The Korean music industry goes way beyond what the general public knows about. As obvious as it may appear, the variety of sounds, genres, and styles that South Korean musicians explore is wide and diverse; their strength and richness rely not only on the most popular or streamed artists but also on the prominent young independent and sometimes even underground scene, where some of the biggest promises and rising stars can be found, working on their own beats and writing their own lyrics just like Tabber has always done. Without any big entertainment agency behind them and relying on the support of labels where the craft goes before the money and on their fellow artist friends who build a community in which if one does well, everyone who took part in the road to success goes up with them, we talked with one of the best examples of what self-made success looks like.
you.will.knovv is one of these friend groups that go by the title of music label that have managed to grow together and are now in a position where they can travel the world performing their music in front of hundreds of fans who now luckily have the chance to see them, something unthinkable some years ago when genres like Kr&b and Khh (Korean r&b and Korean hip-hop) were confined to the clubs in Seoul that every international fan would die to go to. Tabber is one of these artists who have grinded their way to the top, whose unique sound and voice plus talent and hard work in all the steps involved in creating music and his connections and friends just as talented as him have resulted in a combination that has stepped from being a local to a global phenomenon, with millions of streams, hundreds of followers, and countless of fans.
Catching everyone's attention around four years ago with the memorable 3AM Freestyle video that got suggested to many of us on YouTube, where we clicked for the already beloved and incredibly popular Dean but stayed for the mysterious guy with the deep voice and hypnotic cadence, he's been working nonstop ever since, releasing singles, collaborations, drama OSTs, an EP in 2020 where some of his biggest hits were borned, and most recently his first album with the title Madness Always Turns to Sadness or Chi-Ka, his latest and very successful new collaboration with Dean, who is a good friend of his and also a part of the same label.
We had the chance to talk with him in Barcelona after his second to last concert of the tour organised by Seoul Therapy that has taken them all around the world with shows where his energy matches the one of the fans that have been waiting for hours on the line and where his gratefulness was reflected by staying after the shows end to take pictures with them. In our conversation, he was equally kind and surprisingly fresh and chill, despite the high intensity performance, the diabolical summer temperatures of mid-July in Spain, and his outfit choice—hoodie and cap included—very on brand and very stylish but unbearable for a normal human, but not for him, I guess. We talked about the present, the future, fashion, music, and more.
Hi Tabber, it’s a pleasure talking to you! The tour is almost over; how has it been so far? Has it exceeded your expectations?
Yeah, it’s been so surprising! I’ve been surprised since there are a lot of people in the shows. I mean, I'm from South Korea, and it's far away from here, so it was so unexpected. In Europe, the audience is really loud and they're energetic; I really love it.
I imagine it's a bit different than with your audience in Korea, right?
There's a little difference between the energy yes, it’s kind of hard to see in Korea. I like it both ways, actually. But I really enjoy Europe.
You’ve had some very successful and intense last months, ever since the release of your last album. What goes on in your head on release day? Is it a relief, or does a new kind of stress start awaiting the response of the audience to it?
I was excited and stressed at the same time. I think maybe all the artists feel the same way because we work really hard on every project, and when it comes out, you're going to keep thinking about it, the feedback, and what people are going to think. A new kind of stress about my next move hits me after the release too.
Has your perception of the album changed now that you have performed it live?
I put a lot of visualisation when doing the album; there’s an emotional flow in there, and it's similar to how I perform on stage, so it makes sense.
How has your approach to public attention changed from the start of your career until now? Khh and krnb in the beginning were somehow niche, especially outside Korea, but now they keep gaining more and more mainstream success. Were you ready for it? Has it taken you by surprise?
I’m ready for a stadium (laughs). My creative process has not changed. I don't think we’re mainstream, but I'm ready for the next step.
I hope to see you in the stadium soon then (laughs). Did you ever think your career would evolve to the point where it is now? How certain were you about your artistic path and the direction your life was taking?
I imagine it evolving like this. My artistic path is all planned out already. I actually planned it out a long time ago. But I don’t want to spoil it.
What would you say is your ultimate goal?
Stadium (laughs).
Ok, ok (laughs). Are you satisfied with what you do now? Do you give yourself time to enjoy your work, or are you quickly onto the next thing?
I’m always thinking about what I'm going to make next, but to be honest, I don't think too much about myself; I’m focussing more on what I’m going to do.
Have you had any particular point or moment in your career where you noticed, like, "Damn, I'm kind of killing it"?
Maybe on the next show? (laughs) I’m never satisfied, and it’s my personality. I think it’s just human nature. It gives me energy to push forward for better things.
How is it working surrounded by such a creative team like the one at you.will.knovv? What does teamwork give and mean to you?
I’m more creative in every way; it's really helpful for me to make something unique in this team. If you’re surrounded by creative people, you'll naturally be thinking differently. It helps me broaden my perspective.
You do great solo songs, but collaborations and featurings are also a big part of your discography. What do you search for when approaching someone else to be part of your vision?
Mostly if it's going to be suitable for each song and for the idea I have. Maybe some chemistry with the voices is important as well.
Something I really like is the alternation of English and Korean lyrics in your songs. I always wonder about the differences between the two languages and what you can communicate in each one of them in the writing process. Can you tell me about it?
Yeah, there’s a difference in both. I think Korean is kind of soft, and in English, you can go or be a little bit more aggressive. In Korean, with the Korean language, if we write in a very straightforward way, it's going to sound a little weird.
There is a strong presence of different sounds in your music, jazz and more traditional styles are always there and work quite well. Where does this come from? Has it always been part of your taste?
I want to make something different. I like a lot of genres, a lot of sounds, and all kinds of music, so I like to put a lot of feelings and different vibes into one song. I’ve always wanted to mix things that don’t match well. I love mismatches and chaos. When you put a mismatch in a particular way, it creates a unique feeling. I’m open to trying any styles.
Is there a song you've made that you identify with especially?
It’s a recent one, but Chi-Ka, it’s very realistic.
I would also like to ask you about fashion. From what I have seen in your posts, there has always been an interest in or attention to what you wear. In the beginning, it seemed to be more street style-orientated; then you adopted this sort of uniform look on stage, and now I see you exploring more sides on this tour. Tell me about your relationship with fashion and how you use clothes for your visual image.
When I was a student in LA in 2015, I used to wear a lot of vintage clothing, Rick Owens, black leather jackets, and Converse. Now it’s 2024, almost ten years later, and I still wear the exact same vintage t-shirts. Still monotone colours, black pants, and a jacket. But something different is that I think of my clothes as an armour for soldiers, not to only look stylish.
Oh, so like a sort of protection?
No no, more like gear, to show that I’m ready for what's coming.
Wow, okay. That's a very interesting way of seeing it. Do you have any other artistic interests besides music? Are there any other creative paths you would like to explore?
I really like architecture; that's why I like Barcelona.
Oh nice! You already had a chance to do some sightseeing?
Yes! We looked around last night. I like all the different types of architecture it has. I like the concrete and the beautiful types of buildings too. I’ve also always loved fashion, culture, houses, and art. Maybe I could be a creative director or designer.
I can’t go without asking you this; this is something I’ve been curious about forever. It's about the stage of Electric Animal. I saw some technical drawings of it on your Instagram, and the concept has always been very intriguing to me because it looks very elaborate. Could you please tell me what it was all about?
I have a friend; his name is June, Junfourteen, and he’s the one who I did it with. We worked and designed it together, all the visuals and everything. It's a futuristic stage and is not actually real; it doesn't exist, but I wanted it to look really realistic. The song sounds futuristic, so we imagined a stage that fit the concept.
You only have the London show left from this tour. I know you must be tired, but I’m wondering what’s next for you after this.
Actually, I think I’ve been on the world tour for like a year now. The London show is going to be probably my last show for a while, and then I'm going to be staying in Korea to have some rest and get back to the studio.
Well, that’s a relief because I’ve seen people say this was going to be your last tour, and I was like, Wait, what? He’s not retiring this soon (laughs).
(Laughs) Yeah, no, it's time to get back to the studio and make some new stuff. I already have ideas; it's always going to be different, something new.
What part of the process of creation do you enjoy the most? I know you are involved in everything from start to finish. When do you feel more inspired?
Myself from the past inspires me every time. I always fight with myself. I enjoy it the most when I start a song, when it’s completely blank. I feel free when I create melodies and everything that goes in there; it’s what I love to do.
To leave our readers with a sort of recommendation from you, what's your most-listened song at the moment?
It’s SIN MIEDO by JPEGMAFIA.
