Korean-American singer eaJ, or Jae Park, collaborated with Indonesian artist Hindia for their single, “Right Where You Left Me.” After officially launching his solo project in 2022, he released popular tracks, “Car Crash,” “Visions,” “Pacman,” “Castle In The Sky,” and “LA Trains.” On September 1, 2024, the musician embarked on a world tour and performed his first solo concert in Manila.
While preparing for the tour, Music Geek had an email interview with the artist. As a singer-songwriter, eaJ described his sound as alternative-pop, influenced by his early foundations of rock music. When asked who he creates music for, eaJ responded that it varies every time, but recently, it’s how he processes the thoughts he never dared to disclose.
Discussing his career further, the musician revealed that he now values producing for his present self rather than his future. Meanwhile, he wishes that his music leaves any impression on his listeners, “If anyone has heard my music and felt a tug on their heartstrings in any way, I feel like I’ve succeeded.”
The artist also shared that he focuses on a singular song, genre, or sound that he finds himself immensely invested in when preparing new music. For instance, he teased that alternative-pop, hyper-pop, or glitch-driven heavily influenced his upcoming EP, as he recently appreciates pitch-altered voices.
In his latest collaboration, “Right Where You Left Me,” the singer divulged they composed it from a reversed perspective. He recounted, “It talks about how you are willing to wait until the other person is ready to return. I wrote the song from personal experience and brought it to life with the help of John Samuel and Mathijs in the room.”
Following this, he also revealed that he discovered Hindia’s music while asking for song requests on stream, “I heard his voice and production come in a song.” Consequently, he sent over a few songs, adding, “He made the song so much stronger with his production and verse!”
The artist selected an unreleased track, “20s Back,” as the composition that resonates with him profoundly. Further sharing that as he delves deeper into writing his emotions, it accordingly turns personal, “This one is what I was thinking the past year that I’ve struggled with depression.”
Along with this, eaJ chose the title track of his EP, “When The Rain Stops,” as the song that represents his current headspace, “It’s about my struggles of imposter syndrome and trying to live up to the perfect expectations of the people watching online.”
Nevertheless, the singer-songwriter claimed to have certainly developed since he debuted. Candidly, he shared that being a musician is beyond making music, “It involves politics and learning to socialize. I’m super introverted, so it’s always been the latter that has been an issue for me.”
On the other hand, eaJ maintains an optimistic outlook in pursuing his career, stating, “I want to prove to myself I have worth to give to this world as a human being. If I did it once, I can do it again.” Moreover, the musician also expressed his appreciation for his support system in the industry.
If he were to advise his younger self, it would be to learn how to navigate a Digital Audio Workstation, as creating music is beneficial for your craft and finances, “Start as early as you can. And you’ll thank yourself later.”
Ultimately, eaJ assures fans that he’s back and stronger than ever. Eventually, he conveyed his excitement as the tour commences, with Manila as the first stop, “I haven’t seen the fans in Manila for so long; I’m super excited to see them! It’s been a minute, and I want to sing and jump with them!”
Read more about eaJ below:
What career would you pursue if you were not a singer?
I would be a content creator on YouTube. I’ve always liked creating and enjoyed the happiness of others, and that could have been the optimal career path for both of those.
What’s the most fulfilling part of being a musician?
It’s hearing songs back in the room after the session, fans singing back the songs you’ve made, and people telling you they enjoy your music. Nothing tops those feelings.
How do you make each performance memorable?
I play my hardest for every show, and it’s up to the people who come to make the night memorable; everyone has different tastes, so it would be impossible if that were all up to me alone.
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