Tomorrow X Collectively’s Yeonjun on ‘No Labels,’ Discovering Himself

Yeonjun isn’t losing time on labels.

The 26-year-old Okay-pop star, a member of boy group Tomorrow x Collectively, often known as TXT, is at a spot in his profession the place his love for music is the guiding mild. “Moderately than making an attempt to fulfill everybody’s expectations, I simply attempt to give attention to making music that I actually love and imagine in,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter on a late-night Zoom from Seoul.

It’s completely different to see the personable singer on his personal. In 2019, Yeonjun debuted because the oldest member of BigHit Music’s latest boy group. During the last six years, the members of TXT have grown from bubbly, shiny teenagers to males of their early and mid-twenties. The group’s sound has matured alongside them, nonetheless, there’s nonetheless loads of genres to discover. For Yeonjun, that exploration has led him to his debut EP, No Labels: Half One.

No Labels, which holds private that means to Yeonjun, is the right moniker for the six-track album, which weaves its method out and in of various genres. Yeonjun says he wasn’t trying to inform a bigger narrative; it’s clear on the primary hear that the album is all about spreading his wings sonically. The singer takes dangers, they usually enormously repay. No Labels is equal elements catchy and spectacular.

Under, Yeonjun speaks with THR about his journey of self-discovery due to his debut album, the rationale he determined to alter up the music video format and why he’s not involved concerning the truth folks will both love or hate the album.

Why was now the fitting time to launch your first solo EP?

I’ve at all times needed to share my tales and my music. After the discharge of my first mixtape, “Ggum,” I acquired actually assured about [sharing my music]. I made a decision I actually wanted to do that, and I jumped in instantly.

Sonically talking, it is a very new course for you. That’s thrilling. Did you have got any apprehension about that? Had been you purposely making an attempt to do stuff you perhaps wouldn’t do with the group?

I wouldn’t say it was intentional. As a result of that is my solo album, I assumed I must seize 100% of my tales and seize 100% of my model, and that’s why this album turned out to be like this.

You had been additionally closely concerned in writing lyrics on many of the songs, and also you additionally labored on the composition of a few of them as nicely. Why was it so essential so that you can be creatively concerned?

I may simply get a music and grow to be an individual that matches that music, however reasonably than doing that, I believe it’s extra enjoyable and good to truly write the lyrics, compose and inform the story myself. Not with the ability to try this by music can be a disgrace. Within the technique of writing lyrics, composing and taking part within the artistic technique of the efficiency, I used to be capable of finding myself, who I actually was. It was a journey of self-expression.

Did you are feeling any stress throughout this undertaking? That is your first EP exterior of Tomorrow x Collectively. Whenever you’re in a bunch, you at all times have somebody to lean on however this was all you. How was it completely different for you?

First off, bodily there was a lot to do. I needed to write the lyrics of the songs. I needed to take part within the composition and choreography. I needed to affirm the choreography and take part within the course. I didn’t have a lot private time and that was fairly robust. However looking back, the whole course of was a lot enjoyable. I believe that course of was nearly one other youth for me.

Why did you determine to convey a number of songs into your music video?

The three tracks that went into the music video — “Coma,” “Let Me Inform You” and “Discuss to You” — are actually good songs. I needed to strive one thing completely different and new. I did the shoot, and I believe the ultimate end result’s going to be actually cool. I believe it’s going to be actually superb.

It’s an fascinating approach to incorporate a visible part. Was this about telling a story, or did this occur organically?

It was not likely about telling a story or the story of the album. Moderately, I used to be searching for the fitting efficiency and proper pictures and movies that match the story to create an omnibus model music video. It wasn’t actually about telling the narrative.

You labored on the composition for the lead single, “Discuss to You.” Do you discover engaged on the music makes it extra private for you? It actually doesn’t should be autobiographical, however I think about there’s extra of your self within the music if you’re making it.

After all not all songs are autobiographical. It could possibly be that you simply’ve chosen a particular character and also you determine to inform the story about that character in a music. With “Discuss to You,” it was not likely about me. As an alternative, I believe I used to be extra imagining issues after I was scripting this [song] based mostly on issues that I’ve heard, based mostly on issues that I’ve seen or based mostly on my precise expertise. It was extra of a imaginary undertaking.

You stated earlier than you didn’t have a lot private time or down time when making this. Did you have got anybody you had been leaning on creatively or confiding in creatively to behave as a sounding board?

I don’t assume I leaned on anybody per se as a result of there wasn’t even time to try this. I attempted to resist every thing by myself, which led to me spending a number of time considering. Via that course of I discovered so much, felt so much, and finally I made it by myself, and thru that I believe I used to be capable of develop. So no, I didn’t actually lean on anybody, however the whole course of was a really significant time for me.

I do know the entire album is named No Labels, what does that imply to you?

No Labels is a phrase that basically boosts my confidence as a result of if you consider it, earlier than engaged on this album, I’m wondering if I used to be an individual who could possibly be described as somebody with no labels. I believe there have been occasions after I wasn’t. Via this album, I used to be capable of know extra about myself. It was a technique of studying about me. In comparison with earlier than, I’ve grow to be an individual who’s nearer to the outline of No Labels. It has a extremely vital that means for me, and I believe additionally by this label I turned extra me.

That is one thing we truly spoke about with TXT, however I think about your emotions about you as a solo artist are completely different. As a artistic individual, you don’t have a lot say in the way you or your work is perceived. That’s sadly very a lot out of your management, however you have got labored arduous and are placing a number of your self into this. How do you hope to be perceived as a performer?

After all, it could be nice if lots of people like this album, however for positive there will likely be individuals who don’t. How folks see me or my music isn’t a very powerful factor to me. Moderately than making an attempt to fulfill everybody’s expectations, I simply attempt to give attention to making music that I actually love and imagine in. That feels probably the most significant to me. Finally, I want to be perceived as an individual who makes music as he desires.