New artist Brody (27, real name Choi Won-jun) has stepped into the public eye with an album that reflects his musical identity. Having built his career as a producer under the name Yuwol, he has begun a new challenge as an artist with his first single, 'Why'.
In a recent meeting with Maeil Business Star Today, when asked about his feelings on debuting as a singer, Brody replied, "I feel fulfilled and proud that the song I worked hard on has been released. I am at a new starting point as an artist, and since I have a lot of music prepared, I want to show a good side of myself in the future."
While active as Yuwol, Brody participated in the production of pH-1's 'Life Movie', 'Trustfall', and TRADE L's 'Wish', 'Somebody, U'. What led him to start singing after continuing his career as a producer?
"I majored in Professional Music at Berklee College of Music, but when classes were canceled due to COVID, I returned to Korea. I started working as a producer with the thought, 'I want to create and express my own music as a composer,' and as I did, I began to feel that I wanted to make my own music. I mentioned to an A&R friend that I wanted to release a music album as a producer, and he suggested, 'How about trying to sing?' That's how I started singing for the first time in March of last year."
Since he did not major in vocals, he admitted to having fears about debuting as a singer.
Brody said, "I had a dream of being a singer and a strong desire to sing myself. However, at that time, there were many singers with exceptional vocal abilities rather than those expressing individuality like nowadays, so I wondered, 'Can I express myself well?'"
He continued, "What I originally wanted to do was to challenge myself and accomplish things no matter what. With the mindset of 'It won't hurt to try,' I made the album without hesitation. At first, I was worried about singing, but the company said, 'Your tone is good.' At that moment, I thought, 'Why was I afraid of this? I just need to find my style and do it my way.' The company also believed in me after seeing me give my best in everything," he smiled.
Thus, Brody's debut song, which he wrote and composed himself, is 'Why'. Released on the 6th, 'Why' is a song that features a rhythmic beat and a sophisticated R&B vocal style. The lyrics ask the ex-lover, 'Why do I have to miss you?' rather than expressing the aftermath of a breakup.
When asked why he chose this song as his debut, Brody replied, "Since this is my first time standing in front of the public as an artist, I wanted to show an impactful image. Both the lyrics and sound are impactful, so I decided to release this song as my first single."
He added, "While making this song, I thought about what I wanted to say. Isn't there no one who finds it easy to love? I'm not the type to take a breakup coolly, but I wanted to express my desire to be cool in the face of a breakup in 'Why'. I aimed to convey that message by mixing sharp sounds with soft guitar in the track."
Brody believes his strength lies in 'producing'.
He said, "When I was directing as a producer, I felt like a supporter for the artist singing the song. But now that I am both a singer and a producer, I think about 'How can I make this sound uniquely Brody?' while recording. Since I am expressing what I have been thinking about, I believe that I can bring out 100% of my potential, which is an advantage."
What is the ultimate goal for Brody, who has just taken his first steps as a singer?
"I have a lot of songs prepared, so starting with 'Why', I plan to release songs continuously in a short period. I hope that through these activities, more people will come to know my music. Among 20 people interested in music, I hope 5 or 6 will say, 'I know this song' or 'I know this artist.' Ultimately, I hope to stand shoulder to shoulder with the artists I admire and love on stages like 'MAMA', 'Coachella', and 'Billboard.'
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
