song feel that sense of calmness.

What is a line in “Satellite” that holds special significance to you?

“What should I do now? Just circle till I find. I’m Satellite.”

Anxiety and uncertainty in daily life seem to be inevitable. So sometimes it seems insignificant to look like a satellite, not a planet. Nevertheless, I thought I should focus on what I can do in my daily life.

Like a satellite that silently orbits a planet, I believe that if I silently focus on my life, one day I will be able to find something new and move toward it.

How does this song bring closure for you personally, and how would you hope listeners who are experiencing the same feelings can reconcile with themselves?

Resolutions can sometimes come more naturally and subtly than expected. On a summer night during a sleepless walk, I thought to myself and decided to try and make a change. Even if I haven’t immediately found a clear answer to life yet, I could still focus on every moment in my daily orbit and find meaning in it.

Just as how I’ve found positive energy by eating delicious food, moving my body, resting well, and going out to meet new people, celebrating these “small successes” in maintaining my daily routine accumulate, and naturally develop the belief that I can successfully handle the uncertainty that lies beyond any changes.

For those out there, I hope we could cross paths through our common feelings and in that moment, I hope our orbits can briefly touch, allowing us to greet and comfort each other.

Are there any new musical directions you want to explore for future projects?

I’ve been thinking about incorporating more live instrument sounds into my music. While creating “Satellite,” I fell in love with the charm of the guitar. I’d like to experiment with music that features real instruments like guitar, live drums, and live piano. My goal is to create music that’s more vibrant, and brings out another layer of appeal when performing at concerts or recording live video clips.

As for the theme of my music, I want to explore and focus more on the small emotions we experience in everyday life, making them relatable to people all around the world. I aim to write lyrics and create themes that can be visualized in the listener’s mind through the music.

Interview by Victoria Ng

To keep up with LMST’s latest music and projects, make sure to follow him on social media:

🪐 Instagram @lmst_thing

🪐 Youtube @lmst_thing

~ Tune into “Satellite”, out now on all major platforms! ~