Get introduced into the world of Gardening pop by Cheonan-based duo who dedicate their music to the sound of flowers, rivers, people and everything in between. Formed by Dohee and Sran, Maggie’s Garden blends folk, indie-pop and gentle rock textures to create a soundscape that masterfully translates the wonders of nature. Crafted in an analogue of calming, authentic sounds, the two are ready to bring their garden to life with the debut EP Seedling,
For Korean Indie Readers who are new to Maggie’s Garden, can you describe how you two met and how this project came together?
Dohee: We had already worked on some songs together for my latest album Blue Comedy, and it came out really well, and I felt there was good chemistry between us. And in 2024, I was preparing for my new EP. The music on this EP was quite different from my previous works, so I asked Sran to work with me as a guitarist, and I suggested that we work on the whole project together.
We never imagined it would turn into a full band, but here we are!
Did your previous works (Dohee’s solo work and Sran in Bosudong Cooler) find a way to influence the sound of Maggie’s Garden? Or has this project allowed an exploration into something new?
Sran: Bosudong Cooler’s music was quite serious. Actually, in my daily life, I usually don’t listen to serious music. I listen to more relaxed music like Indie pop, indie folk. Through Maggie’s Garden, I want to express a more comfortable side of myself.
Dohee: I, too, wanted to try something a little lighter than my solo work. When I take a walk, I love to listen to a lot of indie pop music. I tried to make my own songs like that, but it didn’t fit my solo work. Maggie’s Garden is a chance to try to make a more indie pop style of music.
You describe Maggie’s Garden’s music as Gardening pop — How did you settle on this particular sound/ concept?
We wanted to create our own genre. Because our band name is Maggie’s Garden, the idea of gardening came naturally, so we started calling our music “gardening pop.”
When I think of gardening, it feels relaxed and peaceful. We feel the same way when we listen to our music, so we started relating our songs to gardening. When you hear the term “Gardening Pop,” do you imagine those kinds of feelings, too? I think it’s interesting.
Also, in a garden there are many different elements such as soil, flowers, insects, sunlight, wind, and people. In the same way, our music has lots of different elements, and we don’t want to be trapped in a particular genre. We want to make the music we like and try different things, within our own genre.
Apart from the name, how have other artists like Bob Dylan and The Beatles influenced your music?
Sran: When I was a child. Every Sunday while we cleaned the house, my parents played records by The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Their music naturally flowed into my life. And these days, who hasn’t been influenced by their music?
Dohee: To be honest, the only song I really like by The Beatles is “Octopus’s Garden.” I used to listen to a lot of trip-hop artists like Portishead, Massive Attack, and Tricky. Then, in my early 20s, I started listening more to band music, especially artists like Daughter, Novo Amor, Big Thief, and Andy Shauf.
How do you two work together musically? (e.g. production/ song-writing)
We usually write songs separately, and then we share them and talk about them together. If we both like the song, we start working on the arrangement together.
You described Seedling as “the first seed of Gardening Pop” — what does this EP mean to you both/ or the project as a whole?
It literally means the first seed of Gardening Pop. We’re excited to see what kind of tree it will grow into and what kinds of flowers it might bloom.
What is your favourite track on the album and why?
Sran: I like “Year After Year” the most. It’s really hard for me to write songs like this that are simple and catchy with lots of energy.
Dohee: I listen to “With You” a lot. It’s the second song from the EP. It’s very cute
The lyrical content in the EP revolves around a strong theme of comfort and a sense of ease. Is this how you have always imagined peace to sound? How did you make creative decisions according to this theme?
Sran: I dreamed of having a feeling of calm and comfort inside – a healthy inner peace. When I moved to Cheonan, a small (actually not small, but smaller than Busan) city in central Korea, I found some of the things I had always dreamed of. The city has a lot of parks, trees, lakes, and rivers. Being close to nature makes me feel complete.
The sound and lyrics of Maggie’s first EP are about moving and nature. As a result, we chose to do one take recordings and did not use many audio effects when we mixed songs. In short, we’re looking for a more analogue and natural sound.
Dohee: I wanted it to sound relaxed but still upbeat like Year After Year. I think the rest of the tracks are similar.
How do you most recommend listeners to enjoy your music? (e.g. to listen while walking their dog, cooking meals, etc.)
Sran: When you spend time in your special garden or take a walk by the river. When you feel comfortable and in nature, there is your garden.
Dohee: I hope people listen to our music while going for a walk in a park with lots of trees or by a lake. I think our music can help them calm down or de-stress, and maybe they can use it for that.
Where do you place Maggie’s Garden in today’s music world?
Sran: A new band, made up of used parts. That’s what we call ourselves.
Dohee: We just started a new band, so I guess we’re still like a seed. But Sran and I have had a lot of musical experience through our previous work, so maybe we can grow faster than a normal seedling.
What do you want to bring about/hope to achieve with Maggie’s Garden?
Sran: It’s really exciting to build Maggie’s Garden’s identity with Dohee. I hope we can keep making music together for a long time.
Dohee: I’ve been making music as a solo artist for about six years, but now I’m in a band. Everything feels different, and I love it. I really enjoy sharing ideas with Sran and our session members, and I’d like to perform more because I didn’t get to play live that much before. I can’t wait to try new things with them.
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