Dropping by the Audacy studio to say hey, is none other than eaJ, checking in with Bru to talk all about going solo, and upcoming music. Since parting ways with his K-pop rock band, DAY6 and JYP Entertainment, late last year, eaJ, also known as Jae Park, has moved to Los Angeles and started working on music for his solo career. Now, months later, he's ready to show us what he's got, with his first single, "Car Crash."
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Aside from adulting and trying to figure out things like insurance, for eaJ, the journey of relocating from Korea to the U.S. has been about figuring out how to "transition out of being an artist in Korea, and incorporating myself more into the American scene."
"Trying to understand like how things work, and I realize in America a lot of music breaks through platforms like TikTok and social media." Which eaJ admitted he "tried" but "utterly failed," which he attributes to being "too old" finding it hard to figure out without "being cringy."
With Bru assuring him that there's a niche for everyone on there, and to just keep trying. Jae did remain hopeful, especially since he has "such high expectations for the single to do, and feel like it would be so helpful, but it just didn't work out."
Apart from parting with his band, in the time since eaJ last visited the Audacy studios about six or so months prior, he's grown a lot as a person, in part due to some personal drama that publicly unfolded. Because of this eaJ was held back from making artistic choices he wanted to make.
"I said some things about a friend, and uh she didn't take it very well, and I think that was a really big turning point," eaJ revealed. "I didn't realize that having been in the industry for 12+ years in Korea, I had grown very very angry." Admitting, "I was angry at first because of the things they were restricting me from doing and because of the freedom that I wasn't given, whether it was artistically or just as a human being in general. But then after having that conversation with her and figuring things out... were all good now."
The experience however did end up as a lesson, with eaJ learning how important it is to "take a step back and take a look at myself."
After taking the time to work on himself, things are different, for one he now goes by eaJ, and he's ready to start his solo career.
Out of his feelings of being stuck with what he was allowed to creatively do within DAY6, and spending 10 years of being a "song dispenser," eaJ was born - a passion project for Jae to help him remember what he liked to do.
After releasing music on SoundCloud and getting a good response, Jae made the difficult decision to part with the band, and with his song writing experience he was able to just that.
His first single "Car Crash" and its accompanying music video is officially out - check it out here.
For all that and more, check out eaJ's full interview here.
