PENOMECO

Since his debut in 2014, Crush has been an artist in demand. During his first visit to SXSW, HiphopKR had the opportunity to chat with the artist about his musical influences and his future.

One of the more rewarding aspects of my job is being able to crack open the artistry of those I interview. The origins of an artist’s passion, what compels him to drive his craft forward, is truly fascinating. When you pick apart the pieces of someone’s musical history, you begin to understand and dissect the intricacies of their sound, giving each listen of their discography new dimension and insight.

Crush is an artist whom I’ve wanted to sit down and chat with for the past few years. Since his debut album, 2014’s “Crush On You”, he’s been an artist in demand. Not only does his vocal color attract the masses, his unique approach to his music, backed by a lifetime of musical theory and appreciation, has made him one of the more respected producers in the business. High-profile friends/collaborators with the likes of DEAN, ZICO, and Zion.T have certainly amplified his visibility. With his first visit to SXSW in 2018’s Korea Spotlight, it’s obvious that his popularity sees no signs of diminishing.

“I think a cultural festival like this is quite good, and it would be great to have a similar cultural music festival in Korea as well,” he says of his first Southby experience. Something you notice as soon as you meet him, he’s incredibly unassuming. Though he’s all flirtatious bravado when he’s on stage, in person Crush brandishes humility almost like a suit of armor. This isn’t what I suspect could be years of culture and upbringing. The man is dedicated to his music and making it speak for him.

His time in Austin and its renowned festival is short-lived. He laments not being able to see any artists during his stay because of the quick turnaround he has to make right after his performance: “I have to leave tomorrow morning. Yesterday I didn’t see anyone because I was sleeping the whole day due to jet lag. I wanted to see Khalid but couldn’t.” Adjusting to the time difference can be quite jarring, especially if the very next day you’re slated to put on a show. It’s no wonder his expression at first is subconsciously guarded–not trying to keep anyone out, but trying to keep himself present.

He carries a serious look in our first few moments of introduction, speaking almost exclusively in Korean (though he does understand English quite well). But something in him sparks to life when we begin to truly delve into what makes him who he is. When we peel back the layers of the Crush persona–a moniker he admits to have adorned because it was cooler than his birth name–and dig deep within the musical narrative of Shin Hyo-seob.

During his Crush On You Tour (2016), he got the chance to perform at NYC’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club, home to performances from the likes of Miles Davis, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, and of course Charlie “Bird” Parker. Being able to step foot on stage, walking in the tracks of legends, must have been a humbling and exhilarating experience for the young jazz-head.

“At that time, I actually had nothing scheduled at Birdland. It was no official performance that day. The thing is, I like Chet Baker a lot. I love jazz, and I heard that Birdland was the first venue Chet Baker performed at. That’s why I went to check it out, and it turned out to be open mic that day. So I spontaneously jammed to Chet Baker’s ‘I’ve Never Been In Love Before.’ I was very happy and proud. There were no Koreans in the crowd. Everyone was just there to hang out, and the experience inspired me a lot.”

Crush’s musical knowledge is frightening. He has the sort of history with music that makes the scope of what he does simply staggering. All one need do is take a quick perusal of his SoundCloud to see that. More particularly, his relationship with jazz informs his musicianship. When we begin to explore his love affair of the genre, suddenly his entire visage changes, his posture becomes more relaxed, and there’s so much brightness in his baritone.

“Originally, I was inspired by neo soul music: Donny Hathaway, Maxwell, D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq. I got into jazz when I was around twenty years old. I started out playing the jazz piano. The more I knew, the more I began to think that jazz was the ultimate form of music, it was the root of everything. When I was feeling down and having a hard time, jazz comforted me greatly. It healed my soul. So I [listen to it] a lot recently.

“Especially, I love West Coast jazz, Cool Jazz. You know, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane. I especially like their music.”

Anyone who frequents his Instagram will notice his deep affinity for Chet Baker. It’s something like a long-distance musical relationship. Just mentioning his name and what the legendary artist does for him elicits a deep sigh. “First of all, I love his voice. His voice is already very captivating, and on top of that he plays the trumpet. There are many other jazz trumpet players, but something about Chet Baker set him apart from them and drew me to him.

“So these days I’m even looking into his life. I’m going to visit LA soon, and there I’ll visit the neighborhood he lived in, I think it’s Glendale, and I heard that he is buried in Inglewood. I plan to go there too.” Crush’s desire to get in touch with the artist of his greatest adulation extends to his own musical education: “I am also thinking of learning the trumpet soon.” As I have a brother who plays the saxophone and has taught himself pretty much every brass instrument, this knowledge makes me especially giddy.

Crush has an ear for the genre that suffuses every aspect of his own music. From the elegant signature changes in “Woo-Ah” (reminiscent of Dave Brubeck’s narrative layering), to the more traditionally composed tracks from “Wonderlust“, Crush explores the twists, turns, and unexpected energy of jazz. He makes intricate usage of improvisation and intelligent experimentation, which speaks volumes to his jazz education. “That’s right, exactly,” he says with an easy, natural smile. It may be something that people miss in his more popular R&B-focused tracks.

There’s such heavy jazz inspiration in his music, especially his most recent releases, I’m curious to know if this is a path he intends to follow in the future. “I am going to have that [jazz] feeling more often from now on. However, these days I also enjoy using the original R&B and Soul I like as a base. I want to see how all these genres work together, how they ‘mix and match’.”

“So basically, I wanna see collaborations with Maxwell, Jazmine Sullivan,” I say, only halfway kidding. He laughs along, but it’s easy to see his mind racing with the possibilities. Someone as fascinated with fusing genres as he is must always be thinking in terms of the next avenue for his creativity. (So if you’re reading this, Maxwell or Jazmine, there’s a Korean artist out there who’d love to work with you.)

It’s this musicality that I fell in love with. His attention to detail and his intellect as a musician stopped me in my tracks. “Crush On You” dropped very early on in my exploration of Korean music, so I wasn’t expecting to come face-to-face, so to speak, with bits of my own childhood. Creeping in toward the tail-end of the album “Friday? (Friday-yah)” goes into what I assumed was an improvised riff of the Earth, Wind & Fire sleeper classic “Beijo (Brazilian Rhyme)”. Having a father whose existence at one point was wrapped up in the jazz-funk genius of this legendary band, I was shocked. The vocal sample quite literally knocked the wind out of me. It was at that time that I knew I had to talk to him. To find out what made this man tick.

Crush is a student of music, the quintessential artist’s artist. Though he’s still working on getting his degree in music composition, even taking a moment to lament the fact he’s not been able to focus as fully as he’d like on the pursuit, it’s his own work with the medium that propels him rather than his studies. “Yes, actually, on my own, in high school I read up a lot [on music], listened to a lot [of music] and practiced the piano. That helped me much more [than university].” He uses everything he’s ever learned and applies it to his craft, creating a discography that’s as layered and nuanced as the man himself. But, of course, what else would one expect from a man who very liberally uses rare grooves and interludes from Earth, Wind & Fire as the foundation for his music?

It’s an interesting dichotomy, going to school for something you’ve always loved, something that’s enriched your life from childhood, versus allowing your history with a certain medium dictate your growth. Coming from a background in poetry, I was constantly confronted with that question of whether or not classes stifled one’s creativity rather than enhanced it. It’s a question Crush finds intriguing as well. But we don’t dwell on it. (We only have thirty minutes together, after all.)

At this point in our conversation, I can’t help but wonder what artists he’s always dreamed of working with. Obviously his list of collaborators is rich and extensive, a who’s who of Korean talent who’ve shaped and molded his sound and given fans much to pine after.

He’s a part of several collectives himself, most prominent among these club eskimo (with DEAN, producer Millic, vocalists MISO and Rad Museum, and group offonoff) and Fanxy Child (also with DEAN and Millic, and including rappers ZICO and Penomeco). Fans often still wonder about his work with VV:D, a group of kindred musical spirits that includes rapper LOCO, R&B artist Elo, and long-time friend Zion.T: “Everyone’s doing good, everyone’s busy. We’re not seeing much of each other. Everything’s cool [though].” However, at the moment there aren’t any projects in the works.

More recently, he was pictured with producer/artists Pharrell Williams and Tyler the Creator. Fans were all aquiver with the prospect. Though the trio did meet at Williams’s studio in LA, he’s hesitant to disclose if there’s a potential project brewing there as well. “I don’t know yet. It was a great opportunity and we had a good talk.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKYBxjnMVw/?taken-by=crush9244

Even with his seemingly endless list of musical acquaintances and friends, it’s interesting to hear him talk about the artists he’s always dreamed of working with. Once I take Chet Baker off the table, the question becomes a bit more complicated. “There are quite many,” he says after a moment’s hesitation. He’s lost in thought, the possibilities dancing like stars in front of his eyes. His interpreter hands him a lifeline, telling him to choose three. After another couple seconds Crush says, “You know PJ Morton?” The answer is an emphatic yes, and much like he was trapped in a fantasy, so do I begin to imagine the power behind that collaboration.

He pauses once more, then, “Robert Glasper.” I almost weep at the idea. Just then a bit of that on-stage tease reveals itself, because he smirks at my elation. (I wear my emotions openly when it comes to music, so it’s actually quite easy to get a reaction from me.)

He then goes in for the kill: “Quincy Jones.” I clutch at imaginary pearls and applaud. I’ve got to hand it to him. If I wasn’t sure of his musical pedigree, I’d certainly be convinced in this moment. There’s more Jazz Man in him than the R&B maven he’s made himself out to be.

He’s all smiles at this point. “You seem to know a lot about me,” he says. To my surprise he asks me who my favorite jazz artists are. Just like his fight to choose a select few, I too struggle. I posit, “New- or old-school?” There’s almost a challenge in his eye, as if he’s trying to really test me to see if my love of the genre is all talk. I rattle off a few names: Al Jarreau, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Ella, Sarah Vaughan. I delve into newer proponents of the genre: Amy Winehouse (to which both he and his interpreter breathe out a sigh rich in both admiration and a ubiquitous loss that fans of the songstress still feel years after her passing); Robert Glasper. I question whether he knows an artist named José James.

“Oh,” he proclaims, a baritone note that comes from a place of deep respect for a fellow artist. “Promise in Love!” he says with a clap of recognition, again his smile is honest and bright. “I’m actually getting in touch with José James these days,” he reveals.

I then mention KING, and it takes him a moment. After a few seconds of sorting out what I’m actually saying, his eyes come alive, “Oh yeah! The three girls?” More of that enchanting smile. More of that open and honest excitement. He mentions their song “Hey,” to which we share a couple seconds where we both sing the chorus.

He seems to share my inability to keep emotions stifled when excited. There’s pure elation on his face, a smile that’s been ever-present since beginning on the road of revealing our favorite artists. He’s spoken more English than I’m sure he even realizes, affording us the chance to have an honest-to-goodness conversation about the journey he’s taken with his craft and its destination.

Alas, even the most inspiring conversations must eventually come to an end. Crush is, however, quite generous. He shares plans for his music and his upcoming releases. “A single will come out in May [2018]. It will contain songs with jazzy vibes and many songs influenced by ’90s R&B music.” Though he doesn’t reveal who, he hints at possible collaborations.

We end our conversation with Crush giving a few words to his adoring fans:

“Hello! First of all, I’m here at a wonderful concert, a great stage, a great place, and it’s an honor to greet the readers of HiphopKR. Please look forward to my upcoming album!”

We’ve come full circle. What first got me truly intrigued with Crush and his vast musical knowledge finds its way into one of his latest singles, “be by my side”. He’s more directly and concretely incorporated his jazz inclinations into his own music: adding Band Wonderlust to his team; composing music with a closer link to the classical jazz of his upbringing. We’ve ended our interview the same way it began–a shy smile and a handshake.

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Interview conducted by Andrew, Cy
Written by Cy
Edited by Lena