Jay B Wants to Become the Wind
Courtesy of H1GHER MUSIC
When Lim Jaebeom (JAYB of GOT7) wants to be alone he goes camping.
“No matter how much I think about it,” he told Eric Nam on the Daebak show, “I don’t think I’m an extrovert.” Instead in the woods, he finds solace. Even between the hectic schedules of GOT7 and solo promotions, Jaebom creates a way to be in nature. His reasoning is simple: He uses the time he wastes at home to go camping.
“My favorite [thing to do] is going camping and finding a fishing spot nearby,” he said in a Twitter Q&A. “It’s healing and it helps you organize your thoughts.” As he told Eric, if a space opens up in his schedule, even for a night, he goes to nature where he can fish and read. Lately, he said, he’s been interested in learning about Atlantis and Egypt. He wants to visit Mount Picchu. “I want more oxygen,” he maintained. “When I die I want to be cremated and become the wind.”
Finding a spot that is healing is important to the singer. He’s been busier than ever since leaving JYP in 2021. In the last year alone, Jaebeom has negotiated and secured the rights to GOT7’s name, and released music under his indie name Def., released a solo EP as JAY B and finally, released a new self-produced album as GOT7. Oh, and he found time to release a collection for Mindset that details his outlook on life and his struggles with depression.
“You’re so cool,” Eric told Jaebeom early in their conversation on his episode of Daebak, and it’s easy to see why. Jaebeom is the effortlessly laid back guy you want to know: He’s self-assured, witty, and has lived many lives in his 28 years. From becoming the leader of a group at one of the biggest labels in K-Pop to maturing into a self-reflective producer and songwriter, Jaebeom is carving a path that many idols in K-Pop will be able to follow: one of autonomy.
“I’m someone who’s pessimistic,” he said. “ I’m trying to change, and I did change a lot.” As a result, he’s channeled his sometimes somber attitude into music. When Jaebom releases as Def., his textures reflect the deep R&B that he’s most interested in. His rich, soulful voice floats beautifully through the songs. “When I release as Def.,” he said, “it’s really non-mainstream. It’s really what I want to do. I don’t consider if people will listen to it.”
It is this statement that defines who Jaebeom is today: Someone who doesn’t care what you think of him. He’s paid his dues and now he is solely focused on being the artist he feels represents himself.
Courtesy of @jaybnow.hr on Instagram
Jaebeom was seven the first time he watched a video by K-Pop idols g.o.d and realized he wanted to be a singer. As a kid with little interest in school, he found his passion in b-boying. Jaebeom used the name Defsoul (half of the name would be used years later for his solo work) as a nod to Musiq Soulchild, the American R&B singer whose voice he admired. His father noticed the dedication his child had for music and dancing, so he encouraged Jaebeom to take it further. At the urging of his father’s advice Jaebeom auditioned to join JYP’s training program in 2009 and won first place with Jinyoung, his future groupmate in GOT7. The boys beat over 10,000 applicants for a spot in the program.
Jinyoung and Jaebeom would work closely together over the years until their debut. They released music under the name JJ Project in May 2012 with the debut single “Bounce”. Two years later they debuted with five other members, Jackson, Mark, Yugyeom, Youngjay, and Bam Bam, in GOT7. The group quickly became leaders of third gen K-Pop, defining the sound with songs like “Just Right” and “Page”.
My introduction into GOT7 was in 2016, just after the release of “Just Right”. I was drawn in by Jinyoung, but Jaebeom is a constant bias wrecker. Their voices meld together like the sweet scent of nectar and together, they sounded beautiful. Like many aghasses, I was worried when the group announced they would leave JYP in 2020. But they had no intention of ending things: Instead, Jaebeom worked quietly and meticulously to ensure that the group could leave with the right to their name. They were not the first to do this, T-ara and g.o.d come to mind as previous groups who boldly staked claim to their names, but GOT7 is certainly the most high profile. When GOT7 left JYP they were still at their peak. They were betting on themselves.
“JYP wasn’t a place that was very confined,” Jaebeom told GQ this year. “We had breaks and when we took a rest, we could rest properly. We were given our space.” But they sought creative freedom. At the end of the day, the boys said, the ideas for the future of their careers were different from their company. “The offer wasn’t bad,” Jaebeom offered, “but our way and JYP’s way, it was just different. The way they looked at our solo promotions was different. I understand because JYP is a big company but, for me, I wanted more of a role in my work. I’m not trying to be a superstar, I just wanted to be me.”
There is an intimacy in the music Jaebeom records under the name Def. that I find so soothing. I listen to it late at night as I’m getting ready for bed. He says he makes the songs paying no mind to what others will think of it, but it’s the kind of music I love the most.
“I only share my stories to my close friends,” Jaebeom told Eric on Daebak Show. “Otherwise I don’t really share them.” But I hear his stories clearly in Def.’s music. The smooth R&B Jaebeom loved as a child is heard clearly here. Songs like “WHY” pulsate with yearning and tenderness. “I’m out of control when I look at you,” he croons. “I’m also afraid of myself.”
Since releasing solo music that he’s handcrafted, I can hear the need for more air or more space that Jaebeom spoke of. The music of Def. allows his vocals to breathe and to be fully heard. In songs like “LIKE A FOOL” and “SUNSET WITH YOU” they’re soaked in honey and lavender.
When he signed with H1GHER MUSIC, the label founded by Jay Park, he was encouraged to only look forward and become the artist he’s always dreamed of. “[Some] memorable advice I received from Jay Park was to not look back at my career with GOT7,” he said. “It’s important to stay humble as JAY B because having the same expectations as I had before may result in disappointment.”
Jaebom had no interest in recreating the success of GOT7. If only a fraction of the audience liked his work, he didn’t mind. He just wanted to express himself. “‘Work hard, expect less and stay true to yourself and there is no need to regret,’” he said of his outlook. “I’ve had an experience where the result of my hard work didn’t meet my expectations. So I learned that higher expectations can lead to bigger disappointments.
“When making music, I can’t stop doubting myself until I’m fully satisfied with the final product,” he told NME this year. Until then, he will continue to become like the wind: Always present, sometimes gentle, but often wild.
SOURCES:
Daebak Show: JAY B Talks Ghosts, Scuba Diving & Mindset | Daebak Show w/ Eric Nam
Daebak Show: JAY B's Real Personality & His Journey as a Solo Artist | Daebak Show Ep. #128
NME: JAY B on finding his voice: “I can’t stop doubting myself until I’m fully satisfied”
