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| yna@yna.co.kr 2024-07-23 10:14:20
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- "I don't think I'm cut out to be a celebrity. I had the luck to taste stardom, but ultimately, I concluded that my ideal is to be an ordinary person. I realized my 'true calling'."
For Jung Joon-il (41), his music career thus far has been about finding the direction of becoming an "ordinary singer." After spending his twenties immersed in music for survival and his thirties dreaming of becoming a star beloved by the public, he finally realized that he wanted to be neither a wealthy person nor a star, but a musician.
Jung Joon-il's recently released album, "Love Again," reflects this realization. In this album, he focused on delivering his authentic voice without pursuing a specific goal or referencing other artists' music.
In an interview with Yonhap News at a café in Jung-gu, Seoul, Jung Joon-il said, "This new album concretizes the idea of making music that only I can create. To highlight the good aspects of my voice, I minimized the parts where I sing passionately and kept the instrumentals and melodies simple."
"Love Again" contains six songs, including the title track "Love Again" and "Rune," inspired by the film "Midsommar." He honestly expresses the thoughts that came to mind through encounters and farewells with his unique emotional voice. The title track was created with the same team behind his hit song "Hold Me," capturing the atmosphere of that time while bringing a fresh feel.
Jung explained, "Although its structure is similar to 'Hold Me,' I removed the bridge to complete it in a minimalist way. I was concerned it might be repetitive, but I concluded that the atmosphere of 'Hold Me' is ultimately music that only I can create."
Regarding "Rune," he said, "In 'Midsommar,' the characters celebrate rather than mourn because they believe in a form of reincarnation. For them, it's a truth, regardless of others' perspectives. I wrote the song thinking that loving someone could be similar to such blind faith."
The album reflects his efforts to mature as a person. While he previously sang, "I'll take one step closer if you move away" in "Hold Me," he now sings, "You can return anytime, and I'll become a shining person" in "Love Again."
Jung Joon-il noted, "It's only recently that I've been able to consider others. In my twenties and thirties, I was so focused on myself in both love and work. As I got older and started thinking about how to handle farewells better, my lyrics changed as well."
His aspiration to be an ordinary singer is the result of many trials and errors. He recalled that the time he felt most loved by the public was also the most challenging period for him. After holding a large-scale year-end concert with a grand orchestra in 2017, he suffered from inexplicable stress.
Jung reflected, "I was only seeking public love at that time. I was focused on increasing the size of the venue and achieving quantitative growth without understanding why."
He continued, "Now, I approach music more methodically rather than emotionally. There were times when I wanted to succeed through music, but now I just want to continue making music as I always have."
Jung Joon-il, who debuted in 2009 with the band Mate, is celebrating his 15th anniversary this year. While preparing for a concert in October and working on new music, he expressed his desire to create better music rather than setting grand goals.
He said, "I don't think I've created my masterpiece yet. If luck and opportunity come, I want to keep singing until I create a satisfying piece. I don't need to be remembered for a particular work or persona. If given the chance, I believe I'll be able to make better music, and I think that's the result of understanding my true calling."
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]