Songwriter Spotlight: Hongjoin

Hong Jiun, otherwise known by his stage name Hongjoin is a 20-year-old independent singer-songwriter from Singapore who has been honing his craft since 2021. He is back with a brand new single ‘What A Time!’, an experimental EP he crafted on New Year’s Eve in 2019. The song in particular holds a significant meaning to Hongjoin since it has gone through different iterations and various versions coupled with countless demos and fine-tuning for two years. It is also noteworthy to mention that this is his most experimental song to date. 

“This song contains drum samples, 808s, chime bells, and sound effects that I had honestly never put into any of my past songs before but I was hoping this song could serve as a good beginning to the new genre that I will be exploring”

With the initial version of the song being an acoustic track comprising acoustic guitar and vocals, Hongjoin was determined to push himself towards developing a different approach to his production style. Partnering with fellow producer-friend Paul Neo, the duo worked on producing the song together. Paul Neo eventually came up with the lead electric guitar melody that would be the backbone of the entire track.

“We played around for about 20 minutes before the eureka moment hit”

A much-awaited comeback release since he dropped his debut album Petrichor back in 2022, the track evokes various degrees of emotions. From the joys you feel when starting something new, to rekindling friendships and finally getting over past relationships. 

What A Time! begins with a soothing guitar riff which then gradually proceeds to match the smooth entrance of Hongjoin’s subtle and clear vocals. The partnership between the instrumentals and Hongjoin’s voice is reminiscent of a warm cup of tea on a rainy day or a fuzzy warm blanket on a cold winter night.

 

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Here are a few questions we asked Hongjoin in light of this new track release

 

What was your inspiration behind the new single ‘What A Time!’?

I wrote the first draft of What A Time! on New Year’s Day of 2021, strumming out some simple nostalgic chords and humming the melody that was stuck in my head (which would later become the chorus!) That period was when I was going through some personal issues but my friends were my biggest pillars of support, lifting me up and reminding me that they would always be around for me. The lyrics in this song are also light-hearted, as I wanted it to seem like a casual conversation with myself. It’s a very honest piece of work about the conflicting emotions you have growing up and I’m very proud of how the song turned out!

 

Who are your musical influences?

My biggest musical influence is definitely Charlie Burg as most of my listeners would know, the vulnerability behind his songs and the way he isn’t afraid to leave imperfection in his tracks really pushes me to be an artist that can be honest with himself through his songs. The way I write is also very inspired by old-school timeless bands like Oasis and The Beatles, where songs are born from acoustic instruments in a traditional way. Regarding production, I analyze Cavetown a lot and aspire to emulate the DIY sounds that he creates. This is also why I produce all my own songs as they are very personal to me and I feel most comfortable bringing them to life on my own!

 

Who are 2 people whom you hope to write a song with and 2 people to perform with? Why?

One of my local inspirations (as most of my listeners know) is lewloh and I am always in awe of how he connects with his audience. I would love to write and perform on stage with him one day!!! If you told me the sky’s the limit, I would love to write a song with VALLEY (my favorite pop band) because of how they are able to juxtapose heart-wrenching lyrics with upbeat melodies (it’s so confusingly satisfying) and also Phoebe Bridgers – I am always on my knees when I listen to her lyrics.

 

Tell us a little about your songwriting journey in Singapore.

To be honest, I didn’t come from a musical background but I’ve always been quite in touch with my feelings as I always journal my emotions a lot, so writing came pretty naturally to me. I think when you feel strong emotions (of heartache or happiness) you try to let them out in interesting ways and for me, it was through songwriting. I would just pick up my guitar and try to express myself through song and lowkey the melody and lyrics come at the same time. I also write about my own experiences that I hold dear to my heart so it’s always honest and authentic, which is something that I strive to do in all my songs.

 

Listen to ‘What A Time!’ here: https://open.spotify.com/track/79vxBwdyHIfjwv4s3zjcrc?si=c8a615fa1ed34d9c 

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