In Conversation: El Capitxn
There are many variations on the fairytale of The Little Mermaid, but in the original one as relayed via Hans Christian Andersen, it ends in tragedy. Disney made the narrative famous by providing the aquatic princess her happy ending. Producer El Capitxn is not sure what the ending of his story will be, but he's certain he's living one in a way not unlike her: he too has lost his voice.
Even before speaking with the producer, referred to simply as "El" by his team, his voice was front-and-center: we planned to meet in a coffee shop in New York City, but they were concerned it'd make for a bad recording environment. Between some terrible weather and their concerns, we decided to hold our meeting over Zoom, even while in the same city. When the call started, it was apparent immediately that their concern was because when El speaks, he does so with an almost paradoxical intensity and softness, as he has lost his voice. He hasn't lost his words, however, and despite the rugged nature of his tone, he spends an hour talking about his story.
To most, El Capitxn is best-known as a producer working with many artists, and particularly known as a collaborator of Suga of BTS. The two have worked together on several tracks, and El has performed with Suga on-stage during his Agust D tour. He founded the production company Vendors in 2018, and has become one of this era's mainstay producers for K-pop, producing for everyone from BTS to PLAVE.
But to me, when I first began noticing El's pseudonym show up and realized it was Jang Yi-jeong, I was shocked to the core: Jang was a member of the boy band HISTORY, a group whose music I enjoyed a lot while I was in college, and had even seen them perform when I studied in Korea. He had had a hit song with IU, "Friday", which she still performs to this day. He had first gained renown while appearing on Birth of a Great Star 2, competing against contestants including Eric Nam.
While HISTORY ultimately lived up to its name and fell by the wayside over the years, never releasing anything after 2016 and disbanding formally in 2017, I frequently wondered what Jang was up to. It turned out, he had lost his voice. It wasn't until an episode of Suga's Suchwita that it became clear how much Jang had lost by not being able to sing anymore.
But, motivated largely by Suga, Jang returned to the industry to become a producer. With several hits, but none to his name, it was a surprise to me when he announced he'd be touring this year. With what music, I wondered? It wasn't until The tour began in December in Manila, and came to the US in March. His New York performance was March 14. But it wasn't until March 26 even that he released his first song, "Breaking Through", a collaboration with vocals performed by Tomorrow X Together's Taehyun and Jeremy Zucker.
Released via a collaboration with EMPIRE, the duo's "voices carry the track’s central narrative: the return of “EL,” a character who has lost his own voice and is reborn through others", as per a press release.
"For me, a show shouldn't just be a concert. I think it should feel like entering another world. I think songs disappear. But worlds stay."
When we talked, El didn't mention the upcoming release of "Breaking Through", but the idea behind the song is present throughout our conversation: for a singer to be unable to sing anymore, yet still find a way to make music.
Before we spoke, I hoped to discuss music creation. As we spoke, it became obvious that El had his own idea of how to tell his story.
Tamar Herman: How's your day going?
EL CAPITXN: I just woke up [laughs].
How are you enjoying New York?
Yeah, hello, New York.
Sorry that we’re doing this over Zoom even though we’re both in the city, but so glad we could find time. Have you been here before?
Just once, when Agust D was touring.
Oh, I saw that tour, it was very good. And now you’re here touring solo, so how’s that going?
Oh, my tour… It's been intense. In every city, people react differently. And I actually enjoy that. If everybody understands the show immediately, I think I probably did something wrong, because I have no album. I don’t have even one song. So, some people get excited, but some people get confused. But both directions are interesting to me because it is kind of a test, to me. So if people [talk] about my music and about my story, that’s already a success, I think.
Most people don't tour without an album or a song, right? So what was your decision to have these shows yourself, with all the questions in the air about you, who you are, and what you're doing musically?
The tour... I don't really believe in perfect timing. If I wait for the perfect moment, I might wait forever. So I just started moving, and I think that's more honest to me, to my fans. So I decided to start.
How did you feel about the reaction from fans right now when you kickstarted things without warning?
Honestly, it was chaotic. Because I don't have an album. My own music. But I wanted to start the tour, but I didn't want to play other artists’ songs, so I made my own music for my tour recently. I think I'm not just the artist on stage, I'm also building everything behind it: the music, the visuals, the story, the vibe. For me, a show shouldn't just be a concert. I think it should feel like entering another world. I think songs disappear. But worlds stay.
What's that world?
My world? I don’t know. I don't know what my world is. The story, the world… It could be very pathetic or odd, or very cool. I don’t know. But still, I want to show everything that is very honest, so I choose that.
Usually, albums come first, and then a show ties in. So, in this one, it's kind of reversed. Do you think that this will lead to an album? Or do you just really want it to be on stage?
Actually, before I went on the tour, it was already done. My first album. I was preparing to release it. But then I started to make music for the tour, and during this tour I decided that the previous album I thought to release, I’ve decided to keep. I want to release songs from the tour, because things changed a lot.
What changed?
Before the tour, I focused more on hits. And more popularity. But while getting ready for the tour, I made my own music, by my real story. So it is different. Because I wanted to express myself, entirely. 100%. Who am I?
You were an idol, now producer, now songwriter, now touring artist, now creating a new album. There are many parts to your story. So how do you see yourself?
Actually, I don't know. So many [things]. I'm a producer, I want to be an artist again, and I'm the CEO of a company. I don't know, who am I? But presently, I’m figuring out who I am. That’s what it is.
You’ve been and are many things, but it sounds like ultimately you have a goal in mind, and that goal is to make music. When did you first realize music was meaningful to you, or the first time you thought, “I want to be on stage” or “I want to produce”?
Actually, after Agust D show, I really wanted to try to be an artist again. That was the moment for me.
Is it scary to try again?
No.
I'm not afraid of anything. The only thing I was afraid of was that even if I started again, I wouldn’t be able to show the world my whole story. So I want to show everyone everything, because I’m afraid I will end before I can show everything.
Hopefully that won’t happen.
Yeah, same.
I’m curious, why "El Capitxn" for your stage name?
Captain. Someone navigating uncertainty. Music, to me, feels like an ocean. We don't always know where we're going, but someone still has to steer the ship. I think it's me. It’s my story.
So you're both the captain and the ship?
Yep.
I love that. When you started using that name, it was a whole new identity versus Jang Yi-jeong the idol singer. Did you want to make a clean break with this new name?
Honestly, I was in hell. I want to delete all my past because I hate my past. It was so stupid. I felt like an idiot. I didn’t speak my words at all. So I hate my past. I want to kill me.
Oh, no, that sounds…
Yeah…
So sad.
But… but… but I'm here. Just the past. Past memory is not good to me, I think.
Hopefully the future will be better then.
Yeah.
When you tour and when you write music, do you feel like everything is brand new then? Like it's a totally clean slate?
When I was younger, singing or producing felt like something I had to prove. But now it feels like something I want to understand. The stage is where I stop pretending to be normal. Music is not just sounds for me. It is identity. I'm trying to be honest through my stages and music.
You said you want to stop pretending to be normal. That must be a really hard feeling to live with.
I was a producer, a singer. For about 10 years, I kept pretending to be a good man. A good producer, a good artist. But now I think it is so useless. I was nice. But I want to show everything. That may not be nice.
The good and the bad.
Yeah.
What changed for you to make the shift?
I think it is just my mindset and courage after a really personal trauma.
I spoke nice words to everyone all the time. I showed very good things, good attitude to people. I gave my heart to them, I believed them, but they are not people who love me. I realized that it wasn’t real, it was fake. I felt that.
That’s heartbreaking. But I hope you don't feel like you're around people like that anymore.
Yeah.
Before the tour started, and now, how do you feel about your relationship with music? Between your tour, and your producing, and the last few years of your career?
Before, I focused more on hits. Now, it’s totally different. I want to say about myself, my story, my own music. I want to include my story to music so it is different.
So you don't want to be famous anymore?
No, it would be great to be famous, of course. But before I chase fame, I think that I should be myself. That is the most important thing for me now.
That sounds lovely. Though you said you were creating songs that were meant to be popular, nowadays, what sort of songs do you like the most?
I was always drawn to dramatic music. Rock, classical music. Film scores. Music that feels cinematic. I love MCR [My Chemical Romance] and Queen. Radiohead. Justin Bieber. They always sang their own story. So, I love them. I love their music. Music feels like it belongs. I also love Marilyn Manson. The band Ghost. So many.
You mentioned movie soundtracks, so do you have a favorite?
I love Interstellar. I love Hans Zimmer’s songs. I love Beethoven. Mozart. Dun dunnnnn.
I don't know if they do this in Korea, but in New York right now, it's very popular to have a movie streamed with an orchestra which is very fun.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love music, so I love New York.
We’re talking today for a newsletter called Notes on K-Pop, so I'm curious about your relationship with K-pop nowadays. You obviously work alongside Suga and other artists, but you’re no longer an idol.
I’m never far away from K-pop. I’m still very close to it. K-pop is a fascinating system. I started from K-pop. K-pop combines music and performance, and visuals and storytelling. But systems evolve. The most interesting artists, I think, are the ones who push the system forward.
Honestly, I love this industry, but I’m not here to feed into the industry. I’m here to bend a little. That’s what I want.
I think you definitely are doing that.
Ah, really?
Well, you’re still producing for big artists, right? And then you're getting to do your own thing.
Yep.
When I produce for another artist's music, I still fit that artist. I don’t show myself as a producer. I put the artist first
I don't want to keep you so long, because you should enjoy New York, you shouldn't be on Zoom all day long. Was there anything we didn't discuss that you wanted to talk about?
I would like to share my future plan.
What is your plan?
Even now, I am trying to expand my story. I said I’m not chasing hits, I’m building something bigger than music. Album, performances, stories, visuals. Almost like a universe to me. So I know it’s too hard but I want to try to test… I want to challenge myself. Art and my world should be… Might be a little dangerous. Otherwise it is just decoration. So, I just want to keep expressing myself, my thoughts, my own thing.
I was watching how the audience or other people feel about my journey. My past and my story are not normal. I lost my voice. I can’t sing anymore. But, even in some different ways, I’m standing on the stage recently again. So I just want to show my universe to the world.
You lost your voice, but not your music.
Even if I lost my voice, even if I lost my everything, but I stand on the stage… It’s so cool, I think. Like The Little Mermaid.
The Little Mermaid?
Yeah, my story is similar to a fairytale. My story is not realistic, it’s very unique. So I feel like her. I think this is unique in the world. So I want to put this story to my music. I’m really curious how people will listen to that. I want to watch their reaction and feelings.
You're comparing yourself to the Little Mermaid, so I’m curious what your idea of a fairy tale ending for you would be?
I don’t know. I don’t know my story’s ending. Just keep going. I think that’s it.
This interview was conducted in both English and Korean, and edited for ease-of-reading. Although I edited it, I want to add that El specifically told me that he enjoyed speaking English regardless of whether he was using grammar properly or not, even when I offered to try in my terrible Korean, or for the translator to step in more. I was really impressed with his tenacity as someone who struggles herself with speaking in other languages, so I kept in his English-speaking style in many instances.
