Boni (also known as Shin Bo-kyung) is by no means a new name in the Underground Korean R&B scene. Her smooth and sultry voice, reminiscent of 90s old-school R&B, is only further complimented by her amazing vocal control and range.

Spending much of her childhood listening to various kinds of music, including studying postmodern music at Kyung Hee University, Boni’s musical talent in R&B was recognized by the now-defunct duo band, 015B.

She has often expressed the desire to create music founded upon Black gospel traditions, which has been clearly apparent as the guiding influence and inspiration of her vocal styling since her debut in 2010 on Inplanet.

When asked about the state of acceptance for Korean R&B singers, Boni stated in 2013:

“R&B musicians in Korea are quickly losing their ground. Simply put, Korean R&B is in the darkness. The crisis came with the rise of K-Pop. Many talented musicians in R&B have converted to other media-hyped genres with which they expect to earn money and fame easily.”

Boni stated that she couldn’t criticize musicians who decided to leave R&B behind. However, she worried their departures would significantly impact the degree of diversity within K-Pop. Sharing her personal experiences with some entertainment promoters, Boni recalled:

“I’ve so far met several promoters who said they will help me join the mainstream music scene and make a lot of money on condition that I sing trendy music. But I rejected this. I don’t regret the decision … because I like R&B. This is the music I’ve grown up with and that I will live with.”

Despite dealing with the lack of space for her talent within the K-Pop scene, Boni revealed her following overseas, especially in the United States, has been very supportive:

“I’ve received several messages from underground R&B musicians in the U.S. who sought to collaborate with me. They contacted me after listening to my Korean songs through YouTube. I think this is a good sign.”

When asked about her dream production team, Boni emphatically stated she would love to work with the U.S.-based R&B production duo, The Underdogs. She remarked:

“They are awesome. I love them. I really want to know how they produce music in such an awesome manner — not only for me but also the Korean R&B scene as a whole.”