Jay B Reinvents Himself With Somo:Fume: 'There Are No Rules'

By Sarina Bhutani


As Jay B settles into a late-night Zoom call from a conference room in Seoul, he is stoic as ever — the epitome of Capricorn energy. Although, just ahead of the release of his first solo venture, the K-R&B star is facing a mix of emotions. Without consideration of the massive success of debut solo single “Switch It Up,” which has topped the charts in 44 countries since its release in May, Jay B hasn't although felt relief. “The feeling of success hasn’t marinated totally in me yet,” he tells MTV News. “The nervousness is still intact. The anxiety is still intact.”


As fans already know, before there was Jay B, there was JB, the leader of effervescent boy musical group Got7. Immediately after debuting in 2014 with “Girls, Ladies, Girls,” the categorize worked steadily to be one of the most sought-after groups of their generation, releasing five studio albums, 15 EPs, and nearly 30 singles before parting ways with their label, JYP, at the turn of the new year. It makes sense that the excitement felt ahead of this release can feel, as he says, “more [like] a comeback than an industry debut.”


Though he has entered the next phase of his career, he looks back on that early time with Got7, of which he remains a member, with pride: “Being in Got7 is such a large segment of my career. It’s initially what shaped me as an artist.” Nevertheless, whenever asked about the most important thing he took away from that experience, he smiles. “What still lingers even today, is... The hand gestures,” he says through laughter as he points aggressively with both hands at the camera. “That’s certainly what I took away from Got7.”


Despite some of the idol-isms that remain, much about Jay B has changed. He’s ditched the aegyo, the cutesy gesticulations and expressions often required of K-pop idols, at least for now: “The aegyo is still in there! My heart is bigger than ever and I’m open to it all, so if I needed to, I may still do aegyo, but… not today.” Nevertheless, in leaving some things in back of, he’s discovered himself to be a chameleon right now, someone who can “mold into different characters and tweak egos.” You visualize that best on his new EP Somo:Fume, out today (August 26). His first full solo project since joining Jay Park’s H1ghr Music earlier this year, Somo:Fume is different from what fans are used to from Jay B, however it’s still fully and fully his. Below, he tells MTV News about his reinvention and bringing Somo:Fume to life.


MTV News: You’ve mentioned in the past that, since going officially solo, you feel you have more artsy freedom. How do we visualize that in these songs?


Jay B: The freedom that I feel is that my ideas, my creativity, and my direction does not get lost in translation and doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. It doesn't get overridden by other people’s suggestions. Right now, my creativity is becoming more of a reality. It’s not that I have the freedom to do whichever I want with my music — that’s not it. It’s just that my ideas are being more prioritized here, and I feel like you visualize that in my songs.


MTV News: These songs seem a lot more personalized to you. As an example, you’ve opened up recently about your mental health struggles, which we visualize in the song “Paranoia.” 


Jay B: I think you certainly visualize that freedom in this case. With “Paranoia,” it’s not really the most positive topic. It’s really personalized and worrisome. Although this time around, I wanted to open up and be more truthful, versus before, I would think, maybe this isn't the correct thing to do. I would second guess all my steps and decisions. Yet right now, although it’s a sensitive topic, I wanted to open up on my own free will.


MTV News: although you’ve taken a break from being in a long-established order, you’ve sort of entered a new one since joining H1gher Music. Does it feel like you’re segment of a new team?


Jay B: [Laughs] You hit the nail right on the head. I have a lot of pride in my label, labelmates, and organization overall. I never feel like, oh, I’m this solo artist, it’s just about me. I don't act that way and don’t wish to be that way. If there's an audience chat I need to be segment of, I want to be piece of it. If there’s a teamwork thing that I need to be piece of, I want to be piece of it. I certainly feel like I have entered a new family member, a new categorize, and I want to prepare ensure that, if there’s anything in my power that I can do to help other artists on the team or help progress the business, I do that. I would also love to get help from the other artists also, so that it’s like real teamwork inside the label.


MTV News: Aside from networking with with Jay Park on “B.T.W,” you have a number of other features on the EP as well: Mamamoo’s Whee In on “AM PM,” Junny on “Fame,” and G1nger on “In to You.” How did you go about picking them and how did you feel they were the correct people for the songs? 


Jay B: First of all, Whenever I pick a feature, I just listen to the songs and already have an idea of who could be brilliant for them. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll get to work with every one of those, although I line up who could be the ideal. With Junny and G1nger, they’re both close companions of mine. I really thought they were brilliant, not only for the songs themselves, however also because they’re not really normal names that you hear often. Not only are they so talented, nevertheless they could become better known by means of the feature, and that was crucial to me. Then, with Whee In, she graciously agreed to be a segment of it Whenever I asked. The song came out beautifully, and she matched it correctly with her vocals. It was simple.


MTV News: You said earlier how you’d love to help other artists on the team, and you also said it again with Junny and G1nger. Where does that want to help come from? Do you have younger siblings? Is it from being the leader of Got7?


Jay B: [Laughs] I have no siblings, so it doesn't come from that. Maybe it’s because I have no siblings that I'd like to help younger people. Yet I think it’s that I visualize positivity and excitement in everything. It’s not just about helping someone, although creating something new and exhilarating, working with each other as a team, and discovering new talent. It’s like a win-win situation. That’s where the attraction really is and what my motives are. Personally, I don't think it’s from my leadership, just my general personality.


MTV News: A lot of fans have followed you over from Got7 and your other work, yet there really are also several who became fans soon after “Switch It Up.” How do you want to sustain those beginning relationships and keep them strong?


Jay B: Once it comes to sustaining the Got7 fans, it’s a tricky question. I want the fans continue to be able to see me and keep their love for me. Nothing’s going to change. Just look at me and take me for what I am and who I am. I’m still me. However I really hope to let the fans know that each of the seven members are trying especially hard to continuously do good work and preserve the name of Got7. Even today, we were talking and are still thinking of ways we can do something with each other so we can sustain the fandom and honor for Got7. We’re routinely thinking of new ways to progress, nevertheless it’s challenging.


MTV News: In general, what do you hope your fans take away from the project? What do you want them to learn about you? 


Jay B: overall, I just want people to listen and get to know me in this way. This is just the begin of my solo journey, so there really are no rules. It’s a free-for-all. What I can share is that this is how I made this EP, with these types of feelings, right now how do you feel immediately after hearing it? I want to hear about all of the different ways it makes people feel.