Crush

South Korean vocalist Crush blends sophisticated R&B with echoes of 1970s soul, hip-hop grooves, and intimate acoustic balladry. His career began when the 2014 debut album Crush on You yielded the single "Sometimes," and a string of well-received EPs paved the way for the 2019 sophomore release From Midnight to Sunrise, which reached the Top 20. After fulfilling compulsory military duties, he teamed with BTS member J-Hope on the 2022 single "Rush Hour," a track steeped in funk.

Born Shin Hyo-Seob in 1992 and raised in Seoul, Crush encountered hip-hop and R&B while still young. Artists such as Dynamic Duo prompted him to start writing and laying down demos during middle school; he later earned a music degree from Hoseo University. In 2012, while still a student, he co-founded the hip-hop crew VV:D alongside Gray, Loco, and Elo, then issued the single "Red Dress" with TakeOne. That same year he joined Amoeba Culture, and in 2014 he delivered Crush on You, featuring "Sometimes," which peaked at number six domestically and broadened his audience. Additional 2014 projects included the Gaeko collaboration "Hug Me" and the soundtrack contribution "Sleepless Night" for the SBS drama It's Okay, That's Love.

The 2015 Zion.T duet "Just" topped the charts. Crush followed with his first EP, Interlude, in 2016 and joined Girls' Generation's Taeyeon on "Don't Forget." Wonderlust appeared later that year and Wonderlost in 2018; both EPs entered the South Korean Top 20. In 2019 he left Amoeba Culture for P Nation and unveiled the sophomore album From Midnight to Sunrise, which contained "Alone" and reached number 19 on the Gaon Album Chart while earning R&B Album of the Year honors at the Korean Hip-Hop Awards. He also joined Zico, Penomeco, Dean, and Millic in the Fanxy Child collective for its debut track "Y." The EP With Her surfaced in October 2020, and Crush entered mandatory service the next month. Upon discharge he resurfaced in September 2022 with the funky, '90s-soul-infused "Rush Hour" featuring J-Hope of BTS.