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J.Fla, also known by her real name Kim Jung-hwa, is arguably one of the most talented and celebrated Korean singer-songwriters and YouTube cover artists in the entertainment space today. Boasting a career spanning roughly a decade and a half, she created her YouTube channel, JFlaMusic, where she uploaded her first song, a cover of Beyonce's Halo.
J.Fla uploaded 15 music video covers in five months, and from then on she commenced her splendid music career. She eventually became known as a pioneer of cover videos from South Korea, with over 3.7 billion video views and 17.6 million channel subscribers from around the world.
Notably, J.Fla became the first Korean YouTuber to gain 10 million subscribers on YouTube and currently boasts roughly 18 million subscribers on her personal channel. She has covered songs of artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, and Imagine Dragons, among others.
In 2022, J.Fla founded her own record company, GOODSEN Entertainment, and in November last year, she released her song, The Hare. A unique and interesting take on the age-old story of an unlikely race between a hare and a tortoise and who, amongst the two, steadily walks towards victory.
It is a remix of the familiar classical song William Tell Overture and Disney-inspired alternative pop. A happy and cheerful song with simple and relatable lyrics, The Hare is notably elevated thanks to J.Fla’s magical vocals and ability to enchant listeners with her voice and story-telling.
Additionally, the song shares an important message: one must slow down and savor the beautiful moments of life instead of running in a rat race. On March 29, J.Fla performed The Hare for the first time on THE FIRST TAKE.
In an exclusive interview with SK POP’s Anwaya Mane, Korean singer-songwriter and YouTuber J.Fla revealed how she delivered a single-take performance of The Hare on THE FIRST TAKE and her desire to sing a Bollywood song in the future.
J.Fla dishes on her thriving YouTube career and her desire to sing in different languages
Q) Hello J.Fla, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. We hope you are doing well.
J.Fla: Hello SKPOP! I am delighted that you have invited me, and thank you for having me here today. I am excited to find out what questions you have for me.
Q) For our readers’ benefit, tell us more about yourself - how did you begin your musical career, hobbies, interests, MBTI, etc.
J.Fla: Many audiences might have started getting to know me via YouTube, but I started my very first musical career as a songwriter in Japan. I was fortunate enough to sell some of my songs in Japan, which naturally brought opportunities for me to appreciate music much deeper and further.
After a British record label got in contact with me, I then started performing as a singer on YouTube in full swing while I was also working on my original songs. A bit of a step back was inevitable as I was hard of hearing in my right ear in recent days, but now my first album is just about to be released.
When I am free, I like watching animation. I don't have much time to play games at the moment. I am also very much into fashion, manga, and animation figures. Regarding MBTI, I am an INFP type.
Q) Congratulations on your song The Hare for THE FIRST TAKE. What was your experience like performing on the channel for the first time?
J.Fla: As it was literally THE FIRST TAKE and only as the title says, it was pretty intense and fresh. And they really don’t give you a second chance. I did actually beg for another go, not because I wanted to sing better, but because I really wanted to hear the stunning live orchestra once more. But you know what? Even the orchestra’s performance was only THE FIRST TAKE, so not a chance!
Q) You were inspired by the childhood nursery tale The Hare and the Tortoise. What is it about the story that fascinated you, and how did you incorporate the story’s moral into your song?
J.Fla: I picked up The Hare and the Tortoise from a waiting area in a dental clinic where they have storybooks for kids. I obviously knew the story when I picked it up, but this time, as I was reading it again, it was somewhat different, almost like reading a different tale. The hare, who is under pressure as everyone around her presumes that she should, of course, win, I did feel the hare is very alike me, and I thought perhaps the hare had been running non-stop until she joined the race and maybe that she has decided to slow down a little bit, nice and gentle, rather than keep spurting.
You know, it is a decision one makes that you are not going to be so desperate to cut the final finishing tape within the time someone sets up but instead, going for the brilliant triumph within the time you set up by yourself. I wanted to tell the hare in the storybook that “you are an extraordinarily charming hare who believes in your speedy feet and knows how to live a full life by allowing a bit of procrastination,” and I wanted to say that to myself as well.
Q) Interestingly, most people resonate with the tortoise. However, your track is titled The Hare. What is it about the hare that resonates with you?
J.Fla: I know right?! For me, the hare is more appealing, and I found the feature of the hare is much more adorable than the tortoise too.
Q) Any particular reason why you chose to sing the song in English instead of Korean? Also, other than Korean, which other languages do you like singing in?
J.Fla: When I decided to use YouTube as my performance platform, knowing it is a global platform, I uploaded my pop song performance, and it was the era when the copyright of most Korean songs were yet to be registered on YouTube.
In other words, I had to choose songs whose copyright was in the right place, and that’s how I ended up singing in English. Currently, I plan to sing in various other languages. For me, language is a beautiful tool that allows me to convey my music and allows me to interact with my fans all around the world.
Q) You have covered several artists, including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, and Justin Bieber, among others. Have any of these artists reached out to you? Which other artists are on your wish list?
J.Fla: There have been a few artists who have left lovely comments after watching my videos. The comments still stay fresh with me and my fans as a sheer delight, just like a surprising event that no one really expected.
At the moment, I am solely focused on creating my own music, and it is true that I have covered most of the songs that I wanted to. Moving onwards and upwards, I think I do need to look for a new chapter of my journey.
Q) You have 17.6 million subscribers on YouTube and 3.7 billion video views. How do you constantly reinvent yourself to stay fresh in fans’ minds?
J.Fla: If you visit my YouTube channel, you can instantly tell that most of the thumbnail images I have are of my face on my profile, and so are the videos. It's pretty consistent from that perspective.
What I have been trying to do is knock the hearts of my fans with what grips their ears rather than what pleases their eyes. Bearing this intention in mind, I have been working extremely hard to overcome many challenges through various genres, including EDM, R&B, Rook, Hip-Pop, Rap, and so many more.
My fans are opening up their hearts to my music and understanding what I intended to do. I am very grateful. The soon-to-be-released 10 tracks I have put in my original album have been created by my earnest hard work, and I can firmly say that it is not going to let you down, so please keep your expectations high.
Q) What other artists (Korean and international) do you wish to collaborate with, and which other genres do you wish to explore next?
J.Fla: Curiosity is something I have plenty of. I love exploring, imagining, and challenging new possibilities in my head. While I was working on my original album, I was thinking of trying Bollywood OST—something deadly fascinating. I would love to try it, and if I have an opportunity to collaborate with an Indian artist, that will be even more superb!
Q) Any intention of covering any Indian artists in the near future, and what message would you like to give to your fans here in India?
J.Fla: Definitely yes, I have always wanted to create music with Indian artists, and I know there are so many talented Indian artists, which makes it almost impossible to pinpoint one particular artist.
For all my fans in India, here is my message: You have introduced me to India and told me how beautiful your country is. Personally, the most beautiful scenery I can count on would be the moment when I am with you guys in India, and I cannot wait until that moment comes to us. I am hopeful that the moment will come to us very soon.
THE FIRST TAKE has 7.78 million subscribers
THE FIRST TAKE is a YouTube channel that aims to capture an artist’s performance in a single take. The channel was launched on November 15, 2019, and currently boasts 7.78 million subscribers.
The interview has been edited for clarity and grammar purposes.
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