[TF Interview] JAY B, Music He Does Because He Loves It: 'Chptr'

Single series featuring music with a different flavor from albumsIncludes synthwave genre 'Honeydew' and fan song 'Sweetie'Singer JAY B released the new single 'Chptr.1' on the 27th of last month on various music sites./528Hz[THE FACT|Reporter Choi Hyun-jung] Looking at the past activities of singer JAY B, there are quite unique aspects.Debuting under JYP Entertainment, one of the leading entertainment companies that is always among the 'Big 3 K-pop agencies,' he was active as a member of the group GOT7, JJ Project, and Jus2 for about nine years from 2012 to 2021.After his brilliant days at JYP Entertainment, JAY B's next destination was the hip-hop specialized label H1GHR MUSIC. The fact that he parted ways with a leading K-pop entertainment company and settled in a label specializing in a specific genre of music showed where JAY B's musical goals were headed.However, JAY B's time at H1GHR MUSIC was not very long. He announced his exclusive contract with H1GHR MUSIC on May 11, 2021, and after a little over a year, in July 2022, he announced the termination of the contract. He was subsequently affiliated with CDNZA Records and MORE VISION, but did not stay long there either.At the end of his zigzagging journey, JAY B has settled at 528Hz, his current agency. JAY B, who announced his new start as a producer and solo artist under 528Hz on April 5th of this year, released his third EP 'TREE' on June 10th, about two months later, signaling his continued presence.And in 'TREE,' JAY B further revealed the deep atmosphere and sound texture characteristic of the R&B genre, once again clearly conveying the music he wanted to share. Perhaps because of this, 'TREE' was an album that strongly felt like JAY B was declaring, 'Now it's really the beginning.'And that's why the single 'Chptr.1' released by JAY B on the 27th of last month is even more intriguing. This single, released in just four months, features a sound that is suddenly full of synthwave and pop sensibilities.Regarding this, JAY B explained, "The single 'Chptr' series consists of songs that are separate 'epilogues' or 'side stories' that present music that deviates significantly from an R&B base." met with JAY B at a cafe in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 27th to hear about the musical blueprint he is envisioning.JAY B first explained the nature of the 'Chptr' series. He said, "I have many albums I want to release and many songs piled up. However, I can't include every song I make in an album, so I've separately categorized good songs that differ from my initial vision." He added, "Singles of this size will be released separately under the title 'Chptr' in the future. I thought that by releasing them one by one, I could move on to the next step."'Honeydew' and 'Sweetie' included in 'Chptr.1,' released in this manner, certainly have a different character from the music heard in 'TREE.' The title track 'Honeydew' is a synth-pop characterized by dreamy synth sounds, a rhythmic bassline, and a distinctive whistling sound, while 'Sweetie' is a fan song with strong pop sensibilities.Regarding 'Honeydew,' JAY B said with a laugh, "The Weeknd recently had a concert in Korea, and groups featuring synthwave have appeared, but our timing just happened to overlap; this is a song I've been preparing to release for a long time." He continued, "Of course, The Weeknd is the most famous artist in this genre and a personal favorite, so there's some influence, but I wanted to experience this genre because I hadn't tried it before."He added, "Also, I thought 'Honeydew' was a genre where I could dance more. My previous work 'Layback' was also a good piece, but I felt there were limitations in terms of performance due to the genre." He continued, "I want to accumulate a lot of [music in various genres], but it feels like I'm accumulating it alone at home. It's not that I dislike it, but I want to release it to the world more slowly."JAY B's new single 'Chptr.1' includes 'Honeydew' and 'Sweetie.'/528HzThere was also an episode that gave JAY B confidence in this song. Before its release, JAY B played 'Honeydew' for Park Jin Young, the head of JYP Entertainment, and received positive feedback.JAY B said, "When I play new songs, Producer Park Jin Young always says 'It's good,' but this was the first time he asked, 'Do you have choreography?' and wanted to see the choreography as well." He added, "Also, there's a difference in the temperature of the same 'good,' right? This time, I felt the heat in his reaction," showing his anticipation for 'Honeydew.''Sweetie,' included along with the title track 'Honeydew,' is a song that he has already pre-released live at concerts. This song began with a clear intention to "create a song for the fans."JAY B said, "This song started with the idea, 'Since there's nothing I can do for my fans, I'll sing them a song.' I'm not good at expressing my affection to my fans. So, I tried to express it through a song." He added, "It's a song that contains my gratitude to my fans, thinking of them."Although JAY B stated that he is not good at expressing affection directly, his love and gratitude for his fans are more profound than anyone else's. This is because he knows well that his fans are the driving force behind his success.JAY B said, "There are only advantages to my activities with GOT7. I gained so much from my activities as a K-pop group." He continued, "Thanks to my activities with GOT7, I was able to promote my music more, and when I first started doing R&B music, my fans trusted me, which allowed me to come this far. I believe the strong support of my fans is my greatest driving force."Of course, as an artist from a K-pop group venturing into genre music, he sometimes faces prejudice and preconceived notions. However, he drew a line, stating that this is a challenge he must overcome.JAY B said, "Even if the image of being a K-pop group stands tall and forms a solid barrier, overcoming it is my homework." He continued, "Honestly, I don't think I and my music have yet made a distinct impression on listeners. If you ask if my music has reached R&B listeners, honestly, it hasn't. So, there's so much I need to build anew. My goal is to promote myself and my music so that more people can listen to it. It's a difficult task, but I intend to tackle it well."In fact, GOT7 is a popular group that has left a significant mark on the K-pop scene, and JAY B could have taken an easier path by continuing similar music and maintaining his fandom. However, the reason he chose the difficult path is simple and clear: he likes it.JAY B stated, "Korean R&B is difficult to challenge. It feels like the mountain to overcome is a bit high. Nevertheless, I'm doing it simply because I like it."He added, "Moving from JYP Entertainment to H1GHR MUSIC had a somewhat positive impact on my thoughts. Seeing H1GHR MUSIC gain recognition as a hip-hop label changed my negative thoughts into positive ones. As I do R&B, I've come to think that I want to be someone who promotes R&B widely."This could be a form of proof, but first and foremost, it is because JAY B himself wants to do it. In fact, the 'Chptr' series, despite its slightly different flavor, does not deviate from "the music he wants to make" within the larger framework.JAY B said, "If I divide my music career, I consider JJ Project as Chapter 1, GOT7 as Chapter 2, other companies from H1GHR MUSIC as Chapter 3, and now as Chapter 4." He reflected on the past, saying, "I regret that I was too young and didn't know anything during Chapter 1. I think I did well in Chapter 2, but looking back now, I regret that I could have done better but didn't. Chapter 3 is significant for starting anew, and for Chapter 4 now, my only thought is to run hard."JAY B has set his sights on promoting the music he loves and R&B in the future./528HzFurthermore, he had no intention of hiding his past mistakes that caused controversy during his reflection on the past. JAY B said, "I don't want to deny the past. It wasn't a good thing, but I think I have to face it. I need to keep facing it and be vigilant." He also confessed, "I think I would have felt stifled if I hadn't addressed it."Although JAY B is starting a new chapter in his music career, what he wants to do is not particularly grand. It is to immerse himself in what he loves at this very moment. That was enough.JAY B said, "Rather than setting a grand, big goal, I want to create stories that I can tell. Aren't there stories that I can tell at my age? I hope to continue doing that," promising to deliver "music that is uniquely JB" in the future.laugardagr@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]