By Veronica Espinal | @_veronica_es
Earlier this week, South Korean artist JAY B, officially signed with Hip-Hop and R&B label H1GHR Music, after months of speculation. Within days of revealing his partnership, JAY B marked his solo debut with the release of his self-written track “Switch It Up,” alongside rapper Sokodomo.
DEBUT WITH H1GHR
H1GHR Music and JAY B’s fellow label mates first teased his debut with the label in a cryptic “New Artist,” teaser on their social media pages, which had fans wondering whether GOT7’s leader finally found a label to call home.
no more hopes it’s confirmed
source: oomfs said pic.twitter.com/tlWXkBMRgK— pau; (@seuniedef) May 6, 2021
ALL THE DESCRIPTIONS SCREAMS WHOLE ASS JAEBEOM LIM AND I JUST KNOW IT 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/61WFG2uznU
— (⌒ ◡ ⌒••) ♡ (@defstwomoles) May 6, 2021
The official Welcome New Artist teaser dropped along with the announcement of JAY B’s solo debut, leaving beomies and ahgases beaming with excitement for the new path ahead of the artist.
Wait! Jaebeom's single will be released this Friday May 14#JAYB #제이비 @JAYBDEF___ #GOT7 #갓세븐 @GOT7Official
https://t.co/36Wrlw6jNL— 𐐪𐑂 🦢 (@ahgaseee852g7) May 11, 2021
THAT’S IT EVERYONE, JAEBEOM LIM IS REALLY GOING TO H1GHR 👏🏼
Congrats to our new artist, we look forward to seeing your new path you’re taking in your career! wishing all the best ✨#제이비_고하이어 #JAYB_GoH1ghr #JB #JAYB #제이비 @JAYBDEF___
— (⌒ ◡ ⌒••) ♡ (@defstwomoles) May 11, 2021
Produced by H1GHR co-founders Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone, “Switch It Up,” entices with it’s R&B melodies and sultry lyrics, while Sokodomo’s fiery rap perfectly matches the artist’s low and sleek vocals. Accompanying the song, is the live performance video featuring JAY B sauntering around the serene forest, singing about his passionate love as he’s surrounded by flashing neon lights and provocative choreography.
THE CHARISMA OF THE ARTIST
JAY B’s latest single is a continuation of his own musical style created through his “Def” persona. It was first introduced to listeners through his series of mixtapes and his work with the OFFSHORE crew. The mixtapes he’s released on his soundcloud–the same songs loved by his fans–all hold different stories of his that ultimately connect together to tell his personal story more deeply. Now as JAY B, he’s bringing his own color to light with the fusion of all sides of himself from GOT7’s “JB” to OFFSHORE’S “DEF,” creating a distinctive sound only Lim Jaebeom can cultivate.
JAY B has the ability to push the boundaries of what it means to be an artist through every composition. Whether he’s composing songs for GOT7 or his own solo work–he’s shown an understanding for the art of balance, knowing what elements to put together and which ones are scarce. He’s capable of exploring various parts of music that allow him to go deeper into his own multidimensional love for it. He’s good at what he does and he does it well.
“Switch It Up,” perfectly illustrates JAY B’s mastery over his artistry as a musician. Charismatic and sexy, JAY B is devoted to the intense and passionate love he shares. In the dense forest, the focus is on his sweet vocals and his sultry nature as he lures one in with his provocative singing, “Unbutton your shirt/pour up, pour myself up all over you/put your arm around my neck/want you to hold me tight.” Clearing the fog around him, his friskiness continues as he breaks down into a minimal yet sensually pleasing choreography.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE
According to the World Music Awards, within a few hours of release, “Switch It Up,” climbed to #1 on the iTunes chart in 40 regions around the world, entered the Top 10 US iTunes chart ranking at #7, and ranked #1 on both the European and Worldwide iTunes Song Chart. In the Korean music charts, the single ranked in at #1 for Genie, at #16 for iCharts, and entered at #2 for Melon’s Latest Songs Chart. While the performance video surpassed over 900,000 views and 200,000 likes on YouTube, at the same time it trends at #18 for music and #33 on the worldwide trending topic.
To say JAY B is a great artist would be an understatement. He’s proven to the musical world what an astounding musician he is, with no limits to his craft. JAY B’s solo debut is an indication of how ready he is to continue to push the boundaries within the music industry, as he connects deeper with his audience. Look forward to more of his music in the future.
You can listen to JAY B’s latest single “Switch it Up” on Spotify and be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram!
Check out another amazing artist, Toosii, and his latest release Thank You For Believing here!
Thumbnail Courtesy of H1GHER Music
