From survival shows to debuting and building his solo career, Jay Chang is quickly becoming a standout artist in the K-pop world. His journey—from his beginnings in ONE PACT and B.D.U to his current solo—reflects his dedication and passion for music. With his newest album, The Neighborhood, released in November and his upcoming USA Fansign Tour kicking off January 16 in Seattle, I had the chance to catch up with Jay about his creative process, growth as an artist, and of course, his fansign tour.
The Interview
Exploring The Neighborhood
Your second album, The Neighborhood, dropped in November, and now you’re preparing for a USA fansign tour. How does it feel to celebrate this release and meet your fans face-to-face?
A: It’s an incredible feeling for me! Especially since this album gives major nostalgia and homey vibes, it feels like an honor for me to be able to do some promotion in my home country.
Your debut album, Late Night, showcased a mix of sounds and genre influences. With The Neighborhood, you’ve continued to experiment. What direction were you aiming to explore with this new album?
A: Growing up, thanks to my musician father, I was privileged to get many different musical influences, and one of those was old-school soul and R&B. These genres, as well as folk and blues, were some major influences for The Neighborhood.
A year after Late Night, did you feel more pressure or freedom creating The Neighborhood? What lessons from your debut influenced this album?
A: Honestly, I definitely felt a lot more freedom with The Neighborhood this time when it comes to the music. The pressure really came from trying to match the quality of Late Night with the sophomore album, but my focus for overcoming this was just trying to keep making great music. When it comes to the lessons I learned from Late Night, it’s really just the creative and musical focal points that I needed to polish for The Neighborhood!
“LaSalle Ave” has a feel similar to Silk Sonic—were they an influence on that track? Did any other artists outside of K-pop inspire you for this album?
A: Oh yes, the Silk Sonic vibe was a huge influence for the title track. Listening to Silk Sonic definitely brought me back to a time when I was younger. Songs like “Easy” by Lionel Richie and the Commodores were a huge influence for this song, even making a cameo as well~.
You’ve worked with TAG on “What You Need”, which has definitely been on repeat! How was recording this song with him different from when you were in ONE PACT together?
A: Honestly, getting to work with TAG on a solo project was something we both discussed a lot in the past, so being able to finally do it on this one was super fun for both of us. It was definitely a lot different from working on projects with the ONE PACT guys in different aspects, especially when it came to recording and filming the music video.
You were deeply involved in the lyrics, composition, and arrangement of The Neighborhood. What was the toughest part of creating such a diverse album, and how did you overcome it?
A: Honestly, getting the chance to have such a major part in the creative process on the album was such a huge honor for me. The most difficult part of the album, however, was definitely writing album-quality music and picking which songs would fit the album’s concept. It’s all a chess game, really. Thankfully, the fact that everyone I’ve asked has a different favorite song on the album proves how much of a success it turned out to be!
You’ve grown so much since your debut. What’s something new you’ve learned about yourself while working on The Neighborhood?
A: Honestly, throughout making The Neighborhood, one thing that I felt I’ve improved the most is my creative spectrum. Getting to write many different songs in plenty of different styles really opened my eyes to my potential as a songwriter, and I hope that’s a potential that I can fulfill.
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Looking back on your career, from survival shows to debuting, as well as pursuing solo activities, and your appearance on The Masked Singer, what are you most proud of? Was there a moment that felt like a turning point, where you thought, “Wow, I’m really doing this”?
A: Honestly, being on The Masked Singer is something I’ve dreamt of doing for many years. Finally getting the opportunity to be on the show, and also being able to get as far as I did is one of the biggest honors I feel like I’ve ever been able to do.
If you could collaborate with your future self, what kind of song do you think you’d make together?
A: If I had the chance to collaborate with my future self, I’d undoubtedly love to do a rock song with my better-vocalist future self. I’ll sit on the drums while he goes crazy on the microphone.
USA Fansign Tour
With so many stops across America, we can’t wait to have you in Miami! Does this fansign tour feel like a full-circle moment for you? What are you most excited about?
A: Yes, for sure! I haven’t been to Miami since long before my debut, so now having the chance to come back and meet new and old fans in the Sunshine State feels super exciting. I’m definitely most excited to be able to meet familiar faces as well as get the chance to meet new listeners.
Since you’ll be in the U.S. for a while, are there any foods or places you’re excited to enjoy again?
A: I love all of the various foods from the Miami area! Specifically, being able to revisit my favorite Cuban restaurant would be incredible for my taste buds.
To Sunlight
With so many fans supporting you, if you could ask them one question, what would it be?
A: I would love to ask the fans what their favorite musical genres are so that I could gain some new perspectives for my future works!
What advice or encouragement would you give to fans who are chasing their own dreams?
A: Never give up, and strive for growth—but at the same time, never forget who you are!
Never give up, and strive for growth—but at the same time, never forget who you are! – Jay Chang
Full Circle: Jay Chang’s Journey Continues
Jay Chang’s USA Fansign Tour will conclude on February 2nd at White Eagle Hall in his home state of New Jersey. This final stop will be a significant moment for Jay and his fans, reflecting on his growth and journey in the music industry. As the tour comes to an end, Jay continues to look ahead, with The Neighborhood marking another chapter in his career.
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