RM stays truthful to every moment

As this is a written interview, I imagine that you’re answering these questions at your convenience. Could you tell the readers where you’re writing and what time it is? What do you see around you now?

I didn’t want to type my answers on my phone, so I waited until I could return to my studio and turn on my computer. It’s 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday, and I’m sitting on a chair in my studio, having worked out in the gym and worked on some songs. Looking around me, I notice a painting by Yun Hyong-keun that’s been decorating my wall for some time, and the studio equipment. I’m surrounded by familiar objects.

You’re scheduled to do a Vogue Korea cover shoot at the Korea Furniture Museum. Your fans expect you to take part in such photo ops for some sort of purpose beyond just producing nice pictures. What are you aiming for with the upcoming Vogue cover?

It’s actually my first time to appear on a cover all by myself. And the publication is Vogue, of all things! My fans are right to expect not just photos that are pleasing to the eye, but photos that express who I am, what I’m thinking, what I believe. There are so many other people who’d be more pleasant to look at on the cover than me. Since I’m doing this with Bottega Veneta, I also hope the brand’s philosophy will come through, but in a less obvious way.

An artist often suffers alone during the process of creation and expression, but some creative processes, like the upcoming photo shoot, can be very collaborative, involving many people. What are your rules on collaborating with others to achieve a certain artistic outcome?

I find myself meeting and working with a wide range of new people these days. This is quite refreshing and inspiring because I was used to working either alone or with just a few people. As for the rules … I’d say that I’m still working on them. The only rule I can think of now is to make sure that any stories about me convey my creative convictions, whatever the outlet may be. In order to convey these convictions, I believe I must consider my life from multiple viewpoints and live each day as fully as possible. I believe creativity comes from a commitment to life and a commitment to play. I try not to forget the fact that artistic creation is a job, just like any other.

You’ve exchanged comments on Instagram with Matthieu Blazy, Bottega Venetta’s creative director, with Blazy welcoming you to the brand family by posting pictures of your campaign. You responded that you were happy to join the effort. And you attended Bottega Venetta’s Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show in Milan this past February. Your all-black look was both Bottega Venetta and RM at the same time. You’ve spoken at length about music and art on many occasions, but you haven’t shared many of your thoughts about fashion. What does fashion mean to you?

I remember being quite impressed when I heard somewhere that “fashion is ideology.” This might sound like hyperbole, but I saw some truth in it. I’ve always thought of fashion as a statement of one’s attitude. You can’t walk around naked, can you? Fashion seems to give you an elegant and subtle tool for self-expression, but not in a way that forces others to consider and follow you. These days, though, I try not to read so much into anything, partly because I’ve learned that that kind of habit can eat away at me. Nevertheless, I still love fashion and see its importance. My own fashion has evolved over time, from street style to gothic, to American casual, to minimal.

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