j-hope of BTS on being the first solo Korean act headlining BMO Stadium

You may think most people will need a break after spending 18 months in the army. But most people are not international pop stars like Jung Ho-Seok, known as J-Hope of BTS. It seems that the international pop icon had barely changed from its official uniform in October last year before a plane climbed to Los Angeles, ready to work on new materials. It will be his first version since Critical approval 2022 Grunge-Rock-Meets Boom Bap Hip-Hop Album “Jack in The Box.”

Although “Jack in The Box” was his first official album, a single disgrace dates back to “one verse”, which is the 2015 Soundcloud version that took samples from the game and Skrillex’s “El Chapo” It was released in the same year.

The 2016 BTS album “Wings” was the first to show individual work from all seven members. Until then, the focus was on Swaggy’s J-Hope, calmness, and rap connecting (which could not be denied Swagmaster’s BTS) and the ability to dance in its early days as a member of the Gwangju crew, based in South Korea.

With “Mama”, the contribution of his individual effort to the wings, he extended himself as a singer who takes advantage of the emotional characteristics of his voice in honoring his mother.

The year 2018 was distinguished by another turning point when “Hope World”, which is a mixture of six tracks. The following year, released J-Hope “Pasta chicken soup.” Although the hip -hop hop -hop -sampling track took samples from the 2006 song by artists in New York DJ Webser and Young B, it was distinguished by the Inglood singer Becky g And words in Korean, English and Spanish. So it seemed appropriate when it was Take a trip to Los Angeles To shoot his music video, with members of the La Dance community, and perform dance design in front of the local joint Chicken Yellow car signature.

Since his group announced a temporary stop in 2022 to focus on individual work-based on the Western idea of ​​the boy’s teams, these anxious fans who were dismantling (not so)-all members released albums, to achieve individual success, and even the previously recorded projects that will be released during their departure.

While he was still in service, J-Hope “Hope on The Street: Vol. 1, a audio clip of his documentary series with the same name in which he discovered street dance in different cities all over the world. In this album, he was working with Blanco, based in Los Angeles, based in Blake Selatin, and two producers who turned back to his latest releases “Sweet Dreams” (includes Miguel) The most recent, the attractive blow that stimulates dance “Mona Lisa.”

In January, J-Hope announced to him We hope for the stage A tour, the first single player with North America’s dates in Brooklyn, Chicago, Mexico City, San Antonio and Auckland. The tour is divided into sections that extend to the narration of his career. Production includes a live group, and uses 28 moving elevators, re -configured depending on the theater.

“Sweet Dreams” and “Mona Lisa” were amazing in a tour, and a third individual of the Asian leg, which is launched in the Philippines on April 12.

Each station included a designed connection with “Army”, the various Vandum and the famous mystery in BTS. The experiments extend to regional food and the site’s goods, which are designed with inputs by famous fashion artists and dance challenges. Fans also had the option to buy a package where they could “send” J-Hope.

As the tour advanced, the Instagram “For You” pages resulted in an optimistic star and nice reactors. With every consecutive city, it appears to rise: dancing in caps and shoes of cowboy in San Antonio, and full sentences speak in Spanish in Mexico, so that he is approaching enough points to exchange hugs and hold his hands.

Before the last dates stations in North America, on Friday and Sunday at BMO Stadium, the Times caught with the world star near the city center stadium. In an intimate conversation to photograph post -Photo, it was pressured between his promotional events on Thursday (he appeared in the Lakers game that night shortly after), we talked about his relationship with the city, his art, his love for the army and future aspirations.

Congratulations – “Mona Lisa” in Billboard Hot 100 as of this week, and it is your seventh song as a single artist to reach this teacher.

amazing.

You are restricted Jong Cook.

[laughs] It is a great honor that I have a lot of my songs on the graph, and I am incredibly grateful in many ways. I realized the number of people who love and communicate with my music, and at the same time, it drives me to think about the type of music that I must create after that as an artist. I feel that my life is currently full of anticipation and excitement of what will come.

With “Jack in the Box”, you were not necessarily worried about drawing, but you look more ambitious with these versions. Is this correct?

Yes, you are on a point. I feel this was a challenge that I needed after my military service. So far, I focused on what I liked, but this time, I wanted to cooperate with great producers who have a deeper understanding of culture. I was curious about taking J-Hope as an artist. Once I took this step forward, I felt that would open new opportunities for me to try and take my music to the next level. I really feel that this is a great time for me.

“Jack in the box“ He was incredible, but “sweet dreams” and “Mona Lisa” had a different kind of exciting atmosphere and the army loved them. Were you enjoying the response?

Well, you know that I didn’t have much in my mind when I was making these songs, but I wanted to make a song across this kind of ripening after military service. Therefore, a kind of naturally came. So, I wanted to show another visual aspect of me as J-Hope and I want to show something new, and new aspects of my fans.

Can we talk about Jay?

Jay? [laughs] Yes, the army is invited.

It was fun between you and the US military to turn into “Jay” when you land in the United States, how do you describe it?

You know, I find it very funny too. I love the atmosphere in the United States, I enjoy myself and enjoy, and because of this, it allows me to show a more honest side. It seems that the fans also love this, so I am satisfied with what I could share here in the United States.

You seem to spend your life time in this tour. You interact with fans much more on a personal level, and go out to the audience when performing “= equal sign”. Choose someone [to interact with]. Did one of those moments stop for you?

I think you know me from the inside out now and I am really able to do it. I wanted to show something great for the fans who were waiting for this long time and wanted to contact a very personal level through these concerts and shows. There is a song called “= Equal sign.” And the first lyric revolves around how we look at each other equally – “No one is above us/no one is under us.” By staying loyal to that message, instead of being on the stage at a higher level with the audience below, I really wanted to communicate with my fans by engaging with them directly and seeing them face to face. This association with my fans was incredibly beneficial.

With these upcoming performances, she becomes the first single Korean artist to lead the BMO stadium (which is also the first Korean artist to lead a stadium in North America). Do you think Yong is–SEOK 2013, which seemed surprised to receive a package of fans ’mail to imagine this?

Of course, I did not imagine at the time that I will have this kind of life and I am really appreciated now. Over time, I am really grateful to see more and more people who listen to and enjoy my music. It is their support and passion that allows me to be the artist I am today.

Partial “Hope on the stage” is a tribute to your origins as a dancer in the streets, but you also do a lot of singing [in the show] With a live band. You have reduced your vocal ability a little, but you have a really great flexible sound. When did you realize first that you can sing? Was it a natural extension of the rap music band?

It is an interesting question. While I follow music, I think I have developed a style that embraces diversity. During this process, I tried to explore my voice and experience my voice in various ways and I think this is reflected in my singing at the present time. I am trying to communicate my norms in a natural way without forcing anything and it seems that the audience is able to do so. Is lyric perfect? This is something I need to think about, but I am committed and seeks to improve it. It is somewhat difficult to determine a specific moment. Before he first appeared, I had voice lessons and while I started recording, my voice style began naturally to develop. It is difficult to say exactly when the transformation occurred, but it was a gradual process.

While working here, I went to In-N-Out, and you had all the “La” experiences. In the early days of BTS, you photographed a realistic program as you were directed by Warren G and Coolio – until they took you to that Long Beach’s VIP records…

I saw this – Wow [laughs].

Yes…[laughs] The life of the American crowd. Is there something you learned about hip -hop from that experience that you keep with you today?

It was more than just a musical effect. I was very young at that time, and if I had the opportunity to return now, I think I can understand and take a lot. At that time, the process of adapting to a new culture was different from the one in which it grew up. And I think that these moments were decisive to my growth and formed what I am today. This is the most important lesson you took from that experience.

Call in peace, Colio.