Charley Yang, known professionally as BoyWithUke, is a Korean-American singer, musician and internet personality. Yang first gained popularity on the online platform TikTok with his single "Two Moons" and later releases "Toxic" and "Understand". He kept his face hidden until October 10, 2023, shortly after the release of his fourth album Lucid Dreams, at the end of his “Homesick” music video. This was not confirmed until he officially announced the face reveal on his Instagram page also revealing his name. He is currently signed to Mercury Records, a subdivision of UMG.
Career
2020–2021: Beginnings on TikTok and early albums
Yang began uploading to TikTok in 2020 after being introduced to the platform by his brother. His content did not attract much attention on the platform until 2021, when several of his videos (including a series of videos entitled "Minute-Long Songs") started to gain popularity.
In September 2021, Yang released his extended play Faded. Later, the song Toxic went viral on TikTok and was featured in over sixty-nine thousand videos on the platform. It was streamed around half a billion times. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay charts after being on the charts for thirty-one consecutive weeks, which was the sixth-longest rise to No. 1 in Alternative Airplay's history. "Toxic" was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
In 2021, BoyWithUke released his first and second studio albums, Melatonin Dreams and Fever Dreams respectively.
2021–2022: Signing with Republic Records and Serotonin Dreams
In late 2021, Yang signed a deal with record label Republic Records. In 2022, he released the single "IDGAF", featuring Blackbear. He released his debut major-label album, Serotonin Dreams, under Republic Records. It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay and Billboard 200 charts and features "Toxic" as its lead single. After the album's release, BoyWithUke was listed as one of the top ten Billboard Emerging Artists. On September 30, 2022, he released the single "Sick of U" featuring Oliver Tree.
Throughout 2022, Yang opened for the indie-pop trio AJR on their tour for their fourth studio album OK Orchestra.
As of October 2023, he has almost eight million followers on TikTok and well over two billion Spotify streams and 870 million views on YouTube.
2023–present: Lucid Dreams and face reveal
Yang released his extended play Antisocial on February 24, 2023. It contains three songs, including the single "Rockstar", which was released on February 10, as well as two songs that had previously been teased on his TikTok, "IDTWCBF (Friends)" and "Nosedive". On April 7, 2023, BoyWithUke released another single, "Out of Reach", which is the full version of one of his minute-long songs on TikTok. He also debuted the single in a Roblox concert which also featured "Toxic", and "IDGAF".
BoyWithUke later released "Trauma" as a single on August 3, 2023.
BoyWithUke's fourth album, Lucid Dreams, was released on October 6, 2023. It was preceded by the singles "Rockstar", "Trauma" and "Migraine", with "Problematic" being released as a single on the album's release day. BoyWithUke has claimed that Lucid Dreams will be the last album of the "dreams" saga.
BoyWithUke first revealed his face on October 9, 2023, at the end of his music video for 'Homesick'. On an Instagram post, the next day, he revealed his face and name. In the same post, he found that the mask gave him confidence in the past, but now it was negatively affecting his physical and mental health. BoyWithUke also expressed his plans to start a new chapter of his music without a mask.
Artistry
Until October 2023, Yang wore an opaque face shield with two large LED lights to ensure his anonymity. His music is centered around the ukulele but also incorporates other instruments such as the piano. He self-composes his music on GarageBand from his iPad, a free digital audio workstation for Apple devices.
Yang's music has been described as "alternative" and "alt-pop".
All of Yang's four albums contain the word "dreams" in their titles. Melatonin Dreams talked heavily about depression and suicidal thoughts. Fever Dreams focuses on low self-esteem and generally melancholic and depressed themes. Serotonin Dreams is supposedly him "waking up" and the "Magnum Opus" of the saga as overall unlike its antecedent, Serotonin Dreams focuses on realization and generally more positive values, while still having occasional references to the importance of its predecessors. His newest album, Lucid Dreams, is intended to symbolize his "desires, his fear, his past, and his dreams."
Personal life
During his performance in Seoul Jazz Festival, he claimed that he was born in Daegu Korea. He has also said that he lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Yang went to Oak Middle School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, and also attended Shrewsbury High School. Yang stated that he was forced into classical music from the age of four, but later dropped it. This was followed by him resuming music through writing music in high school. Yang also said that he kept his identity hidden because he wanted people to pay attention to the music and talent and not his looks.
