Fangirl Gonna Fangirl!
It's an important day. I finally admitted something. Now before I share that let's make it very clear, I adore Monsta X. They are my K-Pop band, they felt like a steamroller just destroying my life and I was, and always will be, here for it. They got me, whether they want me or not.
Another band has managed it. I didn't think it was possible. Not on this sort of level. For a music fangirl like me I've listened to tens of thousands of different artists, and hundreds of thousands of songs, but occasionally you get bands that come along and they feel like something about them just imprints on your soul. Like a missing piece. I've tried to kick against it, because on the surface it makes no sense, but past the surface level, the way they make me feel and in such a short space of time is goddamn intense. I can handle intense stuff but even this has derailed me, but time to get real.
Welcome to the party, J Soul Brothers III.
I've mentioned them before but I've had time with most of their back catalogue now, trying to find what it is about them that got to me this quickly. 6 months if that. Didn't know them at the beginning of the year, February discovered high and low movies, so I'm guessing March/April time *checks last.fm....* well I listened to 'Movin' On' for the first time in April so yeah sounds about right. A band doesn't usually get me this freaking fast!! There are bands I've listened to for decades and travelled the world to go and see (yes, literally gone to the other side of the world with the primary goal of seeing a band....and built a holiday around it) who haven't impacted this quickly.....
They. Make. Me. Like. Ballads! 😲
I’m not a ballad kinda gal. I am if I am in a particular mood but it’s usually hormonal (you know what I mean!). I am all about the beat, the noisy, the downright filthy. Anything that makes me want to cry I tend to skip over, yet it feels like a crime to skip anything by them! The beat? Oh they have that by the metric fuckton! (Yes it’s a measure! 😉) I even commented how Kate a few years ago would have been pretty dismissive due to a fair amount of their super popular songs having a lot of Hardstyle beats - hardstyle just reminds me of rubbish raves, Scooter and The Vengaboys so yeah my brain goes I’ll have none of that but not with JSB - they elevate that for me.
Filth?! Stuff that makes me blush and I've heard/seen/done stuff that should make me impervious to such things, yet the first time I heard 'Lose Control' I swear my knees buckled slightly and I had to hold myself up. I'm sure the look on my face was something to behold; trying to regain my composure because I can guarantee I would have been on my way somewhere with my headphones on, being at home would have allowed me to just freak out!!
Noisy? Not in a sense, but there's something there. I'm very attuned to clever production, and with a musical past spent in noise/techno clubs, when I find anything that connects me back to there, I just love it. An awesome remix, a well timed sample, the way sound moves channels....just anything I can nerd out over really. Anything that tickles my brain is the best way to describe the feeling!
And then all of the members....I love them! Of course I have a bias 💙, but I love them as how they interact with one another is just so lovely. I think being a bit K-Pop focused in recent years, and the band's being so fricking young means it's rare their individuality shines so much, but JSB all have such wonderful individual personalities but how they work together and have grown together feels different. I'm not going to lie, it's so so nice to have found a band where there's a much smaller age gap! I remember being introduced to a band not long ago and I was all 'ooh the rapline...he's good, cute too' 'He's 17' - the absolute horror I felt over that one. There's only a 7 year age gap between me and my JSB bias and the relief is nice. An actual adult man. Thank you! I know it's not a major part of why I like them but I'm not dead from the waist down because I'm over 40 and I can very much appreciate a handsome, talented man, and hell, I've got 7 of them! They also have their own things going on outside of the group from their own brands, bands, acting, presenting, teaching the younger Exile bands, producing....there's so much to enjoy about them.
The feelings I’ve been experiencing are weird because of the intensity. I could argue it’s just a fangirl reaction but it goes from messaging my friend 'OMG they’re so freaking wholesome and I love that!' to overuse of the muffled screaming gif (basically me getting across my thirsty fangirl feels without saying them!). Also the way I can just listen to one of their uplifting songs and feel immediately just better, like I can handle whatever is being thrown at me. Today has been tiring and health stuff has me on a bit of a downer but pretty much had back to back JSB albums on my headphones whenever they’ve been on my head today. There’s comfort, strength, joy, desire, fun, sadness (ballads, remember?) and I feel them all. Whilst I can deal with intense stuff, sometimes experiencing them in music means it’s easier to deal with in my own life? Is that delulu? Don’t know and don’t care. I think if anything can get you through life in your own way, embrace the goddamn hell out of it!
I only have one other friend who's with me on this and I wish I had others and maybe they'll come round and maybe they won't, but JSB are with me now and not going anywhere. They feel like a beautiful part of me and I will always be grateful for this. I have something to listen to that helps with everything in my life. They have been together for so long and I've got so much that I haven't even heard yet (the super early stuff mainly) and I am so looking forward to continuing this journey. There is a plan to be in Japan for my birthday next year (it will be 5 years since I was last there) and if the stars align, hopefully I will get to see them live - come on universe, do a fangirl a favour 😁
If what I have said has piqued your interest, my suggestion of where to start is This is JSB; it's on Spotify but I'll try and find some other platform links. Give this a listen through and go from there - it might just change your life too ❤️
PS You may find some YouTube links scattered within. Enjoy 😁
