EL CAPITXN on solo debut, losing his voice, producing for K-pop's biggest artists
After years of helping shape the sound of K-pop behind the scenes, EL CAPITXN is opening up to tell his own story.
The producer-turned-artist recently released his debut solo single, "Breaking Through," featuring TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Taehyun and singer-songwriter Jeremy Zucker. The deep personal track reflects on his journey through loss, identity, and self-discovery.
"There is a message of wanting to break through the wall," EL CAPITXN said. "It stems from survival and what I had to do in order to break through here. I think the song could be the beginning of chapter two for myself."
For EL CAPITXN, whose real name is Jang Yi-jeong, understanding the meaning behind "Breaking Through" means understanding the journey that led to it. Before becoming a producer, he was known as the main vocalist of the K-pop group HISTORY. But after unexpectedly losing his voice, he found himself questioning everything.
"I felt like I lost my purpose," he said. "I felt like I really lost my reason to live."
The experience affected far more than his career.
"Once the reason I wanted to live went away, I changed so much as a person. My identity changed so much. I really started to despise people. I even started to despise myself. There were so many experiences that accumulated during that process."
He said those feelings continue to affect him today.
"I still live in that. I don't love seeing myself like this. Sometimes I think maybe I do want to find joy in other people and find happiness being around others. But right now, I still feel tortured by all of these things."
After losing his voice, EL CAPITXN transitioned into producing, spending the last couple of years helping other artists bring their stories to life. While the work brought him success, it also forced him to adjust to a completely different role in the music industry.
"Producing for other people, it's really completely flipped. You're no longer the main character," EL CAPITXN explained. "Now I'm in the supporting crew member role for other artists."
Even though that experience gave him a deeper appreciation for the people working behind the scenes to help artists succeed, EL CAPITXN admitted he still wanted to be in the spotlight. That desire ultimately became the foundation of "Breaking Through."
"When you listen to 'Breaking Through' really casually, I think it could feel really peaceful," he said. "However, for me, there's a darker meaning behind it. It alludes to the walls that I was put up against."
One lyric, in particular, stands out to him.
"There's a part where it repeats 'only you.' I know some may consider it common or cliché. But that's why it's more important. Those words, 'only you,' are what kept me going. It is what gave me the power to break through."
The single is also the first glimpse into a larger story EL CAPITXN plans to tell through his upcoming album later this year.
"I think it'll be viewed as something quite different [from] the producer EL CAPITXN – folks are used to and have seen," he said. "I really shoved and pushed a lot of myself and a lot of my life into this. It will have dark moments. It can even be a bit dangerous. But I don't plan on avoiding any of those things. I really want to put everything into this."
Despite stepping into the spotlight once again, EL CAPITXN says he's still in the process of figuring out exactly who he is as an artist.
"I'm in the process of that right now," he said. "It feels like I'm searching for something really deep in the blue ocean, but I don't know quite what I'm looking for."
Earlier this year, EL CAPITXN completed his first U.S. tour, "WHO KILLED EL?," blending live performances, DJing, and storytelling as he introduced fans to this new chapter of his career. He recently signed with U.S.based independent label Empire and is set to continue establishing himself as a solo artist with upcoming tour stops in Latin America.
As EL CAPITXN continues searching for his identity as an artist, he hopes listeners understand "Breaking Through" is the story of finding a way forward after losing the thing that once defined him.
"I want them to know and recognize that I was at the brink of death and I clawed my way out," he said.