Megan Lee On Making Her Mark
With a slew of acting and singing skills in her toolbox, 24-year-old Megan Lee is more than ready to make her mark on the entertainment industry. In 2015, she was cast in the lead role of Sun Hi on Nickelodeon's hit TV show Make It Pop, which follows the story of three teenage girls who form a K-pop inspired band. The Korean-American actress is also known for her singing talent, displayed on videos across her YouTube channel that have garnered 43M+ views; indeed, she even partnered with renowned vocalist Jason Mraz on a cover of his song “Lucky.” Lee’s debut single “8 Dayz” was particularly popular in Korea, earning a spot on the Top 40 charts. She now continues her music career in the US: she has released songs under Spinnin' Records, collaborated with fellow musicians Timothy Delaghetto and Andrew Garcia, and even competed on Season 14 of NBC’s The Voice on Team Alicia Keys. Lee has appeared in numerous national commercials throughout her career as well, including McDonalds, Verizon, Nintendo. Get to know Lee as she reflects on the experiences that have changed her life:
Which was your first love: acting or singing?
My first love was singing, for sure! I grew up in church and loved performing in front of friends and family. I started to pursue acting at the age of 10.
What was the audition process like for Make it Pop?
I sent in a self-tape audition for the open casting, and after multiple rounds of callbacks, around seven months later, I got the part of Sun Hi!
What was your favorite part of filming Make it Pop? What was the most challenging part?
My favorite part was definitely the integrated music videos within the scenes of the episodes. The most challenging part of working on the show was juggling rehearsal time with filming time. Time was a crunch for sure.
Why did you decide to audition for The Voice?
I had some free time on my hands after finishing Make It Pop and wanted to try something new and different! I'd always wanted to be on the show, so I thought I'd give it a try.
How did you feel when Alicia Keys turned her chair?
I couldn't believe it! That moment felt so surreal, and I'm incredibly honored that she chose me to be on her team.
How would you describe the style of your original music?
The core of my music is always pop. I like my music to be an easy listen but have a lot of heart and emotion as well. My EP, "I AM," has many elements of electronic pop along with more emotional, urban elements.
What's your favorite song you've written to date and why?
My favorite song is "Holdin On.” It’s a song that came out of me like a journal entry. It felt nice to be able to express my feelings at the moment, as it was a dark time for me, and make it somewhat hopeful in the end.
What are the next steps in your music career?
I hope to go on a mini tour as well as write more songs in the near future. I also keep planning to pitch music to other artists, especially in K-pop.
What is your endgame? What do you ultimately hope to accomplish in the future?
My endgame is to ultimately be a renowned female Asian-American artist that can do both movies and music. It is rare to find entertainers that can balance both.
This or That:
Singing or acting? Both!
Song covers or originals? Originals.
Bruno Mars or Khalid? Ah, this is so hard! Bruno.
Pop or rap? Pop.
Nickelodeon or Disney? Nick. But I’m not gonna lie, I’m a pure Disney girl at heart...please hire me!
Follow Megan on Social Media:
Instagram: @hellomeganlee
Facebook: @hellomeganlee
Twitter: @hellomeganlee
YouTube: hellomeganlee