MayTree on A Cappella, Ambition, and America’s Got Talent

An in-depth conversation about the a cappella group’s beginnings, big milestones, and future plans!

Please introduce yourselves! 

S.I.: I’m S.I., the leader, percussion, and high tenor of MayTree. Musically, I'm in charge of recording and mixing. 

ER!KA: I am Soo-yeon Lim, ER!KA, and I mainly sing high notes. I bring song and sound [ideas that I think would be interesting in a cappella] to MayTree.

Soo: I am Soo, the alto in MayTree. I am mainly responsible for the musical details.

Wonjong: I am Kim Won-jong, the vocal bass in MayTree.

Hoony: And I am Kwon Young-hoon, Hoony, the youngest member who plays the tenor part in MayTree.

How did each of you become interested in singing a cappella? 

S.I.: From a young age, I became very interested in choral music due to the influence of my mother, who was a member of a broadcast station’s choir. My love for a cappella deepened after listening to Boyz II Men’s debut album.

Wonjong: It was also thanks to Boyz II Men for me. In high school, I heard Boyz II Men's a cappella and realized the bass sounded just like my voice. 

Soo: As a kid, I loved harmony-rich music, like classical music and The King's Singers. When I became an adult, I thought, “Why not try a cappella?," and that's how it started.

ER!KA: A senior at university told me that there was an a cappella club and invited me to go with him, so I went to see it and became interested, and I found out there were a lot of a cappella songs [that I] liked. 

Hoony: I've been in a choir since high school and went on to study applied music.

Do you remember your first impressions of each other? 

S.I.: I first met Soo 24 years ago at an a cappella club. It takes a lot of courage to come out and sing with them, so I had the impression that she was a small but confident person. Before joining MayTree, I used to see Wonjong frequently. He knew how to enjoy various forms of entertainment. Soprano ER!KA was a very sincere and meticulous person, and she still lives her life with sincerity. Tenor Hoony seemed to be a mysterious person, but he [gave] a funny impression. Even now, he still holds many secrets, but he is the source of positive energy in the team.

Wonjong: I sensed the innocent passion towards a cappella in S.I., Soo, and ER!KA, and [I sensed] the positive energy that S.I. mentioned in Hoony.

Soo: I felt a strong confidence in Wonjong. When I saw [ER!KA, I thought,] “She is so pretty!” Yes, that was it!

ER!KA: I think all the members seemed not [very] affectionate, but that's what I really liked about MayTree. I liked the no-frills [attitude] and think that's one of our strengths.

Are there any fellow a cappella artists who inspire you? 

S.I.: I have been inspired by all a cappella artists, but if I had to pick one, I'd say The Real Group. They're the most creative and unique a cappella group I've ever experienced. In particular, the fact that they have been releasing new music until recently has taught me a lot about what it means to be diligent and consistent. And I cannot just skip talking about my team, MayTree. As with any team, there have been a lot of difficult times for us, but we came together and managed to break through.

Hoony: For me, Pentatonix. They made the a cappella genre popular nowadays.

ER!KA: She is not exactly an a cappella artist, but the first [person] that comes to mind is the French musician Camille, best known for the Ratatouille [song] “Le Festin.” A friend introduced me to her 2008 album Music Hole, and to this day, it's my go-to when I'm stuck or just can't get [the music] right. She is [a] musician [whose music is] full of [ideas for] a cappella.

MayTree has gone through some lineup changes over the years, but what about the group has always stayed the same?

S.I.: The journey to “find something that is beautiful and moving because it is from human voices” began when MayTree was first created 24 years ago. This is more than just the act of singing, but a different kind of experience for those who listen. This is [still] MayTree’s philosophy, so the new members must have had a hard time when they first joined.

Soo: I'll talk about the environmental aspect. It's [still] about working happily and efficiently through mutual respect, consideration, and empathy. And creating an environment where each member can show off their charms through music!

ER!KA: I also think the philosophy of “grasping what matters most without frills” has always been maintained. I like that, and that made me join MayTree.

What is your personal favorite MayTree a cappella cover/medley, and why? 

Wonjong: The Squid Game medley is a work we are grateful for that has brought us to who we are today.

Soo: [The medley of] iPhone sound effects! It made me realize the importance of communicating with listeners. I had never thought people would like to hear familiar music with unfamiliar sounds!

S.I.: My favorites change every day, but today, [it’s our cover of] BTS’s “Dynamite.” As a leader, there were a lot of huge worries during the pandemic, but I remember arranging [this cover] desperately. I hoped that the cover would be loved by many people and that my worries would be resolved.

Hoony: [Our] cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.” The first time I sang the arrangement after Wonjong made it, I was like, "Wow, is this going to work?" But it worked! I really love the cover.

Soo: [Our] Encanto medley. There were a lot of interesting ideas in the original songs, and I had so much fun expressing them a cappella.

How long did it take before you felt like you had gotten good at a cappella? How did you grow your confidence in your a cappella skills? 

ER!KA: It wasn't long before I felt “I am generally stable” as an a cappella singer, [but] the process of building confidence is ongoing. As an a cappella singer who must play both accompaniments and solos, I think endurance is the most important thing. That endurance, the amount of practice, and the mental management result in confidence. 

Soo: It's really hard for me to feel like I'm good at [a cappella]. I'm still working on it! To build confidence, I speak to myself onstage: “No one here knows a cappella better than I do!”

S.I.: I tend to lose confidence the moment I realize I'm not doing well. That's why I'm always telling myself I'm good. This gives me peace of mind, and it gives me the strength to be curious and learn about better skills, rather than being stuck with checking the skills I've been doing. The important thing is thinking that I'm already doing well but [also thinking] when I look at other great performances [that I want to do better].

Wonjong: I've felt [like] I'm good at [a cappella since] the very beginning of my career. Of course, there are some difficult songs! [But] I think confidence in skills is cultivated by daring to try.

Hoony: I tell myself, “I'm the best.” That's how I feel confident when I’m onstage!

How do you decide which songs or sound effects to sing, and do you ever get into disagreements about which ones to include in your medleys? How do you handle those disagreements? 

Soo: Soo-yeon usually chooses [the] songs. She finds out what people like these days, and the members trust her. That's why there [aren’t] many disagreements.

ER!KA: The good and bad thing about being active for a long time is that the members' ideas become generally similar. I feel like some of the people in the team should always try to be inspired by something new or something old. I like that kind of process! Fortunately, I don't get that much opposition. Step by step, [we] explain each other's ideas [and] exchange concerns. As these ideas have paid off, I'm grateful to the members, because they have built trust in me, and I [now] feel more comfortable sharing my opinions.

S.I.: As Soo and ER!KA said, the most important thing is to trust each other. If someone gives us an opinion, we have to arrange it, practice it, and think about it together so that we can finally get the sound we want. Of course, these processes are time-consuming, so we use as much time as we need. As long as we have the energy to get to the sound we want, it's worth the time. We value each member's opinion and do not stand in the way [of any idea]. [There are some] disagreements, but keeping in mind that [each idea is an] important opinion, we take the time to practice and think about [all of] them together.

Wonjong: In this way, we choose and create content that more people can relate to and that MayTree can express well!

How long does it usually take to make an a cappella cover, from the rehearsals to the final video upload? 

ER!KA: Every song is different, and it's a difficult question because our skills are different now than they were a few years ago!

S.I.: These days, it can be as short as two days or as long as one week. Even simple songs sometimes take a long time to arrange. There are only five members, so sometimes we feel like there are more rooms or ideas to fill in to make a song sound better. [For other] songs, even though they sound difficult, they are resolved in an instant. Now that we are quite experienced, we can quickly figure out how long [each] will take. Because of this, the arrangement, practice, and shooting schedules are easy to grasp and control.

I would love to learn about what your experience was like on America’s Got Talent!

What led to your decision to audition? 

S.I.: I've always been very interested in AGT, but I didn't even know how to appear. One day, we got a message from AGT [asking us] to appear on the show, [and] there was no reason not to. 

Was it one specific member’s idea to audition, or were all of you equally excited about it? 

ER!KA: It was everyone's decision! Everyone was well aware of the impact of this program, of course.

S.I.: Some were bewildered, some were nervous, and some were excited. Each member's character was clearly revealed.

Soo: I'll reveal it now: I don't know if I really wanted it like anyone else, but since everyone was so passionate, I thought it was important to follow the opinions of the other members!

S.I., you mentioned on the show that you started MayTree as “revenge” for being kicked out of a previous group! Did you ever hear back from that group?! 

S.I.: I received a congratulatory call. It's been a long time now, and the former members of the group are still doing a great job making music, and I'm also making a living as a musician. I don't think there's any reason not to support each other. 

How did you prepare to audition? How did you decide which theme songs to include in your first audition’s medley? 

S.I.: Since it was such a big audition program, the preparation process itself was not easy. We prepared lots of songs and handed them over to the team at AGT to pick a few, and then we were asked to revise some of them, and then we were asked to revise them again. What we wanted to do was give listeners in the U.S. memories from the past and great impressions [of] us.

Wonjong: To impress Americans, we thought it would be great to have [a medley of] classic TV [theme songs].

Hoony: Since the culture is different, we thought we should prepare songs that are popular in American culture and are known to many people.

Which of your a cappella covers/medleys was...

... the easiest or the fastest to make? 

ALL: Squid Game!

S.I.: Squid Game, which has been viewed 280 million times, was arranged, rehearsed, and filmed in only two days. [Note: As of publication time, the video has surpassed 285 million views.]

... the most challenging to make? 

S.I.: The Simpsons was really difficult and tricky. Songs with orchestras or big bands are usually difficult, given that there are only five of us. 

Wonjong: Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”

Hoony: Me too! “Master of Puppets”!

ER!KA: GameCube sounds from [the video of] Nintendo sound effects.

Soo: [The one with] PlayStation sound effects. There was almost no melody, so it was very difficult for me to express.

 ... the most fun to make? 

S.I.: I enjoyed [working on] “Psycho.” During practice, the highlights were so similar to the original that we were surprised and had a lot of fun working on them. In no time, it had well over 30 million views on Instagram Reels. After all, we had to have fun to get a good response!

Soo: One more for “Psycho”! It was a lot of fun to sing that famous sound, that string sound that sounds like a scream!

ER!KA: “Psycho” [for me too]!

Wonjong: For me, “UEFA Champions League”!

... the one that got the most surprising reactions? 

S.I.: Squid Game. I didn't have high expectations, because we gave up on the video we were originally going to upload and arranged, practiced, and filmed [a new one] in two days. But we had an amazing [reaction] within a few hours of uploading the video. 

Soo: Squid Game. We got a lot of views in a very short amount of time!

Wonjong: [The one with] Windows sounds!

ER!KA: [The one with] iPhone sound effects!

What advice would you give someone who wants to try a cappella for the first time?

S.I.: Listen to and be interested in a variety of music. Think of a cappella not as a genre, but as a way of expressing music. You need to know how to express various types of music to perform great a cappella. You don't have to be too sensitive about the small musical details, but don't give up too easily.

Hoony: I'm so happy that so many people are interested in and like a cappella. I hope that those who are going to do it as a hobby for the time being really enjoy it, and [I hope] those who are going to be active as professionals should [know that] it's really difficult...

Soo: Love a cappella. That's it.

ER!KA: Gathering true colleagues to join you will be the hardest but most empowering thing to do.

Wonjong: No advice. Enjoy!

What are your short-term and long-term goals for MayTree?

S.I.: My short-term plan is to fill the Christmas album with great music. I found a great mixing engineer and am learning a lot from him. As someone who is in a leadership role, my long-term plan is to continue to support all members so that they are comfortable with a cappella music. A cappella music is music that everyone needs to do together, so this long-term plan is important. 

Soo: In the short term, [finish] the carol album. In the long run, it's about making as many original works as possible.

Hoony: My short-term plan is [to finish the] carol album. My long-term plan is to work as a singer for a long time while maintaining good health!

Wonjong: [My] short-term plan is also to finish the carol album! The ultimate goal is to establish myself as a good musician through original songs and to have fun for a long time.

ER!KA: Release [the] 2024 Christmas album and [perform] hundreds of concerts! [I] can’t wait to meet fans!

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourselves or your music? 

S.I.: We're making every piece of music to the best of our abilities. I'm so grateful to be loved now, but I'm trying to make sure that MayTree’s music will continue to be heard in the future. I would appreciate it if you could listen to it every time [new] music comes out!

Soo: I think it's important to work together to [both] show off your individuality and shine beautifully as a member of the group.

Wonjong: As long as [we each] have a healthy body and mind, I think [we] will continue to make good music.

Hoony: Though [long] odds might be in front of you, GO AHEAD! There is an endless road open to you!

ER!KA: Whether it rains or snows, the sun always rises and sets, so MayTree’s music, my fundamental heart for music, will always be preserved. We hope that the changes we see in each song will be a small gift to those who listen. I also want to thank the fans [for] watching.

Keep up with MayTree on Instagram and TikTok!

Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity. Photo credit: Instagram.