BEAUTY & GLAM
Gazelle: What is your ultimate goal?
Mai Lee: My ultimate goal is to inspire
everyone in the world to never give up, be
who you are and accept our differences as
people. I really want to speak to the youth
all over the world, especially in my country.
I want them to believe in themselves and
have the attitude of “Why can’t it be me that
changes the world?” I want to bring back
music that made me feel good when I was
younger. Music is my escape, and I want my
audience to fall in love with my music and
the message that it provides.
Gazelle: What do you love about making
music in St. Louis?
Mai Lee: I love the grind, the pureness and
the realism of what St. Louis brings out of
my music. I’m working with Bradd Young
and Vega on my EP! This experience has
been a life-changing journey. Not only am
I working with some of the best producers
here, I’m surrounded by so many great
musicians in St. Louis. We have a big musical
scene here, which helps out a lot as well.
You are who you surround yourself with. I’m
definitely surrounded by talented people that
are from St. Louis.
Gazelle: What has been your biggest
challenge?
Mai Lee: My biggest challenge is carving
out a blueprint and a plan which would
put me in a position to become the first
100 percent Asian R&B/Pop superstar in
America. There have been many successful
Asian artists in other genres, but none
have dominated R&B and Pop. When I
accomplish this, I will be the first Asian to
do this in this country.
Gazelle: What keeps you going?
Mai Lee: What keeps me going is realizing
my dreams, seeing them come into fruition,
being able to share my gifts with the world
and my family. My parents opened the first
Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis. We are
in the business of being first, and I want to
continue the tradition of that legacy.