Under many aliases, whether Jung Jin Hyeong, Angelo or Jay_thewhimsical, K-RnB singer Jey retains his mellow voice that leaves fans wrecked. After quitting idol life, to become an independent soloist, the artist blesses his listeners’ ears in both Korean and English tunes, each of his songs showcasing his many personas. Releasing his most emotional project, Algorithm, last fall, Jey tells us about his latest EP, his collaborations and his perspective on South Korean music becoming popular overseas.

Full look **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**

If you had to describe the concept of your EP the Algorithm in three words?

Me myself and I

What message did you want your listeners to take away from the EP?

I wanted this project to be a true form of self-expression, rather than just communicating to an audience. I wanted to make something that is truly representative of my emotions and the emotional baggage I carry, and release those through this project. I felt a sense of relief above anything else when the EP came out. I don’t think I’ll make an album like this ever again.

What were your influences for this EP?

The starting point of the song writing process for this EP was choosing a subject and thinking about the immediate thoughts or emotions that came to mind, more so than focusing on my own personal story. Honestly, it was a pretty emotionally draining process trying to translate all the different thoughts into lyrics and melodies.

Left Full look **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**
Right Jacket & pants **Loewe**, jumper **Moncler**

You have a huge international fan-base, can we expect an international tour soon, this year maybe?

I’m planning on it. Thinking about touring always makes me excited. You can expect to hear more about that in the near future.

If you weren’t singing, what would you be doing?

I don’t have a lot of other interests besides music, but if I were to pinpoint one, furniture design maybe?

Left Full look **Maison Margiela**
Right Full look **Givenchy**

Tell us more about ALFHA, which you and Goopy are involved in?

I don’t think ALFHA is something you can define into a single mould. Both Goopy and I are spontaneous people, so we’re just planning to do what we want at our own pace. I get very excited whenever I think about ALFHA.

Left Jacket, pants & shoes **Loewe**, jumper **Moncler**
Right Full look **Post Archive Faction (paf)**

Shirts & pants **Zadig&Voltaire**, shoes stylist’s own

Do you think participating in a survival show helped you navigate the industry better?

Yes, definitely. Through the show, I got a clearer picture of my goals and what kind of person I wanted to become. However, I don't think this experience is always necessary. It was a cruel reality to face.

How do you feel about Korean music becoming more and more popular in the West?

I think it’s a natural occurrence. It’s also a great opportunity for Korean artists. It surprises me every time when a foreign crowd sings along to my songs in Korean, and I think this moment was when I realised that I don’t need to set my boundaries to Korea only.

What is your guilty pleasure artist, to listen to? Korean or Western.

I listen to Lonely by Akon a lot these days.

You stated that you like to keep mystery as an artist, but is there anything you can tell us about your upcoming projects?

These days, I realised there are a lot of personas within me, and I’ve been trying to be more expressive of these different sides of my identity. If my persona in the past was that of an emotional youth, for my next project, I plan on returning as a more mature and stoic adult.

…

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Jenn Kang

Fashion by Hyun Kukseon

Grooming by Koo Hyunmi

Casting & Production by Mi Kim

Stylist’s assistant Jo Mikyung

Production assistant Kio Seol