Artist Highlight: Colde's Authentic Journey to Creative Freedom
Photo: WAVY
Colde is a South Korean singer-songwriter with a sound that feels like a deep breath on a quiet night: smooth, nostalgic, and full of depth. Blending pop, R&B, indie, and alternative vibes, his music has a way of pulling you in, like a conversation you don’t want to end. With his laid-back melodies and heartfelt lyrics, Colde creates songs that stick with you long after they’re over.
offonoff
Colde first made strides as one half of the indie duo offonoff, alongside producer and DJ 0Channel. They started out on SoundCloud, where their laid-back and introspective sound quickly caught on. In 2015, they made their official debut with the single “Bambada,” setting the tone for their blend of chill-out and alternative R&B, which they became known for. Their first mixtape, Mood, highlighted their ability to combine soothing instrumentals with personal lyrics.
Not long after, offonoff joined HIGHGRND, a subsidiary of YG Entertainment, and dropped projects like Photograph (2016) and their critically acclaimed album Boy (2017), which featured the hit song “gold.” The album, featuring collaborations with DEAN, Tablo, Punchnello, and Rad Museum, cemented their place in Korea’s indie R&B scene.
They were also part of Club Eskimo, an underground collective led by DEAN, alongside artists like Crush and MISO. Despite their success, offonoff went on hiatus after Boy, giving Colde space to focus on his solo career while still keeping ties to the group.
Solo Career
In April 2018, Colde launched his own label, WAVY, after the closure of HIGHGRND. At just 24, he created WAVY as a space for artists to freely express their creativity with a minimalist aesthetic and an all-inclusive vision. The label supports not only musicians but also other creatives, like graphic designers, and has steadily grown to include several solo artists and the indie band wave to earth.
He kicked off his solo career with the release of his debut EP, Wave (2018). This EP showcased a clear shift towards a more introspective and experimental sound compared to his work with offonoff. Songs like "Freedom" and "SPACE" showed strength in his growing efforts for creative independence.
In 2019, he followed up with the EP Love Part 1, which explored themes of romance and vulnerability, with tracks like "Love Is a Flower" and "I Fxxking Love You" striking a balance between soft R&B and bold lyrics. His second album, Idealism (2021), further showed his reputation for innovation due to the introspective and existential themes shown throughout.
Colde continued his exploration of connection with Love Part 2 in 2023, offering eight tracks that highlighted his growth as both an artist and a storyteller. Through it all, he offered listeners a new experience, focusing on more of an atmospheric sound while staying true to his poetic lyrics.
Colde in The Present Day
In 2025, Colde recently wrapped up his BLUE PRINT tour, which began in October and concluded in early March, with stops in cities like Jakarta, Sydney, and London. Last year, he took a big step with the release of his debut all-English single album YIN, featuring tracks like "Nirvana Blues" and "I Color You,” which opened up new opportunities to connect with a global audience. He’s already planning to follow it up with YANG, diving deeper into his exploration of different musical influences.
Check out These Tracks
“Control Me”
“WA-R-R”
“Don’t ever say you love me (Feat. RM of BTS)”
“When Dawn Comes Again (feat. BAEKHYUN)”
“Scent”
Edited by Lacey Diluvio