K-R&B artist 'oceanfromtheblue' talks first album and meaning behind the tracks
Kang Juwon, better known by the name ‘oceanfromtheblue’, released his first full-length album on Feb. 2. The self-titled album features 12 tracks all about the personal life experiences of the artist.
Getting into music at a young age, oceanfromtheblue quickly fell into the R&B genre by listening to American artists.
"When I was in my second year of high school, I came across R&B music through American music and originally liked to sing, so I liked R&B-like skillful songs rather than hip-hop and rap songs," he says.
He debuted in 2018 with an EP titled ‘Luv-fi.’
The songwriter discusses his songwriting process by saying, "I think it depends on the mood of the day by day. Of course, I meet people and think about the environment.Those thoughts would pile up in everyday life. When I listen to music in the studio, I choose songs that reflect the emotions, joys, and sorrows that I feel."
"When I listen to a song, I imagine what it would be like to listen to it at a concert. I think my fans will imagine that when they listen to my song. I want to show something more impactful than I imagined," oceanfromtheblue says as he discusses performing live.
His latest album features artists Kuhyun, sunwoojunga, and Yeeun of K-pop group CLC.
The song "Past Life," which he describes as his favorite track on the album took two years to complete. The song features sounds that transport you back to the Joseon Dynasty.
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"I wanted to make Korean historical drama style music. I was inspired a lot by movies such as Gwanghae and Sado, and I think I wrote songs and lyrics while imagining, 'If I lived in the Joseon Dynasty, if I were born again in modern times’," he explains.
oceanfromtheblue gets personal with the track "Brother."
"My brother suffers from autism. I always wanted to talk about my family as a musician, but it was not easy. I've tried to make a song about my brother several times since a few years ago, but it didn't work out. Maybe because I'm 30 now, I think I've been able to express feelings about my younger brother in an appropriate way and not excessively, so this song has a deep meaning to me personally," he says.
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He has big plans for this year, saying he wants to perform a lot, both domestically in South Korea and abroad. He is also already working on the next album.