INTRODUCING SELENA: the ascendent Korean artist and Truesoul debutant shares her story

A hotbed of unearthing next gen production talent, Adam Beyer’s Truesoul has released a strong EP by rising Korean artist Selena this month via her ‘Green Light’ two-tracker. In the artist’s own words, the project is centred around themes of “freedom, forward-motion and self-discovery”. She explains further: "I wanted this EP to capture the feeling of moving forward, even when things feel uncertain. For me, freedom isn't about having all the answers — it's about trusting yourself enough to keep going.

Naturally intrigued, we wanted to learn more and grabbed the emerging artist for a chat.

Q: Hey Selena, great to be chatting with you. Give us a small lowdown on who you are as a producer and DJ.

A: Thanks for having me! I’m a Korean DJ and producer currently based in Barcelona. My sound is rooted in techno, but I’ve always been drawn to music that balances energy and emotion. Driving grooves are a big part of what I do, alongside uplifting melodies, strong synths and memorable vocal elements.

The same applies to my DJ sets. I like there to be a sense of progression and movement rather than staying in one place musically. For me, it’s about building a journey, creating different moments throughout the set and, most importantly, connecting with the crowd.

Q: Who were your musical heroes growing up?

A: I was interested in the electronic music scene from a young age, and Carl Cox and Adam Beyer were two artists I listened to a lot growing up. They both had a huge influence on my interest in electronic music and, later, techno.

Q: When did you first get into electronic music and later imagine a career in it?

A: My mom has always loved electronic music, so I think I was naturally exposed to it from a very young age. She would always play music at home, and because of that, I connected with electronic music much earlier than I did with other genres.

Things became more serious when I moved to Spain for university. That was when I really immersed myself in the techno scene and started experiencing the music and culture around it on a much deeper level. Eventually, simply listening to the music wasn’t enough anymore. I became curious about creating it myself, started DJing and producing, and gradually realised that this was something I wanted to pursue seriously.

Q: Green Light’ is fantastic. How long did the whole process take to make the tracks and what’s one specific challenge and joy you took from the process?

A: Thank you! “Green Light” took around two months to finish. Earlier this year, I was in New York for a few days, and there was so much snow that I ended up spending most of my time inside the hotel. That was actually where the first idea for the track came together.

I found a catchy vocal that immediately inspired me and started building a sketch around it. From there, I had the idea of combining the vocal with an old-school-inspired synth sound, and the identity of the track gradually started to take shape.

The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between those elements. I wanted the track to feel fresh while still carrying some of that old-school character, without either side feeling forced. Finding that balance took some time, but it also became the most rewarding part of the process. Hearing those two worlds finally come together in a way that felt natural was a really satisfying moment for me :)

Q: How was the set recently opening for Adam Beyer at INPUT?

A: It was amazing. Adam Beyer has been one of my biggest inspirations for a long time, so it was a real honor to open for him.

Because I was playing for two and a half hours, I wanted the set to have a proper journey and progression. I started with tech house and gradually moved into more driving techno before finishing with more melodic and trancey sounds. My main goal was to build the energy naturally throughout the night and create the right atmosphere before Adam took over. Seeing the room fill up and the energy gradually rise throughout the set was a really special feeling.

Q: When did you move to Barcelona exactly? That must have been a big thing going to school there. How was the experience and how much does Spain feel like home now?

A: I moved to Barcelona about a month ago. I was born and raised in Korea, but I spent my university years in Málaga. I had always planned to stay in Spain afterwards, but because of COVID, I ended up moving back to Korea. So finally returning and starting a new chapter here feels really special. Even while I was living in Korea, I would still come back to Spain at least twice a year. Korea will always be where I’m from, but Spain has always felt like home to me in a different way. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to more than 30 countries so far, but there’s something about Spain that has always connected with me. The culture, lifestyle, people, food and overall energy really suit who I am. Coming back here doesn’t really feel like moving somewhere new. In many ways, it feels more like returning home.

Q: How often do you get back to Seoul? How’s the scene over the electronic music scene over there?

A: My parents are still in Korea, so I’m actually going back for a short visit next week. Going forward, I’ll probably return every three months or so.

I can definitely say that the electronic music scene in Korea is growing. Commercial EDM is still bigger than the techno scene, but compared to two or three years ago, there has been a noticeable change. More people are becoming interested in different styles of electronic music, and the scene is continuing to develop. I really hope that growth continues and that we see even more diversity in the Korean electronic music scene in the future.

Q: What’s coming up next for you?

A: I’ve been working on a lot of new music alongside the release of “Green Light.” My main goal is to finish another four or five tracks by the end of the summer, so that’s where most of my focus is right now. After that, I want to continue developing my sound, release more music and play more shows across Europe. Moving to Barcelona feels like the beginning of a new chapter for me, so I’m really excited to see where it takes me next.

Get it on Beatport