HAVEN opens up on the power of self-love and how she learned to prioritize herself.
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Some of us yearn to find the one we picture ourselves being together with. HAVEN, a 19-year-old Singapore-based musician, tells us we can picture our future selves first before finding others. Her latest single, Future Somebody, was a journey in that.
The original lyrics of the single were about her finding that future somebody in someone else. Her producer suggested changing the lyrics to about loving herself for her future self. That seemingly simple suggestion changed everything and empowered her to appreciate all the good things about herself since she struggled with self-love in the past. A few tweaks later, and came the release of Future Somebody last January 2023 and a change in perspective in life many can relate to.
Over a Zoom interview, HAVEN had the chance to share with NYLON Manila about her single, Future Somebody, appreciating the little things in life, and more.
THE LITTLE THINGS
“I never stopped and appreciated the little things that were going on in my life,” says HAVEN when reflecting on her COVID-19 pandemic experience. The then 16-year-old was three years into pursuing her music aspirations when the world shut down in 2020. She was also less than a year into releasing her debut single. But HAVEN didn’t let the quarantine dampen her spirits as she’d make a new song out of it. She even called her friends for a video call and asked them to create a song with her.
Although music has been there her whole life, the pandemic taught her that the things around her are important. It’s a feeling that she links to her favorite book of all time, The Alchemist. HAVEN summarized that the treasure in the book is finding your purpose in life, but in the end, it’s necessary to have fun and experience everything.
The end goal is there, but the experiences along the way teach us. It’s those experiences that have made for a steady climb for this Singaporean artist. Over the past few years, she’s slowly been building her name and career, which includes working with Filipino acts such as KD Estrada and Kyle Echarri. And with her signing to WILD Entertainment in 2022 (the same company Nadine Lustre is set to release a new song with later this year), the potential is boundless.
RED STRING
In the music video for Future Somebody, which serves as her debut single under WILD Entertainment, HAVEN and a male actor have a red string wrapped around their wrists. If that scene looks familiar, that’s because she took inspiration from one of the biggest anime films of the 2010s, Your Name. “It intertwines and tangles, but it’s a connection between two people.”
The storyline of the music video starts with the attraction of two people followed by curiosity throughout the relationship. But as it continues, the relationship proves to be less than healthy. As the relationship goes into chaos, the music video ends with the clipboard placed on a desk. On that clipboard, there is a therapist’s note and HAVEN is the patient. HAVEN says that’s the plot twist. This is done intentionally to show that life isn’t as straightforward as it seems as we’re continuously experimenting and searching to find the one. “The love for yourself is so much bigger than we think,” HAVEN explains as she reassures us that we will find the one, but it starts with self-love first.
ACCEPTANCE
While HAVEN’s latest work is all about self-love, she had points in her life where she had to let things go. Pursuing a music career also meant that HAVEN had to sacrifice things along the way. Education was one of those sacrifices that she had to put on hold. She couldn’t have her heart in two different places and focused on her music full-time. Still, there is a silver lining to the moment. “If I’m doing this, I’m going to give it my all.”
The younger version of herself was terrified at the time, deciding to put her education on hold. But now that she’s older and wiser, the present-day version of HAVEN feels that she’s doing what she loves to do. What matters most is that she tried her best even if things didn’t go well. “You are responsible for yourself and your future.” HAVEN reminds herself and her fans that what is meant for you will be meant for you. Nurturing our future somebody of ourselves will help us be there for our future partners. It’s a tale as old as time, but self-love and learning to focus on yourself first will never let you down.
Photos Courtesy of WILD Entertainment
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