THE BOYZ’s Jacob Opens a New Chapter with j.
After years of captivating audiences around the world as a member of THE BOYZ and releasing mixtapes here and there on SoundCloud, main vocalist Jacob is finally stepping into an individual spotlight. His first solo project, j., isn’t about reinventing himself or discarding the past. Instead, it’s about revealing the artist who has been there all along, just in a different way.
Simple in title but deeply personal in meaning, j. marks a milestone for the Canadian-born singer-songwriter, whose journey has taken him from dreaming about music in his childhood bedroom to performing on stages across the globe. Now, with a collection of honest, easy-listening songs, Jacob invites listeners into a more intimate side of his artistry.
The excitement surrounding his solo debut was accompanied by an equally familiar feeling of nervousness. “I was really excited, but also got very nervous once I realized it was finally coming out,” he admitted. That vulnerability is actually an integral part of the album, which Jacob describes as the clearest reflection of who he is as both a musician and a person. Even the album’s title carries personal significance. The single letter j. may appear understated, but for Jacob, it represents an identity that has always been with him. “The letter j. has always been a part of who I am since both my English and Korean names start with the letter j,” he began. “That’s a big reason I feel like this album reflects who I am.”
Love weaves its way throughout the album, but rather than telling a single story, Jacob explores the topic through multiple perspectives. Whether romantic, reflective, or quietly hopeful, each song examines a different side or type of love. “Since love is something everyone has experienced one way or another, I just wanted to talk about some of the many ways love can be explained in hopes someone would be able to relate,” he shared.
Rather than chasing trends or expectations, the singer’s focus was put on creating the kind of music he has always wanted to make. “I feel like listeners will be able to listen to the easy listening and honest music I’ve always wanted to make through this album,” he shared earnestly. Although writing such personal music can be a vulnerable process, Jacob says there was one defining moment when everything finally came together. “Once I got the mixed version of the songs, it really clicked,” he recalls. “I listened to it from start to finish and knew this was it.”
This quiet confidence that Jacob exudes now didn’t form overnight. Rather, it was his years of dedication to the craft, as a member of THE BOYZ, releasing covers or songs on YouTube and SoundCloud, and working on refining his writing, that have allowed him to release j. at this moment in time. “I recall myself doing what I could to just keep making music in my spare time, and that really helped me learn about my songwriting styles and what I need to work on as well,” he started. “Now, I usually think of a topic while listening to the music, and then proceed to write the melody and lyrics together. I try not to be too picky after writing a song, either. If it sounds right, I try not to overthink it and go with the flow.”
From the album’s tracklist, Jacob believes “Off the Record” is a great song to highlight and use to introduce audiences to his artistry. The track showcases multiple facets of the singer’s talent and range. “I feel like it really captures my musicality well while it is also one of the more vocally versatile songs.”
Another standout track would be “Slow Dancing,” the album’s title track. This song tells one of the album’s most heartfelt messages, encouraging listeners to slow down in a world that rarely stops moving. “When writing the lyrics, I just felt like the world was always so fast paced, and has gotten faster recently,” Jacob explains. “I wanted to write about taking things slow in all aspects of life and enjoying the moment.” For this track in particular, he also followed a bit of a different process, having received the music as a gift. “It was actually gifted to me by Kwaca, so it was pretty complete already,” he shared. “I added the second verse and rewrote the lyrics, which honestly didn’t take very long at all.”
With his approach to songwriting and his years of experience, j. is a reflective, almost introspective album that exemplifies Jacob’s growth as an artist. “It’s been almost 10 years since being a trainee, and I feel like I got to experience so much music-wise and learned so much during this time. I have been exposed to so many more styles and genres of music and it definitely helped me make this album as well.”
Jacob’s debut solo album, j., can be found on all music streaming platforms.
