JAY B Introduces “SOMO:FUME,” His Most Authentic Era Yet

As a GOT7 member, JAY B built a reputation for being a homebody. And with a yearly schedule jam-packed with two Korean comebacks, a worldwide tour, a Japanese album, filming of original TV and online programs, and other fan-related activities, it’s no wonder the group’s leader would use his time at home to decompress. He liked sleeping, reading books, and taking care of his five cats — a man of simple pleasures. But then the pandemic hit, halting or altering many of the group’s activities, and his eventual exit from JYP Entertainment earlier this year soon followed. Suddenly, JAY B had something he hadn’t had for the seven years he worked non-stop with GOT7: time.

While active with the group, JAY B was the perfectly-coiffed, diligent but cautious leader. He put the interests of GOT7 first and left his own for last. He was a reliable older brother to the rest of the members, carrying the burden of responsibilities on his own back. But now as a soloist, and after having had leisure time thanks to reduced schedules, JAY B gets to put himself and his interests — especially ones he’s had since he was a kid— first.

Nowadays, he enjoys taking pictures of the scenery around him, especially flowers, using a variety of film and digital cameras. It’s a hobby he developed after watching the 2003 Japanese film Love Collage, a love story about two photographers, but only after his mom gave her approval to pursue it after recognizing he had a talent for it. He also likes taking a recorder with him when he’s out in nature, recording himself and his surroundings as an audio diary. He prefers DIY, traditional camping, and he sets up the tent himself. He’s also fishing more now — a childhood hobby — for lunker bass when he’s lucky and, well, nothing when he’s not. By the end of his Zoom call with Teen Vogue, he circles back to specify that the biggest fish he’s ever caught was actually 20 inches long. Said in his own words, JAY B never half-asses anything.

These personal facets of Lim Jae-beom, the individual, have made their way into his debut EP, SOMO:FUME. After signing with H1GHR MUSIC, the multi-hyphenate artist is now leaning into what he perceives as his purpose and sharing his most vulnerable self yet through his music and stories. A wordplay on “perfume” and an acronym for “style of my own,” the album is a collection of what makes JAY B, JAY B. “I want every listener to just organically feel the album and my music on their own, and let it linger,” the 27-year-old says through a translator on Zoom. “I want everything to be organic and natural, for people to feel on their own what I created.”

Jay B’s SOMO:FUME era is one of individuality. Infamously known for being a private person and not even letting the GOT7 members visit his home, he has come a long way. From showing his affinity for motorcycles on his short film documentary to uploading a vlog to his YouTube channel featuring his friends to sharing his mental health struggles through his lyrics, he has opened up more about his personal life to the public. This era is also one of freedom, that he doesn’t have to go through the many filters involving the bureaucracy of music production anymore. “In the past, whether it was with a different company or with H1GHR, my freedom was always intact, it’s just that it may have gotten lost in translation previously because there were so many people involved in my projects, all throwing out ideas,” JAY B says. “Now, my ideas are more of a priority, and they are more shined upon versus being lost. Nothing is too different or changed significantly, I just get to throw out more ideas, and my ideas matter more and stick more.”

A lover of nature, he filmed the live video of “Switch It Up” out in a real forest — an upgrade from the staged version he featured on his GOT7 solo “Sunrise.” “When I’m in nature with the mountains, it really gives me serenity and calming emotions, and it’s a moment where I can recharge and really gather my thoughts again,” he says. “It gives me a nice boost to really work hard when I come back to reality.”

Perfumery borrows most of its language from music, and structurally, perfumes are made up of top notes, the first impression; heart notes, the comfort; and base notes, the soul. So if a perfume is an olfactive symphony, SOMO:FUME is a coffret of naturally romantic notes, illustrating the different phases of love paired perfectly with JAY B’s R&B vocals and stylings.

Opening the fragrance melody with the top notes, the mid-tempo bop “FAME” and the sleek “Count On Me” bring in the lightness and sweetness to the aromatics. The heart lies in the impassioned, bouncy new single, “B.T.W,” along with its spicy predecessor “Switch It Up.”

The lingering base notes are composed of the musky, somber “AM PM” and the mellow, almost doo-wop-y “In To You.” Hidden away as a CD-only track, there’s also “Paranoia,” the only glimpse into the dimmer side of JAY B’s thoughts.

“Sometimes I’m scared, no actually every day/ Tryna look cool but it’s hard/ Lie to me that I’m gonna be fine/ Knowing it’s a meaningless consolation,” he sings in the opening verse. “This song was obviously something that has a sensitive topic, it portrays anxiety and worries and the burdens on your shoulders,” he says.

Recently this year, JAY B has opened up about his mental health journey. He was previously diagnosed with clinical depression and panic disorder and even showed his medication in a past video with a Korean magazine. In “Paranoia,” JAY B longs for someone to get him out of his mental distress brought upon by “an unstable world,” though in the chat he says the song is not meant to be heavy. “Anyone that’s progressing in their lives can all relate to it. Everyone’s been in this situation before,” he adds.

The producing lineup on the album includes both H1GHR MUSIC and AOMG big hitters like Cha Cha Malone, GRAY, and GroovyRoom. “I felt like I was not a newcomer. It felt like I had worked with them for years. It almost felt instantaneously like family, I felt so welcomed,” JAY B says. All but two songs on the EP are collaborations with other artists, both established and emerging, like Mamamoo’s Whee In, singer-songwriter JUNNY, and Mr. CEO himself, Jay Park. “The most interesting thing that I learned was how difficult it is to find an artist to feature on my song!” he shares with a laugh. “I realized I have to improve my power and stardom to get more features. I have to level up.”

As a Nose, JAY B carefully crafted a whole medley of his essences. The top notes are his skills as a singer, producer, and dancer. The heart notes include his softer side: being a cat dad, a photographer, an angler, a diver, and the rest of his day-to-day affinities. In the most dense and intense part of the olfactive pyramid, the base notes, lies a creative mind and an enamored lyricist. What will he add to the list next as he forays into this next chapter in his career? “I want to get a certificate to become a barista,” he says with a hearty laugh.

“When I accomplish something new, I get the feeling of 뿌듯함 (ppudeusham). It’s a sense of pride and accomplishment that I can make something happen.”

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue