Boy band GOT7’s leader and main vocalist Jay B is geared up to showcase his artistry as a soloist with his first full-length solo album, "Archive 1: [Road Runner],” 10 years after his debut on the music scene in 2014.

Released on Wednesday, the new album comprises of 13 songs, including two lead tracks: rock-based “Crash” and R&B-based "Cloud nine.” Other songs included in the album are “Baby,” “if you” and “Make Me Right.”

“I approached this new album with fresh, warm feelings, and I've included many upbeat tracks in this album to express my passion for energetic performances to my fans,” Jay B said during a press showcase on Wednesday at Yes 24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul.

"I will showcase the performance and choreography aspects of my musical universe through the lead track ‘Crash,’ while incorporating R&B elements in ‘Cloud nine,’" Jay B said. "This was intended to highlight my will to explore various music styles."

Although the artist has two lead tracks on the album, he expresses a particular fondness for another song that he considers the freshest.

“I love all the songs on this album, but I have a special affection for the first track, ‘Baby.’ I started working on this piece nine years ago, so it’s filled with my genuine feelings as a rookie," he said.

Having been both the leader of a large group and a soloist, Jay B believes that the biggest difference comes from being burdened with more responsibility when performing alone.

“I feel more pressure when I perform without my members because I have to take on the roles usually shared by seven members, which consumes more time, and I usually spend more time on making decisions when I'm alone as it has a bigger impact when I perform as a soloist,” Jay B said.

The title of the album came from his motivational intentions, according to the singer.

“I chose the title 'Archive' for my album because I feel like I have compiled my stories within it, and I added 'Road Runner' to express my enthusiasm for continuous growth and improvement," he said.

In light of the release of this album, Jay B will hold a solo concert titled "TAPE: RE LOAD," in Seoul on Dec. 7 and in Bangkok in January.

Jay B debuted as a member of GOT7 with JYP Entertainment in 2014. The band has hit songs such as "A" (2014), "Just Right" (2015), "If You Do" (2015) and "Hard Carry" (2016).


BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]