The artist first came into the spotlight back in 2014 with the boy band UNIQ alongside Wang Yibo, Zhou Yixuan, Kim SungJoo, and Li Wenhan, releasing their debut single “Falling In Love” that same year. In 2016, he made an appearance on the rap competition “Show Me The Money” where despite his short time on the show he had a chance to showcase his rap skills and get acknowledged for them. That same year, he also made his solo debut under the name Luizy, with the hip hop song ‘Recipe’ ft Flowsick. Two years later, came another name change as the idol sought to evolve from just being a rapper to a vocalist. The release of singles ‘Pool’ and ‘Meaningless’, marked the journey of what would be the road to success and ultimate stardom of the musical genius named WOODZ. In 2019, the idol was revealed as a contestant on the Mnet K-Pop reality series “Produce X 101” where he placed fifth. He gained massive recognition and praise for his musical techniques and soothing vocals. His run in the competition didn’t kick off well but throughout the series, he slowly rose in ranks and earned a spot in the final lineup for the K-Pop group X1. He made his official debut with the group on August 29, 2019, but what would seem like a fairytale story took a somewhat tragic turn to no fault of his but due to the allegations surrounding the reality show’s voting system. These allegations sadly led to the group’s disbandment.
The year 2020 served as his breakthrough year as the idol released a comeback EP in June titled “Equal” which hit title track ‘Love Me Harder’, an iconic song with over 13 million streams on Spotify and 19 million views on YouTube, reintroduced him globally as not just a vocalist but a promising pop star on the rise. Following the appreciation and acclaim of his previous EP, in November, he released his second EP titled “Woops!”. A perfect title that probably connotes his reactions to you falling for his incredible vocals, charming personality, and musical mastery.
The EP had the title track ‘Bump Bump’, a song that many acclaims to be one of the best songs released in 2020, his vocals soared high, elevating our senses, filling our minds with joy, and our feet are light as we jump gleefully to the tune, venturing on what feels like a nostalgic journey to 2000s, filled with technicolor, skateboards, and graffiti.
The album itself was a treasure filled with great songs like the charismatic and energetic track ‘Trigger’ and the beautiful ‘Sweater’ ft Jamie, a song the singer revealed he wrote thinking about his Grandma, which somehow adds to the appeal and meaning behind the lyrics of the song, it is simple yet soulful and touching.
In March 2021, he released the single ‘Feel Like’ a song that is expressively sensual, stimulating, and intriguing. His vocals are so soft, sweet, and unchallenged with a hint of funkiness that adds to the emotional pull of the song. The guitar runs at the end of the song is the finishing touch to what we can only describe as an unadulterated masterpiece. Not stopping in his tracks, the idol recently released his third EP titled “Only Lovers Left”, with the lead track ‘Waiting’, once again showing off his impressive vocal abilities, musicality, and his ability to showcase a concept that perfectly fits the message of any song.
The song currently has over 11 million views on YouTube and over 600,000 streams on Spotify, also earning him his first music show win, an achievement that as much as he had deserved, has sadly alluded him for a while now. Not many singers can tell a story with their songs but WOODZ does that so brilliantly well. He takes you on an emotional journey. Through his music, he expresses himself, he is not afraid to share his story as he once mentioned in an interview with STATUS about his mental health journey and channeling his thoughts towards making the song ‘Meaningless’. The idol is quoted saying “Meaningless is like my diary. I once thought about committing suicide when my depression was really bad. In the lyrics, I used the notes that I wrote down when I wasn’t able to find any reason for my life and tried to put stories in the track”. This statement is very important and valuable as mental health is not something being talked about vibrantly in the music industry and being able to open up about his struggles might be the catalyst that speeds up the need to have these kinds of conversations especially in the industry. The idol is not just a singer-songwriter but an impressive producer as well. Over the past couple of years, he has produced not just his songs but also his groups UNIQ and M.O.L.A and others like Super Junior D&E, Ravi, EDEN, ONF, GROOVY ROOM, etc. He is quite known for dabbling with various musical styles: Hip Hop, Pop, EDM, Ballads, and R&B. A trait that has emanated his tremendous growth and evolution in the music industry. “Woodz never disappoints”. These are the three words that have been repeated by fans over the years, a statement that might as well be a slogan for the idol and we must say, we agree. Bias Duality: The King Of Many Faces, WOODZ KPOP STORIES|Oct 18, 2021 WOODZ Blesses Our Ears At The Comeback Showcase For His 3rd Mini Album “ONLY LOVERS LEFT” REVIEWS|Oct 6, 2021 [Interactive Live] WOODZ - Lullaby | Welcome To My Baverse | 4K VIDEO|Aug 27, 2021
