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EXCLUSIVE: JAKE $ING talks ups & downs, how BTS, Stray Kids, MAMAMOO helped him artistically & Armaan Malik
We spoke with soloist JAKE $ING following the release of ‘ups & downs’.
A talent on the rise! JAKE $ING holds his heart on his sleeve and his roots in his voice while belting out some of the most raw lyrics that he has given rise to. Signed under Sony Music within a short span of his musical debut, JAKE $ING has the road set for him to excel and expand on, meanwhile also being a voice for the young generation who seem to find him not only gravely relatable, but also an uplifting medium for their often un-uttered thoughts.
Now, releasing his first EP, ‘ups & downs’ following the success of three singles, ‘You’re So Ugly’, ‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Fresh Off The Boat’ his four track album has comfort served on a cold plate of reality. Check out the music video for ‘LET DOWN’ below.
Pinkvilla got the opportunity to speak with him about his musical side and delve deep into how he is influenced as an artist with the ever-growing impact of K-pop around the globe. He quipped about the powerhouses BTS, Stray Kids and MAMAMOO who seem to have shaken his heart, just like the rest of the world and dished on Armaan Malik as one of his inspirations.
1. Congratulations on the release of ‘ups & downs’! How do you feel after letting the world listen to your music?
JAKE $ING: Thank you!! It feels really free. I’ve always been the type to want to show people something I’m excited about immediately, so this is the longest I’ve had to hold on to a project before I got to release it. This EP definitely taught me a lot and I’m grateful I get to share it with everyone :)
2. What would you say is the most personal track on this album and why?
JAKE $ING: Definitely the most personal song from this album is ‘Till it Hurts’. Originally, I wrote the song about losing a loved one or not being able to be with someone anymore. It was based off of all the potential relationships I could have had or did have at some point that just didn't work out for one reason or another. It’s a weird feeling knowing that someone can just disappear from your life, but the love you feel for them still stays with you forever even though it could hurt like hell. Right after I wrote this song, I lost my uncle to COVID, and this song all of a sudden became really relevant in my life.
3. You wish to appeal to Gen Z, especially the Asian Americans, and have been doing so with your releases. Why do you find that important and how does it differ from the other generations’ music?
JAKE $ING: I find connecting with people to be the most important thing with my music. Whether that be through the lyrics, or the beat, or just the vibe; I want to make people feel something, and I want to inspire other AsAms to see that the world is their oyster and that they should eat it with some hoisin sauce.
4. How do you think K-pop has influenced your artistry?
JAKE $ING: For me, K-pop has shown me that you don’t have to be locked to one genre. Even though K-pop may just seem like one genre to a lot of people, the diversity of the music and the artists in K-pop are really amazing to me. I guess, in a way, it’s proved to me that if you put yourself out there, even if you’re different, you’ll find people who support you and that’s helped me stay hopeful for all this time.
5. Why do you consider BTS, Stray Kids & MAMAMOO as your inspirations?
JAKE $ING: They’re kind of my greatest inspirations for not just being full-fledged artists, but also killer performers, too. They sing, dance, write their music, play instruments; they’re really the whole package, and it inspires me to not just stop when I get good at one thing.
6. Which aspect from each of them helps you in your growth?
JAKE $ING: BTS blows me away with how much depth they have with every song they put out. Every song has its own choreo, a different message, vibe, and with how many songs they have, it’s crazy to think about just how many things they can memorise and execute perfectly. It’s honestly insane.
MAMAMOO has inspired me ever since I first saw a clip of them on Youtube performing live. The vocal control, the confidence, and the vibe they gave off really stuck with me. Being confident in myself when I perform is definitely something I’m still improving in, and I think a veteran group like Mamamoo is a really good example I could learn from :)
And for Stray Kids, they just make me hyped. All of their songs just make me excited, and for a long time I always wondered what it was they did with their music that made me feel that way. They really taught me the importance of energy in a song, and to not just “perform” a song, but to really “feel” it, you know what I mean?
7. Are there any Indian artists that you listen to or wish to collaborate with?
JAKE $ING: Armaan Malik for sure for sure. His recent song ‘You’ was so good, and I feel like we would sound pretty killer on a track together. He has also broken through a lot of barriers and achieved a lot for his community and that inspires me to strive to do the same, too.
8. What is next for JAKE $ING and how do you wish to accomplish that?
JAKE $ING: My next step is to make myself more known! I think that my songs are good, and making music will never be the hard part for me. The only thing I need to do now is to make sure that there will be people willing to listen once I’m done making it hahaha.
I would like to, hopefully, start touring soon and to start meeting new fans the old-fashioned way like how rock bands used to. Something about personally meeting people and making fans in real life really appeals to me. It just sounds so cool.
I’m also working hard to grow my TikTok, which I think is going really well so far! It took me a while, but I’m starting to realise all the things I need to succeed are right in front of me. I just needed time and experience to be able to see that, but hey, that’s part of the journey isn’t it?
We await the return of JAKE $ING with another powerful release as he continues to build a platform for not only himself but multiple dreamers like him!
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