Jay Park recently concluded his promotions for his solo album, "TAKE A DEEPER LOOK", which earned him a lot of praise for its success. His title track, 'Abandoned', scored first place two weeks in a row - a considerable achievement, especially since they were made immediately after his comeback. Unfortunately, the singer didn't seem all that satisfied, as he recently shared, "I certainly thought about how I didn't have popular appeal. However, I thought that just this time, it was an opportunity to do what I wanted to do. I definitely wanted to show that the songs just have to be good, regardless of appeal. I wrote the lyrics for all seven songs and participated in the composition of six songs, in addition to overlooking the album artwork and the music video. I'm satisfied with the praise that I threw off my idol image and came back as a singer-songwriter." In his journey to return to Korea's music scene, Jay Park picked up some new friends along the way. He revealed, "I hear that I suddenly changed. I'm confident that hip hop and R&B music is what I've always wanted to pursue. Ever since I was young, I listened to this kind of music, and it's become a large part of my life. Of course, it was a big help that I had friends like Dok2 and The Quiett by my side. To an artist, meeting a good partner is vital to your music." He continued, "I met Ne-Yo and Musiq Soulchild. Meeting worldwide musicians obviously has meaning, but I don't think it's possible for us to do music together if I can't befriend them. Honestly, I didn't know much about Korean hip-hop. Before, I just knew Tiger JK, and that was it. Then I met my friends and became a fan of their music, and I wanted to work with them. Dok2 and The Quiett are friends like that." It's obvious to any fan that Jay Park doesn't take his music as a way of marketing himself. He takes little steps and works his way up, making sure that each step has a meaning and a place in the large canvas of his goals. "I only hope for one thing: I don't have the mindset to buy a good car, a good house, or anything. I just hope that the people around me live well and are happy. It's like having fun times with friends, not make my parents worry, and buying my younger brother games he wants to have, stuff like that. It's stuff that I don't have to have a major success for." In contrast to the hopes he has for his life, the aspirations he has for delving into the American market is clearly quite formidable and solid: he's set the deadline for two years. "Honestly, I'm confident," says Jay. "I think the important thing isn't the problem of working with some artist, reading the trend, and doing promotions. I think it's sincerity. Even if I do music in America, I can make it feel sincere. I listened to pop music since I was young and I'm certain I know their kind of music well. I write my raps in English first, and I already have a manager in America. Language is obviously important too. It's true that I need it to pass on my sincerity. Two years, I see it a long time. I think it's sufficient." Concluding the interview, Jay Park said with a laugh, "As a composer and producer, I worked on U-KISS's new album, and I'll also hold a concert soon. I already have a lot of songs I've made; I think the production of my second mini-album will finish quickly as well. Honestly, I have schedules for the filming of the movie, and I feel discontented because there's insufficient time for me to work on music. It's a kind of relief to have my activities finished before the expected time." Source: Maeil Economy via Nate