JUNNY Bids You to Climb Into His Sonic Universe on New Single, ‘Invitation’

"Won't you crawl up in this bed with me?" entices JUNNY in the opening line of his new single, "Invitation." After three years of teasing the suave, R&B-heavy track, the question serves more as a yearning command rather than a nonchalant suggestion.

The song initially started as a part of TikTok's #8barrelay challenge, where musicians wrote eight bars of a song using a beat and the phrase "come over tonight." And just like that—JUNNY's first-ever video had gone viral, amassing over 3 million views.

From making beats in his Vancouver home to dropping his own studio album under mauve company (a subsidiary of South Korean titans Kakao Entertainment), JUNNY has come a long way. He quietly built a name for himself in the music industry by writing for other artists and now boasts an impressive roster consisting of NCT, EXO's Kai, GOT7's Jay B and many more. Fast forward to 2023, he's finished a successful North American and European tour and is set to headline K-Play!Fest in September.

Continue reading to see what JUNNY had to say about the story behind "Invitation," his reasons for making music and his special message to his fans.

Sweety High: It's been three years, and "Invitation" is finally out. How does it feel? 

JUNNY: So many people have been waiting for this song and asking when it will drop.

I've been holding it back for a long time. There are a lot of things you have to go through—releasing a song is a huge process. Thankfully, I was able to. We figured it out through the company and the producer, and it's finally here. It feels great, and I'm just really glad it's out and people are enjoying it.

 

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SH: What made you want to do the #8barrelay challenge in the first place?

JUNNY: At the time, I had just met Gaeko, the producer, and was an up-and-coming artist. I didn't know much about the scene. Gaeko took part in the challenge, and I, being a huge Dynamic Duo fan since I was a kid, just wanted him to listen to my verse as a fanboy thing.

I did my best on the verse and sent it over, and they told me to put it on TikTok. It was the first TikTok I posted, and it started getting a lot of views and likes. I left it at that for a long time. It wasn't until my first tour in North America that I realized, "Oh my God. There's a lot of people that want this song." That's when we started talking and getting serious about creating the full version.

I re-recorded the whole thing. It was like going back into a time machine because I was recording something I wrote two or three years ago. And then, I wanted a feature from a rapper, and it only made sense to ask Gaeko because he's literally the dude I wanted to impress with the challenge. It was a full-circle moment, and that's why it's so special to me.

 

SH: You had the beat, and you had the prompt. How did you come up with the rest of the song? Walk us through your writing process. 

JUNNY: It was super fun. Like I said, time traveling. Thinking about why I wrote each part a certain way.

It was easier to finish it because I had no thoughts while making the verses. I was telling a story I had in my mind, more like a freestyle. And reading back the lyrics, I thought it would be a perfect fit if it were an invitation to someone I liked or wanted to hang out with. So, it would be cool to call it "Invitation," and it all spilled out from there.

Suddenly, it became this seductive serenading thing. I really love how the direction went. Obviously, on the bridge, everything changes. I wanted a new highlight for people because they're still used to the original first. I wanted to juxtapose it and came up with that, and it was great. And Gaeko— man. He made the song. He killed that verse, so I can't complain.

 

SH: Was there any pressure for the song to come out, knowing that so many people had been waiting for so long? 

JUNNY: Honestly, I was worried because it's been a while, right? Three years is a long time, especially in this day and age.

When I released it, there was so much attention with people returning from the TikTok video. To see that many people come back, I was really thankful. There's so much new music coming out each day, and everything flows by really quickly. I'm so grateful that people held on and waited and were patient throughout the process.

The song is doing great now. I feel amazing about it. Hopefully, it was worth the wait! Seeing those messages definitely put a smile on my face.

 

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SH: You've done a couple of live performances of "Invitation" on YouTube, and you were just announced as a headliner for K-Play!Fest. Both of these are exciting, but what is your favorite part about promoting a song? 

JUNNY: I have three parts.

Part one is the creative process. When nothing is being prepared and just writing the song is one of my favorites. It's when I take full control and do whatever I want.

The second is actually shooting the video and planning how my team and I want to present it. We actually discuss the direction we want. It's a fun part I've learned throughout my career. I never took an interest in that in the early days, but now it's something I feel is super important.

The third part is when you get on stage and see everyone—you see the fans enjoying the song you created. You can't be that. It's the best part. Seeing them sing, dance along and know the lyrics. I think that's an amazing achievement and gives me so much satisfaction.

 

SH: In your discography you've done pop and R&B. Is there one you prefer? 

JUNNY: I love both. I want to mix them together, but I want to try different things, too. The new music I've been working on is a little more alternative. I'm seeing that world and studying what it's like. But it's not only me. I've been learning from musicians and other people I work with and having a blast. Hopefully, in the future, you can really hear that in the music I put out.

 

SH: What drives you to continue making music? 

JUNNY: For me, it's like waking up, brushing your teeth and taking a shower. It's natural. I've been doing it for such a long time that it's become part of my life. And it's important that I can't imagine a world without it. All I can say is that it's embedded in me. The reason why it's become that way is because I enjoy it so much. When I'm doing anything music-related, it never feels like work. It's my natural habit. It's what I love and enjoy.

 

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SH: Like you've emphasized, a ton of the huge success of your song can be attributed to the fans. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? 

JUNNY: I always say this, but I can't say it enough. Honest to God, I'm extremely thankful that my fans are here and listening to my music. They like me as a person too, which is amazing.

With every release and everything I do, I want them to feel proud of being my fan, and I never want to let them down. I want to make them satisfied and happy. I'm glad this song is finally out and even more excited they enjoy it. If not for them, this song wouldn't be out. It wouldn't have been an option to make it into a whole song, so it's all thanks to you guys. Thank you so much, and I hope you're healthy, happy and enjoying life and you stick with me through this journey.

 

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