NYC-based producer and artist Yaeji, in collaboration with OHHYUK, founder of the Seoul based indie band HYUKOH, has announced two new singles and music videos: “29” and “Year to Year” (out now on XL Recordings). Starting as sketches exchanged between the two artists, the songs took full shape when they connected for studio sessions in Seoul earlier this year. Written, recorded and produced by Yaeji and OHHYUK, the singles premiered today with two new music videos: “Year to Year” directed by Seoul-based director, and frequent Yaeji and OHHYUK collaborator, DQM and “29” by dada.service creative Nam Eunuk.
Watch “29” and “Year to Year” Below:
Earlier this year OHHYUK joined Yaeji for a special visual episode of her monthly NTS radio show Kraeji w/Yaeji. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, the two had already begun working in the studio, but it was during this impromptu session for NTS that the two hinted to the world that a new creative relationship had begun. Influenced by each other’s individual styles, the pair’s new double-single is a holistic balance of each artist’s distinctive productions: “29” see’s Yaeji rapping in her signature, trance-like style over OHHYUK’s indie-influenced pulsating drums and Bossa guitar. While “Year to Year” is a more cinematic indie affair with a drum-n-bass inspired breakdown. These latest songs see Yaeji once again exploring the boundaries of pop, it’s OHHYUK influence of his distinctive alt-indie that drives the singles home.
Yaeji on working with OHHYUK:
“When I was feeling a bit stuck and stagnant with music, Hyuk helped me find the joys of creating again, and this was my first time collaborating with someone so closely on music. We spent many days together in the studio in Seoul, sometimes not even making music but just chatting about how we grew up and sharing meals together, and our musical collaboration blossomed as our friendship grew.”
OHHYUK on working with Yaeji:
“Yaeji and I first started to jam when Yaeji visited Seoul last summer. At that time, I was experiencing a kind of “musician’s block” and the jams with Yaeji acted as a catalyst for me and brought back the joy of working on music again. Through the jams we made many tracks, Yaeji soon began to plan the framework for “Year to Year” and I did the same for “29.” For the videos, we worked with Directors DQM and Nam Eunuk, who are both close friends of ours. It was the love and support of many friends that made the music videos come to life. I would like to send my undivided appreciation to them.”
Yaeji taken from the “29” music video
In April 2021, Yaeji celebrated the one-year anniversary of her mixtape project WHAT WE DREW ??? ????. Returning to the stage for the first time in two-years this summer, Yaeji performed multiple headline sets including BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn!, Pitchfork Music Festival and Life is Beautiful Festival, debuting a new live performance including dancers, music from her recent mixtape and never-before-released music. Appearing at Pitchfork Music Festival last month, the Chicago Sun-Times raved of her new live performance saying: “In addition to being an innovative, genre-pushing producer, the Brooklyn-based artist is also an incredibly magnetic performer – which was really emphasized during her performance.”
As recent as last month, Yaeji rejoined forces with Dua Lipa (the producer last year remixed the popstar’s global smash hit “Don’t Start Now”) for an interview and livestream performance as part of Lipa’s #trulyinspired series. This month it was revealed that Yaeji is one of the twenty-five artists on Pitchfork’s 25 Next List, which highlights the artists shaping where music will go from here. Further, Yaeji, alongside Amaarae, Angel Bat Dawid, Bartees Strange, and KeiyaA, sat with Pitchfork journalist Alphonse Pierre for a roundtable-interview cover story to discuss the future of music; read that story here.
Yaeji & OHHYUK “29” and “Year to Year” double-single artwork 
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OHHYUK:
Seoul-based musician OHHYUK is the lead singer, guitar player, and founder of the indie band HYUKOH. Since their debut in 2014, OHHYUK and HYUKOH have become a phenomenon in the Korean mainstream music scene. HYUKOH has released two albums and three EPs: 20, 22, 23, 24: How to find true love and happiness, and through love. The numerical titles refer to the members’ age at the time of the recording, and they reflect themes of youth and early adulthood in an emotionally honest sound that is both bold and eclectic as well as subtle and melancholic.
As the lead of HYUKOH, OHHYUK has performed at many renowned festivals: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival(USA), Fuji Rock Festival(Japan), Lowlands (the Netherlands), Pukkelpop (Belgium), and OYA Festival (Norway), just to name a few. Meanwhile, HYUKOH’s music featured in various fields including Apple TVC, Netflix Series, and the Men’s Collection Show of Louis Vuitton.
OHHYUK and HYUKOH have been acknowledged as the iconic force in youth culture, bringing a unique style to their music videos, performances, and fashion. They were invited to the CELINE show at Paris Fashion Week and the Hong Kong Birkenstock x Rick Owens show, and OHHYUK participated as the cast for the SS21 show of Martine Rose. HYUKOH was also selected as campaign models for Matches Fashion and cover models for the global fashion magazines Esquire, Arena, GQ, and Dazed.
Yaeji:
Yaeji, an NYC-via-Seoul electronic producer, DJ and vocalist, rose to global acclaim after the release of her 2017 debut EPs which featured songs “Raingurl” and “Drink I’m Sippin On”. Since then she’s produced remixes for Charli XCX, Dua Lipa and Robyn, sold out two headlining worldwide tours and released her critically-acclaimed mixtape WHAT WE DREW ??? ???? . Born in Flushing, Queens, in the summer of 1993, Yaeji’s roots are scattered between Seoul, Atlanta, and New York City, serving as an backdrop for her singular, hybrid-sound which is influenced by her love of Korean indie rock and electronica, late ‘90s and early 2000s hip hop and R&B. Noted by Time Magazine, Stereogum, Billboard, Gorilla vs Bear, New Yorker, and Pitchfork as one of the best albums of 2020, WHAT WE DREW ??? ???? is a reflection of Yaeji’s gratitude for her community, family and friends, and a period of growth that resulted in a newfound laser-focused creative vision. Reemerging in 2021, Yaeji revealed a collaborative music video with WEiRDCORE for her original composition for PAC-MAN titled “PAC-TIVE.” This October, joined by Seoul-based indie polymath OHHYUK, Yaeji will release two new singles, “29” and “Year to Year” with XL Recordings.
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For more information on OHHYUK:
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