In this interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up and coming stars on the planet. 

This time we had a chat with Los Angeles alternative R&B talent jy.

We’ve been tracking the upward trajectory of Californian artist jy ever since he released dreamy single ‘Pink & Blue’ two years ago. Since then we’ve had the pleasure to feature the romantic ‘Glide’ and the floating ‘Blossom’, as well as premiering jy’s first music video for the sophisticated new single ‘Paradise’. What we love about jy is his consistency; with each new release the singer, songwriter and producer delivers his flawless electronic R&B packaged into emotive storytelling that often handles the matter of love, whether complete, unrequited or broken. As you’ll discover in the interview with jy below, the West Coast talent is now stepping up this emerging project with captivating visuals, building on the story presented in the beautifully directed ‘Paradise’. Read about jy’s background in music, love for production and more below.

TMR: Hey jy, what have you been up to this week?

Hello! I’ve been traveling within Japan– visiting both Tokyo & Kyoto. I’m calling this a “work-ation” because I’m doing sessions and going to shows, while trying to relax and go sightseeing.

TMR: The first time we featured your music on TMR was with the single 'Pink & Blue', do you think your sound has evolved since then?

My sound has definitely changed. I think having a background with music production & engineering, it’s difficult to apply formulas that keep my music sounding the same. I’m always trying to push myself to create something that I feel is better than what came before.  

TMR: Congratulations on releasing your first music video! What was the concept behind it?

Thank you! I have to really give a shout out to Rangefinder35, the directors that created the entire story and treatment. The song itself is about how my parents fell in love at such a young age when they met in the US (they’re originally from South Korea). They moved out to the West Coast from Chicago with hopes of starting a family, but after some time, they drifted apart.

TMR: How important is visual content in the music industry? Have you found a different reaction to the video rather than audio alone?

Visuals are so important in the current musical landscape. ‘Paradise’ is my first music video and I found that people have been interacting with it a lot more than when I first released the single back in 2018. There’s much more content to take in and experience within the same amount of time, so that’s probably why I find myself gravitating towards musical artists that have a strong visual presence.

TMR: Your songwriting, as we've heard in 'Paradise, 'Pink & Blue' and other songs, comes straight from the heart. Is it cathartic for you to put these emotions into lyrics and sounds?

Growing up, I’d always found music to be therapeutic. I grew up playing classical and jazz on the piano, so whenever I’d feel emotionally confused or depressed, music would sort of be there for me in the form of an old Yamaha wall piano. My songwriting and outpouring of emotions (via music) started on that piano bench.

TMR:. You also produce all your music - how did you first get involved in that side of the creative process?

I was in college and I didn’t really have a lot of friends, so whenever I had nothing to do, I would mess around in a program called GarageBand. The music I was creating within the program was very rudimentary but it helped me relax. I eventually became obsessed with the whole process of creating a song.

TMR: What's your personal favourite track?

‘Pink & Blue’ would have to be my personal favorite because it’s an imperfect love song about someone I deeply admire. I think that whole relationship is still sort of ongoing (even though I don’t see that person) because it still affects me to this day.

TMR: Has life on America's West Coast informed the way you make music or the music you listen to?

Absolutely. I grew up listening to West Coast Hip-Hop (Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Dr. Dre) in middle school and I remember being so impressed by the production. It still sounds damn good until this day.

TMR: Tell us about a local talent we should keep an eye out for.

I’ve been producing for an upcoming LA based artist named FrankHaveMercy. He just dropped a full length LP and it’s quite different from everything that’s out there right now. This is definitely a shameless self-plug, but a band to start looking out for is Yngcult. We’ve been around since 2013 and I’m one of the two founding members.  After a two year hiatus, we’re going to start putting new music out at the end of November.  

TMR: Shortly, listeners will be able to enjoy your Recital II EP. Can you give us a quick overview of the EP, whether that's the themes, styles, surprises?

I’m trying a different approach with my production & songwriting by inviting more collaborators into my world. I’ve created most of my records in my bedroom in Los Angeles with little to no outside perspective. I’m beginning to realize that opening myself up for other artists to create different textures and help tell a story is crucial for the creative process. The idea behind the Recital II EP came from when I played my first piano recital as a six year old. I’m preparing for this one as if it’s my second, except I’m an adult full of different experiences. And instead of performing a Beethoven Sonata, I’m performing jy. 

By Hannah Thacker

Photo credit: Hai Truong