Meet The Artist: Ted Park on Going Crazy, Staying Real, and Building Without a Label

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Welcome back #SoundLovers🎶! We are excited to bring you the next artist. From Madison, Wisconsin, to stages across the globe, Ted Park is blazing his own trail as a fiercely independent Korean-American artist. Known for his raw lyricism, high-energy performances, and unfiltered honesty, Ted has built a career on passion, perseverance, and personality. In this exclusive interview, he opens up about his creative journey, life lessons, and the drive behind his ever-evolving sound. Whether he’s cooking up a track or a home-cooked meal, one thing’s clear—Ted Park is all in.

Disclaimer: Responses have been edited for clarity.

Q: For those who may be discovering you for the first time, could you introduce yourself?

Ted Park: My name is Ted Park. I’m originally from Madison, Wisconsin. I’m Korean-American. I’m a music artist, writer, and now a video director. I just try to be overall creative and put out art that resonates with me—and hopefully with other people, too.

Q: What three words best encapsulate your artistic identity?

Ted: Personable, honest, and crazy. We’re going crazy—three words: we going crazy. For real!

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Q: Give us a rundown of how you started in music. Where did your inspiration come from?

Ted: I moved to Korea in seventh or eighth grade unexpectedly. I was in my angry kid phase—didn’t want to be there. I grew up in Wisconsin, where there wasn’t a strong Asian-American identity for me. I wanted to fit in with my friends, but being in Korea, I started writing because I was mad. Then I began recording and rapping. It became my vent for frustration, and it got me through my childhood. Eventually, I thought, “I’m already doing this every day—I’m just gonna pursue it.”

Q: In an alternate universe, if you weren’t doing music, what path would you take?

Ted: I’d be a chef! I love cooking. I did a collab with someone called S.Dot in Chicago, shout out S.Dot. Someone commented that S.Dot just did a collab with a Chinese restaurant chef. It was supposed to be a sort of flaming hateful comment, but I thought to myself, If I was good enough to cook at a Chinese restaurant, that would mean that I’ve made it. But I love cooking, I also recently got into video editing and producing, so I’d still be doing something creative.

Q: As an independent artist, what are the biggest struggles and highlights?

Ted: The list of struggles is longer than the highlights. You’re not on salary. You don’t have a machine pushing you. You have to invest in yourself, book your own shows, do your own promos, learn the business, shoot videos, and mix and master your songs. You gotta do everything. But if you’re willing to do it, you’re not competing with anyone. You control your own wins and mistakes.

Being independent taught me to be grateful. For a long time, I wasn’t happy—even when things were going well. Now I realize how much I’ve built on my own. That mindset shift has been huge.

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Q: You mentioned wanting to help other independent artists—can you elaborate?

Ted: Yeah, I want to start an imprint and bring up independent artists under my wing. Everyone wants to build an empire, but you need to build a community first. That’s what I’m focused on now—being part of something bigger.

Q: What keeps you from signing with a major label?

Ted: I’m too ADHD to let someone else control my career. Even reputable companies have approached me, but I’m impulsive. When I want to drop something, I want to do it on my terms. I’ve tried giving up control before, and it just doesn’t work for me.

Q: Walk us through your creative process when making a new song.

Ted: Honestly, I’m messing around. In a four-hour session, two and a half hours is me clowning, talking nonsense. Then I hear a beat I like, lock in, and freestyle everything—melody and words. I don’t write. If something sticks, it’s meant to be. I treat it like throwing paint on a canvas—either it’s a Picasso or it’s trash, but you gotta try.

Q: Are recent releases from the infamous “vault,” or are they newer recordings?

Ted: The vault is deep! But I’ve changed my approach—if I like something, I’m just going to put it out. Before, I’d hold on to songs and pile up new ones. Now, I’m trying to be strategic but not scared. My most recent stuff is fresh, though “Slide” was in the vault for a year before it dropped.

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Q: Your Minneapolis show sold out. How did that feel, especially after your earlier experience there?

Ted: It was wild. The first time I performed there in 2021, I sold 40 tickets. No shame—they had a great time, and I did too. But it made me hesitant to come back. This time? It was packed. People told me they’d waited years to see me. Going from 40 to 600—it was a beautiful full-circle moment.

Q: Have your pre-show rituals changed since we last spoke in 2022?

Ted: Definitely. I sleep better now, eat before shows, drink less. I used to

blackout on stage. Now, I’m working on my vocals and crowd control while sober. I want to be a better performer and give people something they won’t get anywhere else.

Q: “Slide” has been getting a lot of attention. What was the creative process behind it?

Ted: That came together fast. I linked up with Italian producer Fudasca in L.A. at Sony. It was his last day in the States, and we recorded “Slide” in like 20 minutes. The Brazilian chant sample came from TikTok. We recorded five songs that day, but “Slide” hit immediately. It went viral in Italy before we even released it. Took months, but it dropped at the right time.

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Q: You’ve recently adopted a healthier lifestyle. What motivated that, and what’s been the biggest challenge?

Ted: It was fear, realizing my lifestyle wasn’t sustainable. I wanted to live longer and keep making good music. If I love my fans and my art, I had to change. Having the right people around helped a lot. Now, I wake up clear-headed, I’m more productive, and I feel good. It’s not just about how I look—it’s how I feel. I want to get into the industry side of music too, and that means living like it.

Q: Are you planning a tour soon?

Ted: I’m spontaneous, but yeah, about four or five days ago I started thinking about a summer tour. So, TBD—but likely.

Q: What kind of music or artists do you enjoy live?

Ted: I like random stuff. We saw a cover band the other day here in Corpus Christi, and it was lit. I’m always down for discovering new music through YouTube, Spotify, or just live experiences. Lately, I’ve been into alternative R&B, and that’s influencing my sound now.

Q: Outside of music, what activities do you enjoy?

Ted: Fishing, cooking, and just talking trash with my friends. I love being outside, getting fresh air. You can’t just be cooped up in the studio all the time.

Photo Credit: Lorenzo

Ted Park’s story is a testament to the power of staying true to yourself—even when the path gets messy. With his raw honesty, infectious energy, and ever-evolving creativity, he continues to carve out space for independent voices in music. Whether he’s cooking up tracks in the studio or supporting the next generation of artists, Ted is proof that success isn’t about fitting into the mold—it’s about breaking it. And if his journey so far is any indication, he's just getting started.