NCT’s JAEHYUN releases his highly-anticipated debut solo album “J - The 1st Album”, led by title song ‘Smoke’, available in Korean and English versions. The eight-track album, featuring JAEHYUN’s songwriting and composition, is available now digitally and on streaming platforms HERE. Pre-order for the physical album – which will be available in two different formats, Money Clip Ver. from 6 September, and J Ver. from 26 September – is also available HERE.
Lead single ‘Smoke’ is a hip-hop R&B song highlighting JAEHYUN’s soft vocals over an alluring, rhythmic bassline, fitting for a single of its name. The lyrics compare love to smoke rising from a boombox, when both the moment and the music feel hot enough to burn.
‘Smoke’ Music Video
‘Roses’, one of the album’s pre-release singles, is a brooding English-language R&B track which blends JAEHYUN’s silky vocals with dark, atmospheric productions that capture the tender mood of missing someone. ‘Flamin’ Hot Lemon’ – co-written and composed by the singer, who felt inspired while eating a spicy snack – describes the hot, zesty feeling of someone new catching your eye.
‘Dandelion’, another pre-release track, is a mid-tempo, jazzy number that evokes the image of dandelions blooming on asphalt roads and streets, along with the nostalgic memory of blowing dandelion seeds as a child. Watch the joint music video for ‘Dandelion & Roses’ HERE.
The album also features the poignant ballad ‘Completely’, highlighting JAEHYUN’s earthy vocals as he sings about the all-consuming desire to get to know someone. It’s followed by ‘Easy’, another mid-tempo R&B love song with groovy vocals, and ‘Can’t Get You’, which describes a romantic interest getting stuck in your head, over a fresh production that will have the song running around listeners’ minds in much the same way.
Wanting to capture his authentic artistry, JAEHYUN participated in writing across six of the eight tracks on “J”, and chose the album title based on his habitual habit of scribbling his initial on all his belongings. As a member of K-Pop powerhouse NCT, including sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DOJAEJUNG, his music catalogue is prolific; but his solo album has been highly anticipated, as seen by previous solo success – single ‘Forever Only’ made British GQ’s “22 best songs of 2022” and Teen Vogue’s “The 79 Best K-Pop Songs of 2022”. With the official video for the album’s pre-release tracks ‘Roses/Dandelion’ peaking at No. 2 on YouTube’s Trending Videos globally, “J” is already primed to be his biggest solo effort yet.