Premiere: JËVA blossoms on his sentimental pop ballad “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You”

JËVA – Saturday EP cover artwork.

Sydney-based pop singer JËVA wants to be your queer Asian pop prince. And from his first single, “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” off of his upcoming debut Saturday EP, he’s well on his way towards earning that title.

Inspired by the likes of Troye Sivan and Maggie Rogers, JËVA’s music encapsulates the artist’s casual vulnerability within a modern pop package. After being raised by radio all his life (and a sprinkling of K-POP), JËVA eventually realized that he wanted to pursue songwriting for others within the industry. But before that, he wanted to first make songs for his own artistry. In a press statement, JËVA explains,

“I realized that my artist brand was personal and I just wanted to document my life. I wanted to share my struggles and express it through art. I want to be the representation I wish I saw when I first dreamed of pursuing music as a kid.”

That epiphany culminated in a few sparse songs released on SoundCloud and Spotify, as well as a few further tumultuous years of self-discovery for the artist. But a few songwriting camp internships and co-writing credits later, he’s now ready to make that splash in the pop scene for himself.

JËVA.

On his explosive debut “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You,” JËVA’s brand of artistry blooms with vulnerability. A song that “shines a light on when he came to terms with his sexuality and used love as a vehicle for escapism,” “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” is a sentimental love confession that is crushing and visceral. Over a sparse piano, clock ticks, and blooming synths, JËVA glows. As he repeats the lyrics, “I can’t stop thinking about you / Yeah you on my mind / 24 all the time” until the song crashes into muted explosions, there’s a sense of self-reassurance there that convinces himself—as well as us—that he’s an artist that demands attention. At only ~90 seconds long, it’s a short taste of what’s to come, but it truly makes quite the bold impact.

In the Evan Luong directed music video, JËVA sings over cinematic footage of rapidly blooming flowers. Similarly, JËVA blossoms as well—carving out that space for a queer Asian pop prince to exist.

Saturday EP will be released in October 2019.

Artist pages: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Li-Wei Chu

Li-Wei Chu is the chief editor of From the Intercom. When he’s not editing drafts and searching for new artists to cover for the website, he loves watching cult films, cooking, and listening to his ever-growing collection of vinyl records. You can follow him on LetterBoxd and make fun of his taste in movies here!