Heather Park is not what you expect. But defying expectations has always been part of her style. In a classic New York tale, she was first discovered while working in a Manhattan deli frequented by the program director of Hot 97. He eventually got her demo into the hands of producer Steve Francis of Stush Music and within months, her career took off.
Her voice is just as surprising. With a subtly sweet tone and her delicate Korean-American frame, it’s easy to make assumptions. And it’s part of why the powerful, sultry soul she unleashes packs the kind of punch you never see coming.
Five years in the making, Heather’s second album, Stay, explores the nuances of love learned, lost and reborn. Once again partnering with producer Steve Francis, she’s created a collection of intensely intimate songs. Drawing from a range of genres — R&B, hip-hop, soul, folk — she masterfully merges them into a language all her own. The album embodies Heather’s signature style of lush harmonies, refreshing live instruments, and poetic rhetoric.
Infused with heavy reggae roots, the lead single, “Trust You”, tells a tale about a love made inseparable from lust. “Somebody Else” pays homage to old school hip-hop/R&B with an exhilarating statement about breaking free of expectations and finding comfort in oneself. In the album’s title song, “Stay”, the stripped down acoustic track frees Heather’s sultry voice to soar and dominate. Deeply expressive and musically sound, Stay is a musical statement of personal strife wrapped in lyrical complexity and smooth resonance. It’s radiant, tough, tender and unique — just like its creator.
In 2005, Heather released her debut album, Dream in Pictures, and quickly achieved international recognition. Influenced equally by hip-hop beats and neo-soul sirens, the album is an intimate affair of understated cool. The title track captures a trip-hop twinkle, and “The Life” is a mesmerizing statement with bits and pieces of an orchestra. The “The Life (Remix)” was produced by Ron Browz and featured T-Rex and became a club hit.
Dream In Pictures received a licensing deal via Play Network, allowing songs from the album to be played by retailers such as the GAP, The Limited and Old Navy across the country. In 2006, “Is What It Is” was chosen to be licensed in Japan by Avex Records. Finally, in 2007, power ballad “Leave Me To Dream” was featured on the soundtrack to Michael Kang’s feature film West 32nd, starring actors John Cho and Grace Park. Heather Park has performed all over the US and the UK. Honored as a finalist in the Emergenza NYC Battle of the Band competition, she has also opened for Common.
Park’s personal lyrics and powerful voice reflect on her experiences as a Korean-American, but really she just wants to take her rightful place as a Seoul Diva.
