Auckland-Seoul Singer hanbee Releases New Single 'tomato baby' Ahead of 2nd Album 'daydream radio'

Singer-songwriter hanbee, who has roots in both New Zealand and South Korea, has released her new single "tomato baby" along with its music video today. The track serves as the latest lead single from her second album, "daydream radio," scheduled for release on June 19.

Following the success of last month's "city time," which romanticized her life traveling between Sydney, Melbourne, and Seoul, "tomato baby" delves deeper into hanbee's airy, lo-fi pop soundscape. Produced in collaboration with Seoul-based producer Hyunmin Lee, the album "daydream radio" was created with support from the New Zealand music agency NZ On Air, reflecting her year spent in Auckland and Seoul.

In this work, hanbee blends city pop elements with her indie-pop roots. The recurring theme of contrast between urban life and nature continues to be explored. Visually, the music videos were filmed in Sydney's Bondi, the city center, and the quiet suburb of Rhodes. Longtime collaborator Chris Antonio joined Hyunny Lee and Luke Byatt in the production, while Sydney-based filmmaker Brad Kim directed all music videos for the album.

Regarding the album, hanbee stated, "'daydream radio' is about being free in your mind and dreaming of where you want to be or who you want to be with. In your daydreams, you can be completely free. No matter what you're looking for, 'daydream radio' will help you find the perfect thing."

Inspired by a nickname, "tomato baby" is a shimmering indie-pop number about a loved one. "Calling someone you love by a special name is very sweet. 'tomato baby' is a story about someone slowly melting your walls, naturally entering your daily life, and occupying a special place in your heart," hanbee explained.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, hanbee is a rapidly rising Korean-indie pop singer. Following her debut album "small love," her track "strange" was selected for Apple Music Korea's "Best 100 Songs of 2024," and she was named an "Up Next" artist. She was also recently appointed as a YouTube Foundry ambassador. Her live reputation is growing through performances at Laneway Festival and SXSW Sydney, as well as sharing stages with Men I Trust, Fazerdaze, and Telenova.