Empowering Black Entrepreneurship: Stories of Success, Strategy & Growth
Music is a universal language that goes beyond traditional sensory experiences, often being felt more deeply than it can be heard. Few artists, if any, exemplify that idea to the same degree as Big Ocean, a dynamic trio who have made waves as the world’s first Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing K-Pop group. With help from their passionately loyal fans, PADO (Korean for “WAVE”), they’ve already made a global impact with their talent, hard work, and dedication to helping build a more accessible music industry. Members PJ, Chanyeon, and Jiseok have even learned Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language, and International Sign Language to be able to connect with as many fellow Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing people as possible.
The latest offering in their moving mission is a stunning performance video for PJ’s solo track “SINKING,” which shows him signing every lyric in International Sign Language. “SINKING” originally appeared on the group’s Underwater mini-album earlier this year, where it quickly became a standout for its vulnerable lyrics and PJ’s beautifully raw vocal timbre. You feel his pain as if it’s your own while he laments, “I tried to make me believe, you were the story I wanted to read, but my heart is sinking.”
As the main vocalist of Big Ocean, PJ’s ability to channel such pure feeling into his vocal tone makes their songs even more moving and impactful. The group released their Underwater mini-album alongside title track “ATTENTION” in April and have racked up several hundred thousand streams since, growing their catalog with a mix of anthems and ballads while also making a difference and helping fans with disabilities feel more seen and accepted. PJ told Rolling Stone in late 2024, “Our team was formed for a reason. Our goal is to break barriers and push ourselves to the limit.”
The possibilities are truly boundless for Big Ocean, and we can’t wait to see what PJ and his fellow members do next! You can learn more about the group on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Let us know what you think of PJ’s “Sinking” in the comments below or link up with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
By Madison Murray
Featured Image: Hiro Noctambule, Courtesy of 5Oceans Studio
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