How producer EL CAPITXN is charting his own path as a musician
In an interview, the producer behind hit songs by BTS and TXT discusses his next musical chapter, including his headline tour WHO KILLED EL?
(Photo credit: VENDORS)
If you’re a lover of K-pop, you’re likely already familiar with EL CAPITXN’s sound.
For the past decade, he has built a career as a songwriter, producer and DJ, composing songs for the likes of tripleS, IU, PLAVE and ZEROBASEONE.
However, he is perhaps best known as an in-house producer with BIG HIT MUSIC, helping craft music for the likes of TOMORROW X TOGETHER and BTS.
EL CAPITXN’s knack for creating catchy earworms is both versatile and eclectic. He captures the silly and campy nature of “That That”, sung by PSY and SUGA. On songs like “Take Two”, he can easily help a band like BTS capture the warm feelings of nostalgia they have for their fans. While on a track like “Daechwita”, EL CAPITXN is also able to play with the unexpected—melding trap and hip hop with traditional Korean wind instruments like taepyeongso.
‘“Daechwita’” was an unsafe choice,” EL CAPITXN tells bunni pop in a recent interview.
“I brought traditional elements and modern sounds into a head-on collision, and I couldn’t be sure how that combination would be received. However, the direction was clear. It was a result of choosing conviction over compromise, which is why it stays with me longer.”
It’s that risk-taking that EL CAPITXN is keen to grow on, now as he heads on his headline tour WHO KILLED EL?—with Canadian stops in Vancouver (March 8) and Calgary (March 13).
“WHO KILLED EL? is a question I am asking myself. I have performed under the name “EL” for a long time, and that name has been with me through many moments. However, from a certain point, I felt that the name no longer fully described who I am now,” EL CAPITXN says, while explaining the meaning behind his tour name.
“This tour is not about denying the past. It is a story about how to handle my past self.”
Born Jang Yi-jeong, EL CAPITXN first began his career in K-pop as a member of the boy group HISTORY, which debuted in 2013. While he became known for his talents as one of the group’s main vocalists, over time he struggled with vocal issues—something he shared candidly about on SUGA’s YouTube talk show [SUCHWITA].
Still, EL CAPITXN’s love of music never wavered despite his challenges. He was later brought on as a producer for BIG HIT MUSIC by SUGA to create music behind-the-scenes, and also founded the production collective VENDORS.
“I loved the moments of singing and seeing someone’s expression change,” EL CAPITXN says, when asked about why he pursued a path in music.
“As time passed, music became a choice rather than a hobby. It was the result of choosing direction over stability.”
Working behind-the-scenes, the 32-year-old says writing and producing for other artists comes with the challenge of learning to hold back on his own individuality in order to fit with an artist’s identity and concept. The process has also given him further appreciation for the intensity of collaborating with others.
“It is the process of reducing my own colour. Even if it’s a good idea, I have to let it go if it doesn’t fit the artist’s world. I believe the producer’s role is not to reveal themselves but to make that person more distinct,” he says.
For him, it’s not the beat or melody that comes first in crafting a song. Rather, it’s the “direction of emotion.”
“Whether this song will soar, dive deep, explode, or suppress, once that direction is set, the melody and rhythm follow naturally. I believe a song is a result of choices rather than technical skill.”
Now as he prepares on his own tour, EL CAPITXN has the unique challenge of figuring out the story he wants to portray to his audience, all while showcasing his talents on the stage.
In preparing for WHO KILLED EL?, EL CAPITXN wanted to create more than a DJ set, but an experience. He meticulously planned the timing of transitions, lighting, instruments and setlist—making the deliberate choice not to release his original music formally before hitting the road. He says he wants to see the audience experience his songs in real time, even if the tracks are not perfectly polished.
“In a live performance, the audience's breathing is the most important. I calculate where their focus rises and where their gaze stops,” he says.
“It might be unstable or raw, but that tension is the core of this tour.”
The result of how audiences react on tour will help inform the direction EL CAPITXN will go as a musician taking the stage on his own for the first time. While he is proud of his work creating hit songs, his ultimate goal is for people to hear his music and stick with it—even if it draws confusion or mixed feelings.
“I have successfully completed many projects as a producer, but now I want to go beyond simply making good songs,” he says.
“I hope that when the show ends, [audiences] are left with the thought, ‘What did I just see?’ rather than just ‘It was good.’ That is the core of this tour.”
Follow EL CAPITXN on YouTube and Instagram. Tickets for the WHO KILLED EL? tour are on sale now!
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