While many of us grimace at how quickly the first half of the year has flown by, slchld (pronounced seoul-child) is ready to take on an exhilarating second half.
The Korean-Canadian R&B act, best known for his smooth vocals and wistfully lovestruck tracks, has just recently released his latest EP, APOLOGY. While the essence of slchld remains a comforting embrace throughout the nine-track EP, it also affirms the versatility of the singer through upbeat tracks like ‘CARE’ and his collaboration with Korean-American powerhouse eaJ for ‘IMAGINE’.
View this post on Instagram
“I’ve always been a huge fan of eaJ, and we’ve known each other for quite a while. I can’t remember who it was between us but we started pitching songs to each other and he liked 'IMAGINE' so we got to work! It was a great pleasure,” slchld shared with Bandwagon.
In the wake of the announcement of his latest EP, the ‘she likes spring, I prefer winter’ act unveiled the dates for the first part of his headlining Apology Tour, which is currently making its stops across North America (yes, an upcoming Asia tour is currently in the making).
The singer-songwriter’s prominence within the R&B scene has been years in the making. From uploading independently made music on SoundCloud back in 2018, to gaining loyal listeners across the globe, slchld never anticipated the extent of his talent’s reach.
“I didn’t really know how the music world worked back in the SoundCloud days, I just made music and put it out there, not knowing where it would lead me,” slchld expressed.
Ahead of his Asia tour, we spoke to slchld about the creation behind APOLOGY, teaming up with eaJ for ‘IMAGINE’, his evolution as an artist, his forthcoming headlining set at the HZWhale music festival, and what he’s looking forward to most for his upcoming tour.
Hi, slchld! Congratulations on your new EP release. How are you doing so far?
Hello, Bandwagon Asia! Thank you. I’m doing great, just super busy preparing for the APOLOGY North America Tour!
View this post on Instagram
Can you walk us through your creative process for this project? How did you balance exploring the emotional struggles of relationships while also highlighting the love and care that persists despite its challenges?
I think I’ve always been an emotional thinker, and my head is chaotic most of the time, and sharing my imbalances just felt natural in this project for me. Whether that be love, work, or everyday life.
What sets ‘APOLOGY’ apart from your previous EPs?
I’ve never released an EP of this size before, and I feel like the sound is more complete like a project than ever before here.
What were some of the most memorable moments for you during the creation of this EP? Any favourite behind-the-scenes stories you can share?
I had a lot of conversations with my producers whoosh, HYE SUNG, and GILLA throughout the project, and just loved pitching ideas for songs like ‘CARE’, which is a genre I’ve never tried.
You’ve teamed up with eAJ for ‘IMAGINE’. How did this collaboration come about? What did you learn from each other after working together?
I’ve always been a huge fan of eaJ, and we’ve known each other for quite a while. I can’t remember who it was between us but we started pitching songs to each other and he liked ‘IMAGINE’ so we got to work! It was a great pleasure.
Having grown up in Canada and now based in Seoul, how do you think the different environments have influenced your music style?
I grew up in Vancouver but I was born in Seoul. I’ve enjoyed the pastures and the mountains for most of my life in Canada so when I initially moved here when I got older, I definitely felt homesick and out of place. I felt a sense of loneliness at times which spawned songs like ‘say what’s on your mind’ and ‘lone summer’.
How do you feel you’ve evolved as both an artist and a person from your SoundCloud days to now?
I’ve definitely matured, that's for sure. I didn’t really know how the music world worked back in the SoundCloud days, I just made music and put it out there, not knowing where it would lead me. I do miss those times though, but I’m also thankful because it’s my job now and a dream one at that.
You’re headlining the HZWhale Festival this August alongside brb., who opened for you during your sold-out shows in Singapore. What are you looking forward to the most for your performance?
View this post on Instagram
brb. are insanely talented and it was an honour for me to be with those guys last time. Thailand has always shown me love, all the way from the SoundCloud days. The energy of the Thai crowd is always unmatched when I do shows there. I’d love to come back every year if I could to see them!
You’ll be gearing up for an Asia tour later this year. With a strong fanbase in Asia as seen in your sold-out shows back in 2022, what do you love most about meeting your fans in Asia and going back on tour?
I like how respectful the fans in Asia are. Yet they are fully supportive and always give me encouraging messages via social media. They’ve always welcomed me whenever I’ve visited one of the countries and it’s always a pleasure. Thank you, Asia!
Check out APOLOGY here.
Like what you read? Show our writer some love!
1