Justin Park, a Korean-American singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, is a self-proclaimed old soul. Growing up on a healthy diet of Queen, Bobby Caldwell, Luther Vandross, and Michael Jackson pushed the rising R&B artist to study the hit-making playbook. In these formative years, Park took whatever pocket money he had and bought any CD he could get his hands on. Still entrenched in his passion for music as a high school student, Park began commuting to Hollywood to record his own music. Now, signed with 5A, Park is releasing more music after his breakout success with Places Like Home.
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His most recent single, “You Don’t Know,” is a bittersweet account of unrequited love. American Songwriter recently sat down to ask Park about this track and a behind-the-scenes peek at his creative process.
Written by music producer and songwriter Dirk Pate, “You Don’t Know” doesn’t waste time before spinning emotion into the song’s smooth lyricism. “It’s a short nice piece, very simple, and I think that we put the language together in a way where people can totally relate,” Park says. “So I hope that the fans that listen to it will fall in love with it.”
Packed into just over a minute and a half, “You Don’t Know” coaxes listeners in with Park’s charming vocals. Once engaged with the single’s harmonies, however, the reality of unreciprocated affections becomes apparent. “[We] wanted to bring in the fans with the melody, the beauty of the song… the lightness of the song. But the context is actually so sad and at times a little bit dark,” Park says. More specifically, “You Don’t Know” reveals vulnerability and the sting of rejection. This is the feeling of “true pain” according to Park.
Overall, this single is a vibrant result of Park’s creative philosophy. Park tells American Songwriter that he values the process of studying music, “mak[ing] your ear better,” in addition to copious amounts of time spent practicing his craft. Study and practice together allow Park to find himself in his music. Park suggests that other aspiring artists do the same—whatever their craft may be.
Listen to “You Don’t Know” below, and watch out for Justin Park’s next album I Can See The Stars From Here.
