J-Hope Says His New Solo Album ‘Reveals a Little Darker Side of Me’

BTS ARMY may love the catchy, uplifting hits of the K-pop supergroup, but J-Hope is ready to break the mold a bit and share more of his own style in his solo album, Jack in the Box, which arrived Friday (July 15). And in a new interview, he explains what fans can experience on his new release and what it will share about him as a person and artist.

“The theme of Jack in the Box is a theme that has been running in my head for a long time,” the rapper told Variety. “I thought about this theme for a long time because it has to do with my stage name, J-Hope. So I always wanted to reflect the story about my stage name in my music. … This album called Jack in the Box is the moment that I want to highlight my artistry in music. So I’ve I’ve thought a lot about this theme.”

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And for those wondering why “MORE” — which features rap and rock aspects — is the first single off the release, the 28-year-old said that he had a “very clear reason” for the selection. “I wanted to express a little bit of a darker side of me, as J-Hope, as an individual,” he explained. “The feeling that you might have got when you first listened to this song is probably definitely reflected on all the other tracks in the album.”

“This album is full of this type of particular style,” he continued to the publication. “It definitely reveals a little darker side of me, a different aspect of myself.”

The 10-track release is pure J-Hope, with no featured artists on it — as many other musicians my do — not even his BTS brothers. And there’s a reason for that, he shared. “All the tracks are filled with my voice only, because I wanted to convey my own narrative, my own story as an individual,” J-hope explained. “I thought that featured guests are not necessary in this album production, and I believed that filling all these songs with my own voice only would make this album very authentic.”

Though his solo album finally out, J-Hope isn’t going to be kicking back and relaxing anytime soon. The artist is scheduled to headline Lollapalooza on July 31 with TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and teased what his performance may be like.