HiphopKR

One of the more surprising albums in 2020 came from a young woman with a voice like aged whiskey. Yoojin Park, known more commonly by her stage name The Deep, has a voice that just catches you off guard. Unapologetically husky and full of old-school emotion. With her debut EP, Escape, fans of R&B from Korea were gifted something truly unique. A singer with true vocal grit. The Deep took some time to answer a few questions for us.

Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello! I am The Deep.

What is the first memory of making music that you have?

When I first started out to make music, I sang in a bar every week together with a guitarist and another friend who’s also a singer, in order to gain experience. At that time, I sang one of Hyukoh’s songs. That is my first memory of making music.

The first time The Deep performed for an audience

Did you always know you wanted to be a singer, or did you have other career dreams?

I used to study design and drawing. I was simply talented in drawing, I didn’t have any specific dream related to it. It just wasn’t the one thing I really wanted to do. However, deep in my heart I’ve always wanted to be a singer, I just didn’t know how to become one. So at first I was just afraid and aimlessly kept drawing.

When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?

I had been dreaming of becoming a singer but didn’t know how to achieve that dream. One day, I saw a friend make a song and upload it to SoundCloud, which looked very easy. And at that time I realized, “So this is how you make music.” I gave up on design and drawing, which I didn’t want to do, and started making music right away. It was so much fun and I realized that it was my calling.

What was the inspiration for your name The Deep?

I thought I had a deep voice.

There aren’t too many female Korean singers that have really husky voices. Was there a time when you didn’t know how to embrace your deeper voice?

When I was younger, I disliked my deep voice, so I usually speak with a higher voice instead. Yet, when I sing my voice is low, so people often tell me when they first meet me that my singing voice is very different from my usual voice. I found that I rather like that. And actually, before discovering hip hop and R&B, I listened to a lot of ballads. Especially to a lot of Gummy’s songs. I think that’s why my voice has become more husky.

How did you meet Crack Bit? How did you two decide to start making music together as Morethan7?

Back in the day, Crack Bit and I were in the same crew. It doesn’t exist anymore though. We had the same taste in music and got along well. That naturally led to us forming a team and making an album together. I also wanted to make music that’s more mainstream and separate that from the music I make as The Deep.

How would you describe your sound to someone just getting to know you?

Deep music

What artists have had the greatest influence on your music?

Ari Lennox, SZA

Your debut EP, “Escape,” seems to have a very sorrowful feeling, like going through the heartache of a relationship. Are these songs based on personal experience?

Yes, they are based on personal experience. Most songs on “Escape” are sad ones, but they contain some hopeful messages. The songs are however not about the heartache of a relationship. You could think so, though, there are individual interpretations. “Escape” is about the pain caused by relationships with people around you and wanting to escape that pain.

My next EP is probably going to be about figuring out how to escape that pain and finding happiness. I want to give it a more positive and hopeful message.

How did you meet Basick? What was the experience like working with him?

Producer Pe2ny introduced me to Basick and I featured on Basick’s song “CHOCO” off his “SOFT” album. I really liked working with Basick, which is why I asked him to feature on “Hide & Seek.” Both collaborations were really good. He raps so well. And it was a great honor to work with him.

What kind of a song is your new single “Here I Am”?

https://youtu.be/dTcXqPTK_cE

It is about me being unable to move forward toward the future and staying in the same place. I made the song when I was tired and having a really hard time. The lyrics really resonate with me.

How did Deepflow end up featuring on the song?

I like Deepflow’s music, his personality and his lyrics a lot. To me, he’s always been a great artist. So after releasing my “Escape” EP, I sent him a DM and he said that he likes my music very much. In the following I met him in person to give him my album on CD. He first suggested that we should make music together and that was such a happy moment for me. I knew he would understand well what “Here I Am” is about and his lyrics turned out truly good. Thanks to him, I was able to create a great song. I’m really thankful to Deepflow.

What is your dream collaboration with a Korean artist? A Western artist?

Paul Blanco, Crush, Ari Lennox, Kali Uchis, IAMDDB, Willow Smith…

There are too many.

What’s your ultimate dream/goal as an artist?

To strategically release a variety of different albums. I just want to be making music for a long, long time. Someone might think that’s easy, but in order to achieve this goal I have to always be healthy and never give up. That is why it’s difficult. I really want to achieve it.

What can people expect from you in 2021?

I will probably release a single in February or March 2021. It will be a genre I haven’t tried so far.
I also want to release a new EP in 2021, I have already decided on the album’s topic. And I will upload many videos on YouTube of me covering songs.

Any final thoughts?

Thank you guys. I’m The Deep.

The Deep - Here I Am promotional picture

Though she hasn’t done much, The Deep has done enough to put her in the elite of up-and-coming R&B talent coming from South Korea. Hers is a generation unafraid of exploring the (no pun intended) depths of their emotions with vocal maturity to match the introspection. Keep on the lookout for this one. She’s more than just a blip on the radar. As she sang in Morethan7 track “Collage,” The Deep is definitely something special.