New on the California Music Scene, Connie Lim

Charismatic Connie Lim Has Hot “Retrotonic” Sound

Hey music lovers, there’s something special about the charismatic Connie Lim. The former pre-Med student at U.C. Berkeley is poised to make an impact in the recording world with her infectious music. It’s an exciting new California sound, with songs that are modern, but also feel nostalgic. The kind of music you might hear in background of Hellcats, One Tree Hill, or Gossip Girl, which helps create a mood with the storytelling.

Connie Lim’s appearances up and down the West Coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle, have made her a rising star who has captivated the club crowd. She debuted her first music video “Sugar” at the famous Viper Room to raves.

And her title song from her second EP “The Hunted” has caught the attention of various media outlets, thanks to the social conscious lyrics she wrote. Lim says, “We are all hunted, or the underdog, in some way or another. I sing for that side within each of us.”

So who is Connie Lim, and where did she come from?

Connie breezed into the nostalgic Johnny Rockets at Hollywood and Highland in the heart of Tinseltown. A Vegan, she ordered a juicy Steamliner, 100% Soy Boca Burger and proceeded to bop to the Beach Boys retro harmonies that were playing on the jukebox. “I love great harmony. In college I joined an acappella group and learned a lot about harmonizing, which I now incorporate into my song arrangements.”

It is a hot, new sound, and the groundbreaking artist calls herself the voice of “retrotronica, which is nostalgic songwriting intertwined with electronic sentiments.” There’s also commentary woven into her songs, reflecting her spirit for humanity.

“I’m very honest with my songwriting,” she says. “If you’re not writing from the heart, the songs are not going to be good. You have to be completely open to whatever life presents to you.”

Wise words from the 24-year-old Connie Lim, a singer-songwriter who was born in Hollywood and raised in Palos Verdes, California. Lim found her love for music at age eight when she discovered her ability to write music. Lim continued to make music but never considered breaking from her traditional upbringing.

“My dad wanted me to be a doctor, because he said I had surgeon hands. But I tried to tell him I had piano hands.”

In the midst of studying medicine at U.C. Berkeley, she decided she would pursue music full time. “I did pre-med, but I was trying to be something I wasn’t. I’m proud that I got over the whole overachieving Asian stereotype and found the courage to tell my dad that I wanted to pursue my dreams.”

Once she made the commitment to her music, things started to happen. Within a year Lim recorded her first EP, “Shifting,” and after building a loyal following in the San Francisco Bay Area, she moved to Los Angeles. Over the past two years, Lim’s fan-base in L.A. has grown steadily.

Lim says she is inspired by artists such as Feist, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, and Natalie Merchant. And she continues to research music from around the world to create her unique sound. “When I was younger, I was really into Boys2Men and other soul bands. That is another influence that steeps into my music.”

All of that combines to create a fresh sound that permeates her second album release “The Hunted,” and her first music video “Sugar,” directed by Basak Erol. Other great numbers, including the title song from “The Hunted,” are “Now,” “There She Walks Again,” “Morning,” and “Walk On.”

Lim has gained attention from various media outlets including NBC4-LA, KSCI-TV, and KPCRadio.com. And MTV Iggy proclaims her music video as “a work of art.”

This year will end with some great gigs for Connie Lim. Coming up on Nov. 30, she’ll be at the Dragonfly Nightclub, Hollywood, Calif.; Dec. 17 at The Music Box, Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles; and Dec. 29 at Cinespace, Los Angeles. Among the other venues she has performed has been the famous Viper Room on the Sunset Strip where she premiered the exclusive release of her “Sugar” music video along with a full band performance. And she has wowed audiences at The Hotel Café, The House of Blues, Hotel Utah, and The Shrine Auditorium.

For fans who go to her website www.connielimmusic.com, she is offering a free download of her song “Morning.” Her great “Sugar” music video is also featured.

After her interview at Johnny Rockets, Connie took a stroll along Hollywood Boulevard and stopped at the Walk of Fame star for The Doors. Their sound was new and made an impact. Connie Lim is also poised to make an impact.