XIAOJUN sits down with CLASH to discuss his solo debut, mini album, ‘Hey, Somebody’, showing an unexpected side of himself and tease WayV’s future plans.
Throughout his career as a K-pop idol with WayV and NCT, XIAOJUN has gained a reputation as a charismatic and talented vocalist and performer. However, the Chinese-born idol wants fans to see a different side of his personality, one that is more vulnerable and expressive from what we’ve seen before.
XIAOJUN recently made his official solo debut with the release of his first mini album, ‘Hey, Somebody’. The five-track album is inspired by the idol’s stories and experiences as it reflects who he is and his raw emotions through vocals and the composition and lyrics, which he contributed to.
This authenticity was something that was vitally important for the artist as even before his debut, he saw it as his duty and responsibility to give people strength and positive energy. Therefore, despite the personal stories, he hopes it carries a universal quality which people can relate to and reflect upon their own experiences.
What do you hope people learn about XIAOJUN as an artist and as a person through this mini-album?
XIAOJUN: I’d say my warmer side! I wanted to show a different side of myself that people haven’t seen before. I also took part in writing and composing some of the songs, so I think this album gives people a chance to get to know me better and understand the kind of stories I want to tell through my music. More than anything, I hope people can see how much I want my music to bring them comfort and strength when they need it.
How does ‘Hey, Somebody’, embody the sound and message of this project?
: The title track ‘Hey, Somebody’ really captures the message I wanted to share through this album, which is all about being yourself. We all have moments when we feel like we’re not special or lose confidence in ourselves. This song is about recognising your own worth and finding your own path, even during those moments. Musically, it has an upbeat rhythm and a warm, uplifting feel, so it delivers that positive energy without feeling too heavy.
What was it like to write and compose, ‘Sky High’? What did you feel was most important to convey with this song?
‘Sky High’ is a really special song to me because it’s something I started working on about two years ago. I came up with the melody first and then wrote the lyrics, which came quite naturally because I had someone very special in mind. My fans! The song is about cherishing the people who mean the most to you and finding happiness in even the simplest moments you share together. I wanted to capture that warm feeling of knowing that, as long as we have each other, we can keep moving forward and reach even greater heights together.
Where did you find inspiration for the mini-album? Was this different from previous creative experiences with NCT and WayV?
: A lot of the inspiration came from the little things I see, hear, and experience in everyday life. Ever since I debuted, I’ve always felt that bringing people comfort and helping them heal through music is my goal as an artist..
With NCT and WayV, I’ve mostly focused on creating music and performances together with the members. But for this solo album, I wanted to focus more on expressing my own emotions and sharing my personal message through my voice and vocal style. In that sense, it was a completely new creative experience for me.
This must have been something you had been thinking about for a number of years… how did you narrow down all these song ideas and concepts in your mind to produce a cohesive debut?
: With WayV and NCT, I’ve often shown a more charismatic, powerful, and sensual side of myself on stage. I love that side of me, but for my solo debut, I wanted to show that there’s so much more to who I am as an artist. I wanted people to discover a different kind of charm they might not have expected from me. With that in mind, I chose songs that would highlight different sides of my personality while still feeling connected as an album. We also took a musical-inspired approach for the title track’s music video to bring out a more playful and expressive side of me.
What did you learn about yourself as a solo artist through this process? And what was the most important lesson you’ll take forward for future projects, whether that’s as WayV, NCT or solo.
: Through this process, I realised that the most important thing is to just be myself. At first, I felt a lot of pressure to make everything perfect since it was my first solo album. But I realised that as long as I stay true to who I am, it’s okay to show different sides of myself. In a way, I ended up learning the same lesson as the message of ‘Hey, Somebody’… just being yourself! Moving forward, whether I’m with WayV, NCT, or working on my own, I hope to keep trusting myself and staying true to who I am.
How did you decide what parts of yourself to bare and what to keep to yourself?
XIAOJUN: I’d say this album feels like a reflection of who I am. I tried to be as honest as possible in expressing my thoughts and feelings. But rather than sharing every detail of my personal experiences, I wanted to focus on the emotions behind them. The songs come from my own stories, but I also wanted to make music that other people could relate to. Everyone has their own experiences, so I hope listeners can connect with the songs in their own way and find their own meaning in them.
Why did it feel important to show a vulnerable and personal look at your artistry with this project? How do you feel that you showed that?
: No one feels happy and confident all the time, right? I have moments when I struggle or doubt myself, too, and I felt that sharing those emotions through music would be a more honest way to show who I really am. With this album, I wanted to express different emotions through each song, so I paid a lot of attention to even the smallest details in my vocals. Sometimes I kept things simple and understated, while other times I tried to bring out those emotions more deeply. I hope listeners can really feel those emotions when they hear the songs.
What is next with WayV?
: We’re always working hard to bring our fans new music and performances as WayV! I’ve learned a lot through this solo experience, and I’m excited to bring what I’ve gained back to the group. There’s still so much we want to share with our fans, so please look forward to what’s coming next!
‘Hey, Somebody’ is out now.