Meet Simon J. Li | Film Composer & Record Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Simon J. Li and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Simon, why did you pursue a creative career?
I can actually trace back to the precise moment when I realized making music was all I ever wanted to do. In my sixth grade music class, we were tasked with creating a song from scratch using GarageBand. Up until then, playing the piano was more of a chore, and something I did to satisfy my parents. That project sparked in me a whole new fascination for music, and made me realize that music is so much more than playing pieces that others had written centuries ago. Immediately afterwards I became obsessed with making beats and trying to recreate the sounds that I loved listening to, but doing this as a career still seemed like such a fantasy.

Although I played in bands in school, I came from a very quantitative, STEM-centric background. All through school and college, I was bouncing back and forth between different science and math majors. All that did was make me understand that nothing came remotely close to my love of music, and reaffirmed that all I wanted to do in my life was music.

As I shifted more into film music and started finding my musical identity, the idea of pursuing music as a career began to feel more and more realistic. I had flown halfway across the globe to find new opportunities and meet people on the same path as myself. I felt there was no point in me being here and doing something that I didn’t have a fiery passion for, and that I owed it to myself to take a shot at my dream. With all the academic and job expectations coming out of college, it was hard to make the jump into the creative world, but I am so grateful every day that I did.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For me, film music has been the perfect intersection of my love for writing music and storytelling. I’m not much of a verbal storyteller, but I feel that I can say so much more with the notes I play or sounds I make, and I love writing music for a purpose.

I didn’t come from a traditional music education background, so I like to think that my music is unique in its own way. My musical language has mostly come from absorbing and consuming music like everybody else, listening to all kinds of music and seeing what sticks, and being inspired to put my own spin on sounds and concepts I loved. I’m always excited for any opportunity to combine my background in beatmaking and electronic music with my film work, and it’s really fun to see more of this happening in mainstream film and TV music. For each project I work on, I try to introduce something new to my palette—I want to make sure the filmmakers I collaborate with get the sound that they came to me for, as well as hear something they may not have thought of originally.

The film and music industries are notoriously hard to break into, and can be a major source of apprehension for a lot of artists. I’m really thankful for my time at NYU Steinhardt—my professors and mentors have helped prepare me to confidently take the next step in my career. I’ve found that it’s really easy to feel like you’re wandering around hopelessly when you read about how all these successful composers got to where they are, but I’ve also learned that everybody’s experiences and fortunes are so individualized that no two paths can possibly be the same. It’s a bit like trying to get onto the highway riding a skateboard, and I’ve come to understand that it’s important to go at your own pace and embrace your own strengths. I doubt you’ll see a lot of sedans doing flips on a half-pipe.

At the end of the day, I want to be known not just for my music, but also as someone who is fun to work with and share ideas with. One of my favorite things about being a film composer is that I get to contribute to something that is so much bigger than myself. Composition can be quite an isolating profession—it’s really easy to sit by yourself in your studio for hours and days on end before you realize it. I always cherish every chance I get to collaborate with directors and fellow creatives and work together to build something amazing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My absolute favorite thing to do in NYC is biking around the tip of Manhattan, through Battery Park, and up along Hudson River Park. It’s an endless stretch of picturesque bike lanes, and it’s such a joy to see so many families enjoying the sunshine out by the river. I can always count on it when I need to clear my head and reset emotionally.

To really get a taste of the city, there’s nothing more New York than Broadway. There are so many shows to see, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of it all.

And for a night out, nothing beats a few hours of karaoke with a bunch of friends, followed by some late night dessert. It’s not often that you get to let loose like that, and I just love how you get to enjoy the music in its most raw form.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I truly wouldn’t be the person and musician I am today if it weren’t for Emma Featherstone and Paul West, the music directors at my elementary and high schools, respectively. I owe them so much for encouraging me to love music. Some of the most memorable moments of my life have been the times I’ve spent with my school bands and fellow musicians at rehearsals, band camps, performances, and on tour. I was an extremely shy and reserved kid—Emma and Paul were the ones who made me feel the most seen, and gave me the confidence to express myself in front of others.

I’m grateful for my friends on both sides of the world who have supported me on my journey, in particular Shuba (@shubamusic) for leading by example and giving me the confidence to take the leap of faith and pursue music full-time.

And of course, none of this would be possible without the endless love from my parents. I feel blessed that they are 100% behind me as I pursue this dream of mine, and a support system like this is all an artist could ask for. They always said that one day I’d thank them for making me practice piano, to which my six-year-old self would scoff and roll my eyes. Well, here I am saying it to the world: Thank you Mom, thank you Dad.

Website: https://www.simonlimusic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonlimusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonjli_

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12599954/?ref_=rvi_nm

Image Credits
Pearl Lens Studio