oceanfromtheblue: The Latest Contender in Korean R&B
Spotify has become a hotspot for discovering budding South Korean talent—ironic, considering it has yet to launch in South Korea. On the app, users receive a weekly subscription “Discover Weekly,” tailoring a fresh list of artists based on one’s listening habits and tastes.
One week, oceanfromtheblue was on my “Discover Weekly” in the form of “why don’t you love me now,” a song with him, slchld—who I’d also seen floating around Spotify—and Ku Hyun. I was hooked. I was surprised more people hadn’t heard it. I decided to listen to his latest EP, take off, and was not disappointed. That feeling came bubbling back—of discovering a new Korean R&B artist that had yet to make it big, that was still my little secret. But you share things that you love; I share it through writing, and oceanfromtheblue shares it through his music. I decided to reach out to him to learn more about his story and objective.
Since 2018, the artist has pumped out track after track, primarily on SoundCloud, where he’s built a fanbase of over 20,000 followers and 3 million listens. On Spotify, he’s already amassed over 1.5 million streams, all with four albums and his aforementioned latest EP, take off, which dropped on April 7. Each album explores a different aspect of his voice—usually coaxed in a tasteful amount of autotune—and musical style: the chill West Coast vibes of “TINASHE” featuring Kaxlor; the smooth pleas of settling for any mundane activity as long as he’s with this girl on “Lowkey”; the struggles and memories one carries while building a music career on “travel.” There’s a relatability, an honesty, that makes oceanfromtheblue’s music appealing to the everyday listener, regardless of whether you’re an aspiring musician living in Seoul, or a female writer from Los Angeles.
In a translated interview with The Kraze, oceanfromtheblue introduces his musical inspirations, aspirations, and reflections after nearly two years in the game.
‘take off’ is more melancholy than your previous EPs. What did you want to communicate through this album?
‘take off’ is a story about my life experiences. I hoped that maybe even people who are living ordinary lives would relate to it, and I believe that this EP has earned a lot of people’s sympathy as I hoped.
What message do you want to send listeners through your music?
It would be nice if I could bring enlightenment or create something new, but right now, I want to be someone who can empathize and comfort people by their side.
What inspires your songwriting process? Where do you draw inspiration from?
Rather than listening to other artists’ music, I engage in my songwriting process thinking about my life experiences. Like “last time, ____ happened, and I felt ____.”
Who are your musical influences?
I believe that I’ve been most influenced by Chris Brown, who I’ve been listening to ever since I first started [making] R&B [music].
How do you think your sound has changed from your album luv-fi(2018) to take off?
Nothing’s changed much. From vintage sound to alternative R&B, I’ve been making sounds that are pretty familiar. For my future releases, I want to make [a] more pop sound. I’m looking to make more bright songs.
You like to incorporate everyday sounds, like the announcements on the Seoul subway. What do you want listeners to feel when they hear these sounds?
To be honest, those sounds aren’t very special. By including ordinary sounds like [those] you can hear on the bus or subway, the sound of footsteps, and the sound of talking, I wanted to express that the person who made this song lives the same life as everyone else. This way, I felt that it would be easier for listeners to approach the sounds.
You have several intros, outros, and interludes that are just instrumental beats. Did you start out making beats? What’s more important to you: the beats or the lyrics?
I do make beats, but I don’t have any expertise. I use a lot of samples as well, but what’s important is the advantage of beat making—that I can choose what kind of sound I want at a certain part of the song. Singers express that through singing, and beat makers do so through sounds. I think both should be in harmony. For me, lyrics come out really well when I hear a beat that’s similar to my feelings.
How did the collaborations on your albums come about? For example, working with slchld, Fr:EDEN, and lo-ol.
We knew each other’s names through SoundCloud. I listened to their music and was aware that they were good. Mostly, I meet my collaborators during concerts or an acquaintance’s gathering. We meet and exchange contact information, and because we know that we’re both good, the collaboration process goes quick.
What’s your favorite cover you posted on SoundCloud? Are there stories about why you chose to cover those songs?
I tend to choose songs that seem to match my tone. At the same time, it’s even better if it’s also somewhat famous. My favorite cover song at the moment is “Best Part” (originally by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R.).
When was the moment you realized your work was being recognized and that you could make a career out of music?
It was when luv-fi(2018) was first released. Honestly, I released this album with a light heart. I’m not from a well-known company and I’m not famous, so I put out this album thinking it wouldn’t be in the spotlight for too long since some unknown person released it. But I was very surprised that so many people listened to it and supported me than I expected. As the question stated, there are people who think of me as a professional musician. From then, I thought that when I make something, it shouldn’t be superficial.
If you search oceanfromtheblue on YouTube and scroll down a bit, you’ll see names like DEAN and penemeco as related artists of interest. While his music offers something a little different than these two, it’s definitely not bad company to be associated with. Hopefully, oceanfromtheblue’s appearances will shift from “Discover Weekly” to “Release Radar” as more listeners discover his music.
Find oceanfromtheblue here:
*Translated by Julia Hur and edited for flow