🎤 Big Ocean JJ Drops ‘BUCKET HAT’ with Supertone’s AI Voice Tech
The K-pop world just witnessed a groundbreaking leap forward. Big Ocean JJ, the unit from Big Ocean—the world’s first K-pop group composed of hearing-impaired members—has officially released their new track, ‘BUCKET HAT’, fusing powerful storytelling with cutting-edge AI voice technology.
Released on July 9, the track made its debut on global streaming platforms and was simultaneously revealed at the AI for Good Global Summit hosted by the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland. The moment was nothing short of historic—symbolizing how technology and inclusivity can harmonize in the name of music.
🌐 AI Voice Meets K-pop: Breaking Sound Barriers
‘BUCKET HAT’ is not just another funky summer anthem. It’s the result of a revolutionary collaboration between Big Ocean JJ and Supertone, an AI voice technology company. By using Supertone’s Controllable Voice Conversion (CVC) technology, the group tackled one of their biggest challenges—English pronunciation.
While the group members PJ and Jiseok contributed their original vocals, Supertone extracted their unique vocal tones, layered them onto guide vocals with fluent English pronunciation, and reconstructed the final sound. The outcome? A seamless track that sounds like native-level English while preserving each member’s vocal identity.
This process used Supertone’s proprietary AI model “Nancy,” which dissects voice into four key elements: tone, pitch, pronunciation, and accent. By isolating the tone, it allowed for accurate synthesis while keeping the natural musical essence of the artists alive.
💫 Rewriting the Definition of Performance
Big Ocean is not new to breaking records. Since their debut in April 2023, the group has been praised for redefining what K-pop can look and sound like. From training with vibration-based devices to master choreography to being featured in Billboard and named among Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30, their impact transcends borders and expectations.
The collaboration with Supertone wasn’t just a tech experiment. It was a symbol of empowerment—proof that AI can amplify human potential, especially for artists overcoming physical limitations.
“This project shows that Supertone’s AI voice tech can empower new artistic challenges in the K-pop scene,” said Lee Gyo-gu, CEO of Supertone. “We will continue to support diverse artists in pushing beyond physical boundaries to create.”
🚀 A Message to the World
‘BUCKET HAT’ isn’t just a song; it’s a message—you can create without limits. As Big Ocean JJ takes center stage with their AI-enhanced vocals, their story becomes an anthem for those dreaming beyond barriers.
Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a K-pop fan, or someone rooting for representation in music, this release is a milestone not to be missed.
Article Source: Yoonjoo Cho, “Supertone collaborates on Big Ocean JJ’s new track with AI voice tech,” Financial News, July 11, 2025.
Alt text: Promotional group image of Big Ocean, the world’s first K-pop idol group with hearing impairment.
Caption: Big Ocean, breaking boundaries as the first hearing-impaired K-pop idol group.
Image Source: Image via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
