Priscilla Ahn. Photo by Zou Hong / For China Daily

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Her cooperation with Taiwan indie folk-rock band Sodagreen gave birth to It All Began With A Fallen Leaf, which has Ahn’s crystalline voice against electronic beats and indie rock drums.

"I met Greeny (singer-songwriter of Sodagreen) in a restaurant in Taipei. He gave me a piece of music and invited me to write the lyrics. I love the melody and the song was finished very fast," she recalled.

Ahn also said that she hates songs that feel forced.

"When I play my guitar, words and melody come out naturally in the moment," she said.

"At the beginning, singing and songwriting were nerve-wracking for me. It took me a couple of years before I started enjoying the process."

Born in Georgia but raised in Pennsylvania, Ahn has spent the last 10 years in Los Angeles. Her early influences came from her father, who would played Neil Young, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan at home. When she moved to LA she started listening to jazz.

Her mother got her involved with church and school music, which helped her polish her performing. She also performed at open mic nights before she was signed to Blue Note Records.