Chung Jae-young (; born May 2, 1977),
better known by the stage names J and J.ae (), is a Korean-American singer based in South Korea. She debuted in 1998 with the album, ''J: Gold''.
Early life
J was born Chung Jae-young on May 2, 1977.
Her father is Chung Hee-taek, the former vocalist of the rock band He Six, and her aunt is Chung Hoon-hee, a singer. When she was one year old, she immigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
with her family.
She grew up in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, and later
Springfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 31,339 as of the 20 ...
, where she attended
West Springfield High School. Her mother entered her into the 1995 regional Miss Korea pageant in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, where she finished as the first runner-up and was scouted by a music producer.
She studied jazz at
NOVA
A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...
in Virginia, but took a leave of absence in 1997 and returned to South Korea in order to become a singer.
Career
J’s debut album was prepared over the course of two years.
During that period, J provided vocals for
Yoo Seung-jun
Steve Sueng Jun Yoo
’s 1st and 2nd albums and contributed to the soundtrack of the movie ''Hallelujah''.
Her debut album was released in November 1998 with two versions — ''J-Gold'' and ''J-Blue''. ''J-Gold'' was described as "pure and innocent", while ''J-Blue'' was described as "emphasizing a sensuous feel." The two versions shared 7 tracks in common, while the remaining 4 differed.
In 2002, J was invited to contribute her talent to the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
's official album. Her song "Gotta Get Love" was featured on ''
The Official Album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
''The Official Album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup'' is a compilation album with various artists, released in 2002 by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It's the official music album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. The album spawne ...
'' Korea/Japan Edition.
In 2007, she released a
contemporary Christian
Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...
album ''In My Lifetime''. The album had a more R&B/hip-hop feel than her previous releases.
[Google translation]
)
In 2012, J hosted Arirang TV's ''The Sensation'', a music-focused series that introduced traditional Korean instruments, music, and dance through multiple venues including concerts, studio audience tapings, and award-winning documentaries geared towards a world-wide English-speaking audience.
Personal life
On September 14, 2013, J married a U.S. soldier who was based in South Korea.
Following their marriage, the couple moved to the United States. They have one daughter, born on June 28, 2016.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1977 births
American musicians of Korean descent
Living people
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean rhythm and blues singers
South Korean female idols
21st-century South Korean singers
21st-century South Korean women singers
West Springfield High School (Virginia) alumni