South Korean various pop singer-producer WILDBERRY explores the magic of nature, its connection to the extraterrestrial, and the significance of letting love information us with Atwood Journal.
Stream: ‘AGAPE’ – Wildberry
“I really feel a number of chaotic emotions, typically unhappy, and typically glad,” various pop singer/songwriter WILDBERRY says, wanting offscreen and briefly pausing.
“It was a problem to be taught this emotion and be constructed as a human. Sooner or later, I need to be a very good particular person, and which means studying this emotion. I actually need to specific what this AGAPE love means.”
WILDBERRY joins us over Zoom from the center of South Korea at midday, donning a leather-based jacket and chunky silver necklace, modern platinum blonde hair framing the edges of her face. Contrasting her daring presence, she’s shy and soft-spoken, nervously counting the minutes down till her debut album AGAPE (pronounced AH-gah-peh) hits streaming platforms worldwide.
Born Heo Eunkyung, introduced up in South Korea and attending college overseas at SUNY Oswego, the singer has nurtured her musical inclinations for so long as she will bear in mind, exploring quite a lot of devices, manufacturing packages, and vocal types earlier than venturing into inventive tasks of her personal. Classically educated as a pianist and breaking out into the trade as half of an EDM duo in 2017, her breadth of tastes and experiences displays the essence of her inventive universe.
“I usually take into consideration the character and atmosphere of the universe,” she says. “I draw a number of inspiration from it, and I reside within the vitality of affection and the way it transcends time and house. My final single was ‘Timescape,’ which surrounded the subject of transcending love and remembering the love we obtained, whether or not it’s from our love, household, or buddies.”
Love: It was the idea most steadily revisited all through my dialog with the up-and-coming artist. A joint effort between her and her boyfriend of 1 12 months and collaborator of six, AGAPE sees WILDBERRY channeling humanity’s basal nature and fusing its vitality into her artwork. Throughout eleven tracks knowledgeable by digital, rock, folks, and pop sensibilities, the singer captures and expresses in all of the kinds it arrives, carrying listeners by way of a transcendental expertise with easy melodies and mystical atmospheres.
We couldn’t go with out mentioning her equally otherworldly idea pictures and visuals; when requested in regards to the intent behind such, WILDBERRY articulates the ability of visible and sonic mediums in conveying each individuality and common interconnectedness.
“[My team and I] consider that constructive values may be promoted by way of the artwork. I consider that inside the universe and nature, we’re like small ideas which can be totally different from each other, however are finally linked in a single world. We wished to specific this thought by way of the visuals.”
WILDBERRY sat down with Atwood Journal mere minutes forward of her album launch, baring her coronary heart on musical sensibilities and the inherent worth in romanticizing the method – we had the pleasure of being the primary to congratulate her for the challenge launch.
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:: stream/buy AGAPE right here ::
:: join with WILDBERRY right here ::
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“Castaway” – Wildberry
A CONVERSATION WITH WILDBERRY
Atwood Journal: WHAT WAS THE CONCEPT YOU HAD IN MIND WHEN YOU WERE GOING INTO MAKING AGAPE? DID YOU HAVE AN IMAGE IN MIND OR WERE YOU JUST LIKE, “I WANT TO MAKE AN ALBUM?”
WILDBERRY: Really, my producer is Chillin Boi G, who’s my boyfriend. After we had been relationship, he gave me all these tracks. After we saved relationship, we naturally added to the songs and saved each sketch. It simply got here out actually quick and neat. After that, I believed in regards to the idea as a type of love.
I SAW ON YOUR INSTAGRAM STORY THAT YOU WORKED WITH HIM ON THIS PROJECT. I THINK IT’S REALLY COOL THAT YOU’RE WITH YOUR PARTNER BOTH CREATIVELY AND ROMANTICALLY. WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH AND COME HOME TO ALL IN ONE?
WILDBERRY: It makes it very easy. He cares about me a lot. Earlier than that, I used to be working with a number of engineers and producers, so it was laborious to really feel naturally linked, however he made all of the tracks, so it was very easy to combine. Whereas I used to be recording, he supported me nicely. We’ve recognized one another for six years, and we’ve been relationship for one. As soon as we had been relationship, we constructed this album collectively, so it was a extremely particular expertise.
WHEN YOU WERE MAKING THE ALBUM WITH HIM, DID YOU EVER CLASH BECAUSE OF CREATIVE DIFFERENCES?
WILDBERRY: The mixes. Once I blended the final observe, it was actually laborious to make the melody. He wished to place in his opinion, so we had been making the highest line for 14 hours. We received no sleep and we saved working. I cried, however it got here out actually nice, so I’m glad.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT’S ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE SONGS? WHICH SONG STANDS OUT THE MOST TO YOU IN TERMS OF BEST REPRESENTING THE ALBUM?
WILDBERRY: “Fantasize.”
I’M GOING TO MOVE ON FROM ALBUM QUESTIONS FOR A MINUTE AND ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU AS A PERSON. WHO IS WILDBERRY AND WHAT MAKES HER DIFFERENT FROM EUNKYUNG?
WILDBERRY: Really, there’s no distinction between WILDBERRY and Eunkyung, as a result of I can’t do issues I don’t need to do and I’m a really sincere particular person. Every part I really feel merely will get impressed by way of my music. I see myself as a type of messenger who has to speak with the world.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME WILDBERRY? IT’S A REALLY DIFFERENT, UNIQUE NAME.
WILDBERRY: I used to be on the lookout for a reputation within the color chart. I actually love pink, and there was this burgundy-red color named Wildberry. Beginning with that, I saved eager about wild berries. They develop in nature and unfold all around the world, so perhaps my songs and I can unfold like wild berries.
I KNOW YOU WERE ALSO PART OF THE ELECTRONIC DUO, VIEW, WITH JADE KEY. DO YOU FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AS A SOLOIST THAN AS PART OF A DUO?
WILDBERRY: Undoubtedly. I’ve been producing myself for 5 years. I used to be actually battling the album cowl and music video as an unbiased artist. I used to be battling working with many individuals, as a result of I needed to resolve straight away. These experiences constructed me now.
I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR SCHOOLING, SINCE YOU WENT TO SUNY OSWEGO. WHAT DID YOU STUDY AND HOW WAS YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE?
WILDBERRY: I studied basic piano with an audio manufacturing minor. My professor in a single class was a jazz pianist, however I can’t play jazz, so I performed basic piano on a regular basis. Typically for 15 hours in a day.
HOW DID YOU FORAY INTO ELECTRONIC MUSIC?
WILDBERRY: I’ve performed piano since I used to be seven, however after that, I wished to study composing for movies or business music. I discovered the MIDI and it was actually naturally constructed up. Earlier than I began music, I wished to enter psychology, however after that, I had themes in my head that I needed to specific, so I went to make music.
AGAPE FEELS LIKE A REALLY PERFECT FOLLOW-UP TO ORB, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE LAST EP YOU RELEASED. IT’S BEEN A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR, BUT I CAN REALLY HEAR HOW YOUR SOUND AND VOICE HAVE MATURED. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS CHANGED THE MOST SINCE RELEASING ORB?
WILDBERRY: Musically, it was laborious to have a deep voice. I didn’t sing like that earlier than AGAPE; I at all times tried to sing cute and excessive. I used a excessive voice with a smooth, mellow feeling. With this album, I attempted to be stronger and put all my feelings into it. I wished to seize a variety of feelings, and I used totally different genres to seize these emotions. I nervous that the circulate of the album could be disrupted, however I rigorously thought-about the observe order and messages when creating every part. I hope that everybody listens to the album in sequence, from begin to end.
HOW WAS ORDERING THE TRACKLIST? DID YOU MAKE ALL THE SONGS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY APPEAR IF IT WAS SO INTENTIONAL?
WILDBERRY: No, by no means. We already had the tracks, so it wasn’t simple to put in writing the lyrics into the order. We simply saved constructing the feelings, relationships, and struggles, and eventually, right here we’re.
BACK TO THE TOPIC OF LOVE, WERE THERE ANY EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THE ALBUM CENTERED AROUND IT?
WILDBERRY: I usually take into consideration the character and atmosphere of the universe. I draw a number of inspiration from it, and I reside within the vitality of affection and the way it transcends time and house. My final single was “timescape,” which surrounded the subject of transcending love and remembering the love we obtained, whether or not it’s from our love, household, or buddies. The reminiscence of affection has energy in us, and we should share the like to be stronger. I believe these sorts of ideas actually helped in making the album.
“TIMESCAPE” IS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS. I REALLY LIKE “SUGAR THRILLZ” AND “TIMESCAPE,” WITH THE MORE UPBEAT, Y2K, BUBBLEGUM POP ELEMENTS. THEY’RE PLACED RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN THE TRACKLIST, WHICH FELT VERY THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL. TELL ME MORE ABOUT THOSE TWO SONGS.
WILDBERRY: That was my sketch earlier than working with Chillin Boi G. I put extra of my type between the opposite tracks. I actually love Y2K, danceable home tracks, they usually got here very cute and beautiful. I actually love these songs too!
WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR INSPIRATIONS WITH THIS PROJECT?
WILDBERRY: Earlier than writing the lyrics, I learn a number of poems and watched a number of sci-fi and fantasy jungle motion pictures. My favorite was “Interstellar,” and I additionally actually preferred “Betty Blue,” which is a basic. I used to be listening to a number of 070 Shake’s songs when making the music.
I WAS LISTENING TO DEAR HEART A LITTLE EARLIER TODAY, AND I NOTICED HOW DIFFERENT YOUR STYLE WAS BACK THEN. IT WAS SUPER EDM, BUT ALSO LO-FI R&B – “MARILYN” AND “POLAROID” ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SONGS BUT THEY WERE RELEASED IN THE SAME YEAR. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT TASTES AND SOUNDS IN THE MUSIC CREATION PROCESS?
WILDBERRY: At that time, I used to be simply beginning to make music. I didn’t even know tips on how to make a beat nicely. On the time, I used to be identical to, “Oh, I like this beat. I’ll simply make and launch an album.” It was very easy to make an album earlier than, virtually six years in the past, and after that, I actually explored myself and my style. I wanted to consider my picture as an artist and message. It got here out actually naturally.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR IMAGE AS AN ARTIST? WHAT DO YOU WANT THE IMAGE OF WILDBERRY TO BE?
WILDBERRY: As WILDBERRY, I actually put pure vitality into my music. I need to share this vitality with the world as a result of every part I really feel is so intense. I’m actually impressed by nature, and expressing myself by way of my voice will help folks really feel the pure feeling. I’m only a actually pure particular person.
BUT, THERE WERE A LOT OF EDGIER MOMENTS ON THE ALBUM TOO! I FEEL LIKE “SKIN” IS A VERY EDGY SONG. DESPITE BEING A PURE PERSON, YOUR VISUALS ARE QUITE DARK AND FUTURISTIC. I KNOW YOU USED TO BE A MODEL AND ARE A MUSICIAN FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT YOU LITERALLY LOOK LIKE AI IN YOUR PHOTOS. WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THOSE VISUALS PLAY IN CONVEYING YOUR WORK?
WILDBERRY: All my visuals are created with Orb Haus. We consider that constructive values may be promoted by way of the artwork. I consider that inside the universe and nature, we’re like small ideas which can be totally different from each other, however are finally linked in a single world. We wished to specific this thought by way of the visuals.
It took virtually two months to complete every part. We deliberate lots, and there’s a extremely nice VFX director in Orb Haus that helps us increase that universe.
THE VISUALS AND SOUND SORT OF REMINDS ME OF AESPA! WOULD YOU EVER COLLABORATE WITH THEM?
WILDBERRY: That might be my dream. I need to exit and get experiences with a wide range of artists. There’s no restrict. Karina is my favorite.
LAST, WHAT DOES AGAPE MEAN TO YOU?
WILDBERRY: AGAPE means the best above love. It’s like a God. It’s unconditional love as a being, a human being. It’s actually laborious to like somebody; I really feel a number of chaotic emotions, typically unhappy, and typically glad. It was a problem to be taught this emotion and be constructed as a human. Sooner or later, I need to be a very good particular person, and which means studying this emotion. I actually need to specific what this AGAPE love means.
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:: stream/buy AGAPE right here ::
:: join with WILDBERRY right here ::
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an album by Wildberry
