What Makes a Music Legend? Late (Joe) Talks Legacy, Hyperpop, and Artistic Freedom

At Cutback, we’re building Selects, an AI-powered assistant editor that helps video creators turn long hours of footage into meaningful stories faster. But we know tools don’t exist in a vacuum. Behind every edit is a human creator with unique challenges, inspirations, and workflows. That’s why we launched the Time for More Podcast: to explore the real, behind-the-scenes experiences of artists, musicians, editors, and founders navigating today’s creative landscape.

In the fourth episode, we spoke with LA-based musician, Late (Joe), about musical artists who have left a legacy and who will be next.

Hosted by Tom and Chan, two co-founders of Cutback, the company behind Selects, this episode continues a series exploring the behind-the-scenes stories of modern creatives.

Missed the other episodes of the “Time for More” Podcast featuring Late? Check them out to stay in the loop: “Time for More” Podcast Episode 1 Recap | “Time for More” Podcast Episode 2 Recap | “Time for More” Podcast Episode 3 Recap

Key Topics Covered

1. Spotlight: Underrated Artist You Should Know

When asked who’s flying under the radar right now as one of his favorite artists, Joe is quick to name Effie, a Korean artist blending hyperpop, rage, and chaos into her sound. Though their styles couldn’t be more different and have an experimental edge, he admires her ability to reflect the overstimulated, anxious energy of her generation through glitchy, expressive beats.

For Joe, Effie is a necessary disruptor in a scene that often rewards conformity. She’s paving the way for new sonic lanes in Korea’s local scene, much like the global rise of hyperpop and indie pop artists has challenged traditional pop formulas.

2. Chill Vibes vs. Sonic Chaos

Joe’s own work leans in the opposite direction, introspective indie-pop, chill R&B, acoustic guitar-driven folk. His upcoming EP is the kind of project you play alone in the car, windows down, reflecting on your 30s.

But rather than positioning his style as superior, he praises artists like Effie for pushing boundaries with her distinctive sound and forcing culture to evolve.

3. What It Means to Leave a Legacy

More than fame or even musical success, Joe’s deepest desire is legacy, to make a lasting emotional impact on those who hear his work.

He cites Mac Miller and Michael Jackson as two legends who achieved this not just through their discographies, but by being radically human in public.

He’s not chasing charts or virality. He’s chasing resonance and meaningful connection.

4. From People Pleaser to Intentional Artist

Joe gets vulnerable about his past burnout, his experience with depression, and how being a chronic people-pleaser almost cost him his sense of self. Today, he sees silence as a luxury. Tuning out the noise has given him clarity and room to build something meaningful.

That quiet foundation, plus his background in psychology, now informs his entire creative process through an emotional blend. He reflects on everything from body language to deeply personal healing as essential tools for his songwriting.

5. Bonus: Joe’s Unexpected Plan B?

If Joe weren’t making music? He’d be in the FBI.

(Yes, you read that right.)

Specifically, he once dreamed of becoming a criminal psychologist, a career that explains his fascination with human behavior, somatic therapy, and storytelling through song. It also makes him a great podcast guest.

How Selects Helped Us Capture This Episode

This episode covered everything: three mics, three cameras, and an artist who jumps between deep emotional topics and genre trends in seconds.

With Selects, we were able to:

• Auto-sync all three camera angles and audio tracks in one click

• Clean up awkward pauses, filler words, and off-topic digressions

• Pull short, shareable clips from the full-length conversation, perfect for TikTok and Reels

As Joe says, music has no rulebook, but when it comes to editing podcasts, Selects makes it easier to stay in flow and focus on what matters: telling stories that connect.

Watch the Full Episode of the “Time For More” Podcast

What did you think of the podcast? Leave a comment on the YouTube channel. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

For more in-depth knowledge about the ins and outs of video editing, check out our latest posts on the Cutback blog or our YouTube channel. You can also join Cutback’s Discord community of like-minded video editors.