Haku from the Heart
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Abstract
This creative project, Haku from the Heart, explores to combine the elements of folk and modern pop. I always loved the honest reflections and stories folk music tells. It is often presented in a most vulnerable arrangement—a simple acoustic guitar with voice. As it centers the emotions carried in the lyrics, folk music creates this intimate connection. However, folk songs often fail to appeal to the larger audience with the lack of interest generated through the simple arrangement and demanding lyrics. As a folk singer/songwriter with an aim to reach a large audience, I wanted to write folk music that can appeal to the mass, just as done by Lizzy McAlpine, Noah Kahan and many other modern Indie/folk artists. The way I approached was by keeping the candid storytelling and the arrangements of folk and adding the modern aspects of Pop—the song structure, melodic shape, the use of the bright and clean vocal treatment, vocal pads and synthesizers. Altogether, I have created my own version of folk/pop through this project, Haku from the Heart.
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Campus
New York City Campus
Specialization
Songwriting and Production
Recommended Citation
Kim, Haku. “Haku from the Heart.” Master's thesis, Berklee College of Music, 2025. https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/146.