On Your Radar: BoyWithUke

Top Tracks: “Toxic”, “IDGAF (with blackbear)”, “Understand”
Similar Artists: Clairo, Alec Benjamin, blackbear
Recent News: His upcoming album Burnout comes out Friday, November 15.

After swiftly establishing himself as one of indie music’s most interesting figures, BoyWithUke has recently announced that his upcoming new album Burnout will be the final project that the musician will release under BoyWithUke.

Korean-American indie pop artist BoyWithUke began his musical journey through TikTok in 2020. In 2021, he released his debut EP Faded and his song “Toxic” went viral on the platform. “Toxic” went on to become a platinum hit after spending 31 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Alternative Airplay charts. The same year, BoyWithUke dropped his first two full-length albums, Melatonin Dreams and Fever Dreams, before signing on to Republic Records.

BoyWithUke released his first album with Republic, Seratonin Dreams, in 2022. The record featured BoyWithUke’s hit song “IDGAF” featuring blackbear. Throughout 2022 and 2023 BoyWithUke continued to release more music and numerous hit tracks. During his entire career, the musician was known for his anonymous identity, always performing on stage or making appearances in an LED-lit mask. Having worn the mask so that fans would perceive him only for his art, and not his looks, BoyWithUke remained anonymous until revealing his face in his music video for “Homesick” on October 9, 2023.

In an Instagram post the following day, devoted listeners learned that BoyWithUke’s real name is Charley Yang. In the post, he told followers that, while the mask originally held good intentions, Yang now felt that the mask gave him more insecurities and was negatively impacting his health, both physically and mentally. Ultimately, the truth of his identity represented the dawn of a new era for Yang.

In August of this year, Yang announced that his new album Burnout would be released in November and this would be his final project as BoyWithUke. Yang has dropped three singles so far ahead of the album, including “Can You Feel It?,” “Ghost” and “Gaslight.” While fans may feel nervous as to what Yang’s musical career might hold in store, one thing is for sure: Yang will be just as much of a trailblazer without the mask as he was with one. Without a doubt, exciting things are in store for whatever Yang will deliver next.

Pre-save Burnout, the upcoming album from BoyWithUke, here.