jxy //

I was missing Woozi, so I started reading his old interviews again. I found one sentence about how he writes songs, got curious about what it actually means from a production perspective, and somehow ended up reading about songwriting workflows, vocal production and how Seventeen actually makes music. So... let's talk about it. The sentence that started all of this was from Woozi's 2022 Ruby interview. He said that around 80% of his songwriting days are days when he doesn't want to put the drums down first. Sometimes he doesn't even want to hear a bass synth. And I went: Okay... but WHY? 😭 At first I thought this was just a cute little “Woozi has his own way of making music” fact. Then I started looking into what actually happens when you choose the beat, melody, guitar, piano etc. as the starting point of a song. And suddenly I had way too many tabs open. This is your warning it's gonna be long I'm writing this for 6 hours There isn't one correct way to write a song. You can start with lyrics, a melody, chords, an instrument, a vocal idea, or a beat. One really common modern pop workflow is toplining: a producer builds a track first, then a songwriter creates the melody, lyrics and vocal idea over it. And honestly, beat-first production makes perfect sense. If you already have the drums, bass, chords, tempo and groove, you've already created a musical environment. Now the question becomes: “What melody belongs in this world?” But rhythm isn't neutral. Drums establish pulse, accents, subdivision, syncopation and groove. Bass also connects the rhythmic and harmonic sides of a track. So when you put them down first, they immediately start influencing how the melody develops. Again: not bad. Just a choice. And this is what made Woozi's comment interesting to me. He's not saying: “Drums are bad.” He's saying: “I don't want them deciding what the song is too early.” If you delay the rhythm section, you can work on melody, harmony and emotion before locking the song into a particular groove. And Ruby is a very literal example. Woozi said he started working on it with Kitae from PRISM FILTER and BUMZU around an acoustic guitar. He wanted to start from the emotion of the song rather than immediately building a huge production around it. The Korean interview makes this especially clear. And I REALLY like that distinction. He's not saying acoustic instruments are somehow “more authentic” or that computers ruin music. The point is more like: protect the emotional idea before the production gets complicated. Once you understand that, the drum comment makes much more sense. Because then production becomes: “I have this musical/emotional idea. What does it need?” rather than: “I have this beat. What melody can I fit into it?” Neither is inherently better. They're just different starting points. And then I found the part that made this much more interesting for Seventeen specifically. Woozi isn't producing for one vocalist. He's producing for thirteen people. Different timbres, ranges, resonance, diction, phrasing, strengths and weaknesses. So the person singing the melody actually changes the way the melody works. Woozi has talked about this directly. When a member asks how they should sing a part, he first explains how he imagined it. Then he listens to their takes. And after hearing them, he can tell what kind of sound suits that member best. If it's different from his original idea? He changes his idea. And honestly... that's a BIG production decision. Because there is a difference between: “Make the singer reproduce my demo.” and: “Let me hear what this singer does with my composition.” The second approach allows the performer to give the producer new information. +

Hi it’s me the yapper! Since people are asking about this announcement, I wanted to write a full essay on what Marithé + François Girbaud (MFG) actually is, why Vernon is the absolute ideal match for them, and why signing a brand ambassador right before his enlistment on August 20th is a brilliant move. First, a deep dive into Marithé + François Girbaud. Founded in Paris in 1972 by Marithé Bachellerie and François Girbaud, this brand isn't just fashion it is literal denim history: The Stonewash Revolution (1976): Before MFG, jeans were stiff workwear. François & Marithé revolutionized the global fashion industry by industrializing the stonewash method literally throwing volcanic pumice stones imported from the Italian island of Lipari into giant industrial washing machines to soften denim. Hip-Hop & Streetwear Pioneers: In 1977, they introduced cargo baggy cuts, which became the foundational uniform for 80s & 90s street culture, iconic hip-hop groups like Kris Kross, and pop legends like George Michael. Eco-Tech & Lazer Innovation: Realizing how much water traditional stone washing wasted, they pioneered Wattwash™ using lasers and ozone gas instead of water/chemicals to age denim. François famously said, "Buying a pair of jeans is also a political act." High-Tech Construction: They were among the first to introduce seamless garments using ultrasonic welding and laser cutting (techno-fusion) instead of traditional thread stitching. In recent years, MFG Korea transformed this legacy into one of East Asia’s most iconic Parisian-chic streetwear staples blending casual comfort with low-key artistic elegance. Now, why Vernon? Stylistically, it’s a match made in heaven. Vernon has always carried an effortless, laid-back, authentically artistic aura. His personal style isn't about forced high-fashion grandiosity; it's about organic cool, classic silhouettes, and individuality. MFG’s core identity centers on "artistic sensibility and unmistakable fit," which aligns seamlessly with Vernon's natural vibe. As for the timing regarding his enlistment on August 20th: this is actually standard practice in the Korean fashion landscape. Brands spend the final weeks before an idol's enlistment shooting multi-season lookbooks, editorial campaigns, video ads, and print material in advance. By banking a backlog of pre-recorded content, MFG secures a high-profile, highly engagement-rich face for their upcoming collections, while fans get a steady stream of top-tier Vernon content throughout his service. It keeps his presence active in fashion, gives the brand guaranteed buzz for Fall/Winter, and serves as a fantastic farewell gift to us. In short: legendary French denim pioneers meet SEVENTEEN's effortlessly cool artist. We are going to be fed so well while he's away!✨