Despite this ongoing pandemic, GSoul has been working hard currently to showcase his personal growth in this industry after a brief hiatus. In this case, GSoul is not only in the R&B world but now in the English-speaking world as well. He’s a force to not be reckoned with his strong songwriting skills and melodic singing talent.
The Korean singer was discovered by JYP Entertainment at the age of 12 years old. Under the company, he became the longest trainee for 15 years. During those years of training, he was considered a prodigy in his home country and America.
In 2015, he made his debut with the release of his EP “Coming Home” which drew attention from various music charts such as Billboard. Today, his latest EP “Natural” will be his first-ever English EP via his current record label Warner Music Korea.
The highly-anticipated project clocks in at five songs, including tracks “Be My Side,” “Free (I’m Gonna Be),” “Another Day.” Plus there is a Korean and English version of the song “Natural.”
AllHipHop: What inspired you for each track in your new EP, ‘Natural’?
**GSoul: ** The title song “Natural,” I wrote that one first. It’s like my love letter to my loved ones and fans. I wanted to make sure that the whole production sounded organic… and natural. That’s why for the vocal mixing, I didn’t put any EQs and kept it natural.
The first track of the EP “By My Side” is a love song for all my friends, families and fans. It’s my appreciation for the people stood ‘by my side’.
I wrote “Free” when I was in a dark difficult space. It was my affirmation to be free and I wanted to redefine my freedom. For some time, I was stuck in my own head, then I realized what I was holding me back, which was myself and my own thoughts. Which I realized that I had to be free from them. I really like this because the song is so vulnerable and I’m very vulnerable on that song
“Another Day” talks about my addiction. I’m addicted to a lot of things (laugh) and I pray about my daily battle. I think a lot of people can relate to that. I wanted to be honest with my fans and share that side of me. Especially those who are going through the same experiences as well. Sound-wise, it’s like a Cuban jazz vibe, which I never tried before.
AllHipHop: What was the creative process of creating this new EP for you?
**GSoul: ** It’s really the same as before, just telling my story through different sounds and messages on each song. Especially for this track, I really wanted to go back to my root of the R&B, soul. gospel genre. Before, I was so obsessed with trying other genres such as deep house, reggae, etc. I think I had a rebellious mindset. I don’t know what it was but on this project, it’s going on a very soulful, jazz, neo-soul, R&B genre, which my fans would really appreciate.
AllHipHop: Why did you release the song “Natural” in both Korean and English, while the others are only in English?
**GSoul: ** Since it’s the main title song, I thought that the melody and vibe would sound really good in Korean. The Korean lyrics came out right before the recording and release, and I really like it. And my mom likes it, which is important to me.
AllHipHop: What inspired you to create an EP about natural, genuine, heartfelt vibes?
**GSoul: ** One thing I can say about myself is that I am a genuine person and it shows in music. Especially for this project, I had to be fearlessly vulnerable, because my fans know so much about me, without me saying much. Sometimes they send me messages and check up on me, knowing exactly what I’m going through. I felt like I didn’t want to be hiding anymore, even in music and lyrical contents. I just wanted to be really vulnerable, honest, and sincere.
AllHipHop: Did you encounter any moments of self-doubt during your production of this EP?
**GSoul: ** Yes, but that’s the case for me always. I hold such a high standard to myself as an artist. Sometimes, if I don’t feel quite meeting that standard, I get very frustrated. I don’t know if I’m a perfectionist or not, but I get into the details. Self-doubt… that’s a devil. It’s a demon a lot of artists are dealing with, but we have to fight through it and believe in ourselves. Just by finishing up this project, it gave me a new confidence that I had lost for a while. So it’s very meaningful and I’m really grateful.
AllHipHop: What advice do you want to give your fans and listeners about overcoming self-doubt?
**GSoul: ** Prayers, and being with your loved ones. We all need each other, so it’s important to have your support system and know the right people to lean on when you need to. We live in this time, where we are so obsessed with constantly putting out something. I believe that we need time to give time to live our lives, so that those experiences melt into music.
Sometimes, we gotta step back and see why we do the things that we do. Do you love it? Or do you really love it? When you’e constantly running, sometimes you get sucked into many different things from business to people, and you lose the innocence and the passion for music. That’s why we need time live life and see what that experiences come back to you
AllHipHop: Taking into account the struggles with the pandemic, what are some activities you’ve done to uplift your spirit?
**GSoul: ** Walk in nature. Hiking. Exercise. Those helped me tremendously.
