Hyun-soo Jo (27) is a singer-songwriter and producer from Busan. His name "twlv" comes from the fact that his music can be listened to at noon or night, which implies the diversity in his music. With influences such as The Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR, we asked him about his musical sound and journey, as well as his future plans.
Disclaimer: These are very basic questions we ask every artist to get to know more about them in order to write our "Who You" segment on Instagram. All the artists often get similar questions. We would normally not release this as it's not a full-on interview but we thought it might be good to do so.
@twlvdayzWhat would you be doing now if not music?
Before starting music, I studied aircraft engineering in college. I would probably be working hard on the aircraft engineering side of things now, if not music. I didn't really like it, and sometimes it's terrible to imagine myself as an engineer.
R&B is still a relatively new genre in Korea. How do you think R&B music can be more recognised in Korea?
Certainly, R&B is still a new and unfamiliar genre in Korea. R&B music is full of enough charm to be loved by Koreans, but it seems to be waiting for the right time because there is not enough opportunity for it yet. Like hip-hop artists, I think R&B artists must unite to create our own scene and movement. I'm planning to make such a move.
What is your creative process usually like? Is there a specific theme that you find yourself visiting frequently?
There are times when I want to make the music first, and other when I want to talk about my feelings. I mainly like the work of making sounds, but I often put lyrics on top after expressing my feelings with a melody line. In addition, when working on beats, The Need (@theneed_is_dope) always expresses what I want to say with sincerity.
Eleven (feat. BIBI) - twlv (트웰브)What changes have you experienced creatively as a result of the pandemic?
The biggest change was that I was afraid to play exciting music. Everyone would be frustrated and unhappy like me, and even I didn't want to listen to party music or club music. So, I decided to cut off my interest in party music for the last time in my EP [ANTIFORMAL]. Also, I really like to perform but I couldn't sing while meeting fans in person. So, I have been planning and preparing content using YouTube to upload my songs.
You've formed several teams and crews in the past. How do your creative processes differ when working alone versus when working with other artists?
It is very tricky when choosing a collaborative artists. Once you work together, you'll be together until the end. Although the team and the crew have disappeared on the surface, creatively I still collaborate with them.
California - twlv (트웰브)Your first studio album 'K.I.S.S.' released last year, featured a lot of artists and was heavy on sensual vibes and club bangers. Could you tell me more about the inspiration behind the album?
As it was my first full album, I wanted to fill it with alternative R&B and hip-hop with a mainstream feeling that I like. This is because I thought it would be good to symbolise my identity as firmly as possible for my career. If you listen carefully to the first track and the last track, you can see that the album has a concept in which the protagonist, who suffers from a broken heart, tells his story to the therapist. I was exaggerating, but I wrote it based on my own love story.
You recently left Yng & Rich and now you're signed to The Tilde, a label created by your manager. What motivated you to make this decision?
This is because he is the person who knows me best, and the friend I can communicate best with. There have also been many proposals from other labels, but I wanted to grow as "twlv" and I thought they would be the best fit.
You'll be releasing music soon. What else can we expect from twlv this year? Are you preparing to release another album?
I haven't taken a break this year, so I've been planning to make a comeback with good work every 3 months. Among them, I'll release an EP. Some fans are waiting for a regular album, but for the time being I want to take a musical adventure.
In The Room - twlv (트웰브)What's a fun fact about yourself? Is there anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
In fact, after the release of my album, coronavirus happened and I had a slump. I lost my direction and had a lot of scepticism about music. I've rested for a little over a year seeing, hearing, and experiencing many things. In 2021, everything became clear. I'm now ready to run without getting tired and I'm ready for a new start. If you are reading this article, please subscribe to my YouTube and wait for my work.
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