Alumnus to release introspective album about life experiences, self-improvement

Andrew Hean wanted to know what his friends were grateful for, so he made an album about it.

Releasing Oct. 18, the UCLA alumnus said his album, “Thankful for Chickens that Don’t Hatch,” is meant to evoke feelings of nostalgia and introspection. Many of the tracks reference his childhood and how his upbringing has gone on to influence his adult life. Hean said he wants people to pay attention to every lyric, with the hope that the songs’ unvarnished messages will resonate with them.

“Although this isn’t a concept album, I try my best to paint the story of my life,” he said. “There’s so much we can learn from other people’s journeys, and I think we can find solace in knowing we’re not alone.”

Growing up, Hean said Cambodian music was a big part of his household. As the son of Cambodian refugees, he said listening to traditional Cambodian music connected him to his roots. He felt compelled to share that piece of himself in the album through personalized lyrics.

Part of putting his life on display for others has meant telling real stories through his songs, Hean said. As a teenager, Hean worked at a doughnut shop, and he recalls spending countless hours playing cards with an elderly man who used to frequent the store. Hean said whenever he felt like he was close to winning the game, the man would say, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” That saying inspired the title of his upcoming album and encompasses the soundtrack’s message of perseverance and continual self-improvement, he said.

“Over the past few years, I’ve realized that things aren’t always as they seem,” he said. “There’s often some harsher reality behind a seemingly perfect truth. But I think that’s kind of the beauty of life. You don’t always know what’s coming next.”

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One way that Hean hopes to unite his listeners is by singing about his Cambodian American identity, he said. Historically, Hean said many Cambodian Americans have struggled to combat high poverty rates and low education retainment rates. And realities are often clouded by preconceived notions about the Asian American population, he said.

Hean said the Asian American identity often doesn’t include people from the Southeast, so their cultures are not as widely known. He explores these issues in his music by relaying his cultural experiences through rap, and he believes that anyone, regardless of their race, can relate to feeling ostracized at times.

“To record the album, I didn’t go to a professional studio,” he said. “Instead, I had a studio set up at home. I think that allowed me to focus more on the vocal performance since I was doing it in a setting I was comfortable in. I was able to enhance my own artistic expression,”

Hean said his song “Chameleon” is a reflection of his childhood and how he often felt pressure to blend in. Just like chameleons change their color, Hean said he occasionally assimilated at the expense of his own identity.

Karena Kaing, one of Hean’s friends who is featured on the album, said his music is relatable because it is lyrically honest and vulnerable. Especially with the increasing prevalence of social media, she said we often only see the positive parts of people’s lives, but Hean tries to showcase both the highs and lows, in both an academic and personal setting.

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Prior to the album release, Kaing said Hean asked his friends to record themselves listing things they are grateful for. The exercise, she said, forced her to form more nuanced and personalized answers to avoid trivialized or mainstream ones. She said she’s grateful for the ability to fight against injustice but knows that activism isn’t possible for women in many other parts of the world. Voicing her opinions in the song made her think critically about her impact on the world, Kaing said.

“His album tackles the complex questions of the world and challenges the way we perceive things,” she said. “There are often multiple ways to interpret the songs.”

One of the songs that is open to interpretation is “Family,” said Melanie Taing, who is also featured on the album. She sings about the complexity of family and how she doesn’t believe it to be strictly biological. However, the song can also be seen as an ode to the power of familial bonds, she said.

“One of the most difficult parts of making this album was getting out of my own head,” Hean said. “I knew I couldn’t be an authentic artist while putting on an image. It’s hard to be comfortable with candid self-expression, yet it couldn’t be more important.”