Introduction
Editor’s Note: Yesterday, SM Entertainment announced in a social media post that NCT member Taeil had departed from the group after learning he was “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” Jaehyun was interviewed before this news broke.
Jaehyun’s Latest Single “Smoke”
“Jump in if you feel it,” Jaehyun jokes to The Hollywood Reporter to kick off a late-night Zoom from Seoul, referencing the opening line of his latest single “Smoke.”
Debut Solo Album “J”
The 27-year-old K-Pop star, a member of SM Entertainment’s mega-group NCT and its subgroup groups NCT 127 and DoJaeJung, is fresh off the release of his debut solo album, J.
Album Composition and Style
The eight-track album, which includes the lead single “Smoke” in both Korean and English, is full of undeniably enticing R&B tracks. From the broody track “Roses,” full of post-relationship regret, to the upbeat “falling for you” song “Flamin’ Hot Lemon,” which Jaehyun co-wrote and composed, the album manages to find a consistent sound, while still keeping each song feeling fresh.
Jaehyun’s Musical Journey
The singer has been working on J for quite some time, having worked on the album since December. Despite it being his first album, he has released single tracks in the past through various SM Entertainment or NCT projects. “I was working on my own stuff too, years ago,” Jaehyun says, joking the album timing was “meant to be” as he had previously released songs in August.
Jaehyun participated in writing on six of the eight tracks on the album. “I have some friends that play instruments or compose music and write music, so I used to, not write, but just jam,” Jaehyun explains. “That was actually the start, years ago, and I started to work more on writing or composing as years passed.”
The 27-year-old says he feels that he needs to “put himself into that process” to get fans to understand his taste in music. “It’s way better than explaining what I feel or explaining what kind of music I like,” Jaehyun says.
Collaboration with R&B Legend
Among those tracks is “Can’t Get You,” highlight of the album, both sonically and for Jaehyun. The song was composed and written by R&B legend Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds. “I used to listen to his songs,” the singer emphasizes. “[From] the old albums to the recent one where he had all the female vocalists with him.” (Jaehyun is referring to Babyface’s 2022 album Girls Night Out, which featured collaborations with a new generation of female artists).
Favorite Track and Reflections
Jaehyun’s favorite track at the moment is “Smoke,” explaining that he had just been speaking about the song’s film, which made him think of it. “It changes every 10 minutes,” he jokes.
As someone who is used to working in a group, Jaehyun says he was feeling a range of emotions while creating a solo album, from “worries” to “excitement. The singer suggests his recently released short documentary, which can found on NCT’s YouTube page, titled The Journey of ‘J’ as it digs into what he was feeling when creating the album.
Pressure and Advice
The singer says he felt pressure in regards to new listeners more than anyone, emphasizing again that he loves fans enjoying the album. “I also wanted the people… for the new listeners [to] take a look [at] the album or a film of my album and say, ‘Who’s this?’ Or ‘What’s this voice?’ Or ‘What vibe is this from?’” he explains.
Having debuted in 2016, the 27-year-old is now able to look back and reflect a bit on his career. When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, Jaehyun takes a moment to think. “I would say, ‘You’re doing well, keep up the good work,’” he starts.
“I would like to say ‘There’s always another option, there’s always another plan to your life,’” he adds. “I would like to say that, but I’m pretty sure that I’d do [it] exactly the same way as I did. I’d do my best, I’ll be into it. Just having that in mind really makes you different.”
FAQs
Q: What is Jaehyun’s favorite track from his album?
A: Jaehyun’s favorite track at the moment is “Smoke,” which he finds changing every 10 minutes.
Q: How does Jaehyun feel about collaborating with R&B legend Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds?
A: Jaehyun feels honored to have a track composed and written by Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds on his album.
Q: What advice would Jaehyun give his younger self?
A: Jaehyun would advise his younger self to keep doing well and believe in the different paths life may offer.
Credit: www.hollywoodreporter.com
