Introducing JINI (지니), the emerging Korean solo artist whose debut EP, “An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove,” was released on October 11 at 6 p.m. KST, accompanied by the music video for her track ‘C’mon ft. Aminé.’
Before her latest release with ATOC partnered with Sublime Artist Agency, JINI earned the title as a Mac Cosmetics ambassador and used TikTok as a platform to share her dance skills and personality with trendy content, captivating and expanding her growing audience.
“An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove” comprises four original songs and a special Korean version of the music video track, ‘C’mon ft. Aminé.’ These two tracks are complemented by ‘Here We Go Again,’ ‘Dancing With The Devil,’ and ‘Bad Reputation.’ It’s worth noting that JINI is credited as one of the lyricists for the song ‘Bad Reputation,’ further highlighting her creative contribution to the EP.
From the very first track, this album is infectious, compelling you to hit the repeat button as soon as it reaches its end. The opening track, ‘Here We Go Again,’ gradually builds from the soft spoken first verse to an upbeat and pop-infused bridge, creating a distinctive and remarkable sound that perfectly encompasses those moments when you find yourself thinking, “Damn, here we go again!” (Just like how I feel once I get to the end of this EP, I just can’t stop replaying it!)
The second track, ‘C’mon ft. Aminé,’ captures the emotions of falling for someone anew and longing for their attention. Take a look for yourself! You can listen to the EP’s entirety here as you read along.
In our exclusive interview, JINI delves into the inspiration behind her journey as an artist, her creative process, and exciting future plans. She’ll be setting off to Los Angeles in November to promote her music and meet with fans.
Hi JINI! We’re excited to learn more about your journey as a solo artist with your new EP An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove! We can’t wait to hear.
JINI: Thank you for this interview!
An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove seems very metaphoric, does the EP name mean anything to you?
JINI: Before we started anything, we came up with the album name first. It became a guide to the songs and the visuals we came up with.
The title of the EP, C’mon, features a collaboration with Aminé. Was there any pre-existing artistic connection with Aminé before working on this song?
JINI: I was a huge fan of his music, and my producer was able to make the pitch for a feature opportunity after I’ve finished recording the song. I love how he sounds on the record and so thankful that he was able to make it happen. I’ve just recently met him in Seoul and he was really chill and nice.
An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove’s concept is still a bit of a mystery, in your words how would you describe the EP’s concept?
JINI: I wanted my fans to know that I am strong underneath the soft appearances.
If you could choose any concept to explore in your future work, what would it be?
JINI: We’ve been discussing the concept for the next album but it’s a secret for now.
JINI, one of the songs on the EP, “Bad Reputation,” has lyrics that are instantly catchy and relatable. Could you share where you found your inspiration when writing this song?
JINI: I was a bit nervous when my producer asked me if I want to take part in writing the lyrics for this song. I just wanted to be honest with the feelings I had when I was writing the lyrics for this song.
Speaking of inspiration, who or what was your starting source of inspiration to start a performing career?
JINI: I fell in love with the group KARA when I was young and listened to their music over and over.
If in the future you could collaborate with another artist who would it be?
JINI: I’ve been listening to Olivia Rodrigo’s music a lot and it would be awesome if we I ever get to work with her in the future.
Are there any fun or memorable stories you have from the process of creating the EP?
JINI: It was hectic and busy but working on a solo project was all new to me, so every day was somewhat memorable trying new things on my own.
On a different note…
JINI, your fashion sense and style are truly captivating. As a Mac Cosmetics ambassador, if you had to select just three makeup products to use for the rest of your life, which ones would you choose?
JINI: Mac ‘Lustreglass Lipstick’, Mac ‘Rose Tone Up Base’, Mixsoon ‘Bean Essence’
Is there any place we can expect you to visit outside of Korea soon? Anywhere you dream of visiting?
JINI: I’ll be in LA in November for the album promotion, and I can’t wait to meet my fans out there.
As we close off, is there anything you’d like to say for the fans who awaited your debut?
JINI: Thank you for always supporting me and I put a lot of effort into making this debut album so I really hope my fans will like it.
For more of JINI check out her socials:
Instagram: @jiniyxxn
X: @jinixxn
TikTok: @jinixxn
Youtube: ATOC
