By Chyenne Tatum
On June 10, THE BOYZ singer JACOB became the first of his group to make his solo debut, with the serene, romantic, and nostalgic EP, j. While the 29-year-old was no stranger to creating music outside of his nine-member group — previously releasing original material on SoundCloud and YouTube — this is JACOB’s first full project, in which not only did he have creative control, but he could also spread his wings and show there’s so much more to him than his role in THE BOYZ. As a result, j. expands on his musical sensibilities, showcases his knack for storytelling, and introduces the world to JACOB, the crooning soloist.
While setting out on a new journey on your own can be nerve-wracking, JACOB is taking it in strides, interacting with fans on a more personal level through his first solo Asia tour, and seeing the project resonate in real time.
Your debut album, j., has been out for two months now — what has the audience reception been like?
While on tour, many fans have told me the music has been amazing, and that's all that matters to me.
Which songs have you noticed fans gravitating towards the most, and why do you think they’ve resonated with them?
A lot of people told me that "Misunderstood" was a favourite. I feel like the groovy vibe makes it a favourite.
The connective tissue throughout all seven tracks is romance and relationships. Would you consider yourself a hopeless romantic? If not, how did you connect with that part of yourself so that it comes across as a natural extension?
I feel like I definitely tend to imagine romantic scenarios in my head, haha. It helps when writing music and tends to come easily.
“Back & Forth” features your bandmate Sunwoo — how did you decide which TBZ member to collaborate with, and what do you think Sunwoo brought to the track?
I always wanted to collaborate with Sunwoo, and we always enjoyed talking about music together and sharing our music. Sunwoo really made the song a lot more refreshing and catchy with his part.
“Misunderstood” has a uniquely retro vibe compared to the rest of the tracks — if you could be an artist in any other decade, which would you choose and why?
I would choose Ed Sheeran. I know he also does different genres, and that's something I would love to try.
You’ve previously mentioned that you can naturally be a negative person, so how did you channel that energy into something positive for this album? How do you manage to stay upbeat during times when it’s difficult to find the positives?
I feel like just sharing my thoughts on a song can help others or let them relate. I like to think of the positives and think in the moment so I don't overthink or stress out.
Taking inspiration from “Young & Confused,” is there anything you wish you knew when you were younger? If so, what would you have done with that information?
I wish I had known earlier I wanted to actually become an artist [laughs] I would have taken more music classes and vocal lessons, so it would have been an easier process for me.
You’ve already kicked off your first solo tour in Asia, so what are some things you’ve learned about yourself and about preparing a concert for just you?
I learned that really taking care of my voice is important because it tends to get tired pretty easily. I hope I can build a stronger voice as time goes by, so I can sing as much as I want.
Where do you see your solo career evolving from here, and who would you want to collaborate with in the future?
I want to try different genres and just make good music. I feel like I still have many stories to write about. I would really love to collaborate with any artist and learn from them as well.