The “u & i” singer joins us for an exclusive interview to talk about his latest single, working with B.I, and the challenges of managing a label
As the globe continues to shrink and barriers to communication come undone, collaboration has become easier than ever before. And in this era of music without borders, James Reid, for his latest single, is joined by talents hailing from different parts of the world.
“Jacuzzi” is a club anthem that captures the spirit of fun and excitement, fusing house and pop elements, dynamic synths, and upbeat electronic beats. Reid is joined by South Korean rapper B.I and Los Angeles-based Grammy-nominated producer DJ FLICT.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity
How did “Jacuzzi” come about?
“I started the song with DJ FLICT, he’s a Grammy-nominated producer from LA. He’s actually Filipino. He’s super talented and I’ve made quite a lot of songs with him. This particular track was also written with an artist named Zach Sorgen.”
“And then luckily, I met B.I in person backstage at a concert when I was in Seoul. He told me that he was doing a concert in the Philippines and asked if I wanted to open. So I did. I opened for him when he came to the Philippines. After that, I sent him ‘Jacuzzi’ just to see if he wanted to work with me and DJ FLICT. He loved it. He also sent me one of his tracks called ‘4 Letters’ which we worked on at the same time.”
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“I was very fortunate to be able to meet both B.I and DJ FLICT. Different parts of the world—one’s in LA, one’s in Korea, and another here in the Philippines.”
What is it all about? Can you let us in on the behind-the-scenes for the track?
“The song itself, if you listen to the lyrics, is quite sensual. We picked a topic, a jacuzzi, something that’s very symbolic of being sensual, romantic, and luxurious. As for the beat, we actually made a few revisions before going towards a more electronic house vibe.”
“And when I sent the track to B.I, he put his verse down, and his vocals were perfect. It flawlessly matched the style we were going for, especially the K-pop flair that he brought to the song. It was perfect and I think our voices blended really well.”
How was it working with both B.I and DJ FLICT?
“With DJ FLICT, he’s so talented. He’s worked with the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Fifth Harmony, Meghan Trainor—lots of different artists. So being able to learn from him in the studio, I think that’s really what happened. I was learning from him when we were making these songs. He’s like my kuya now that we’ve gotten pretty close.”
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“As for B.I, I was just lucky he was able to find the time to come to the Philippines to shoot the music video. He was in the middle of a European tour. He came here for two days just to shoot and I really appreciated that. When he was here and I got to talk to him, he was very soft-spoken and very mysterious—what you would expect from a K-pop idol.”
As an artist, what do you usually draw from whenever you create and perform?
“I usually start with the music. I begin with my influences. I lean a lot more towards genres such as soul, funk, R&B, and a little bit of electronic—Daft Punk, MJ, and The Weeknd. The writing just comes from experiences or things that I want to experience.”
Since you’ve worked with B.I, what’s your dream collaboration checklist?
“Oh, man. There are definitely some artists that I want to collaborate with locally. I can’t say who because I’m actually going to collaborate with them. So we’re just gonna have to stay tuned for that. But I mean, if I can get a track with The Weeknd or Olivia Rodrigo, that’d be cool.”
On the other side of the coin, not just as an artist but someone who manages a record label, what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from that experience?
“One of the things I’ve learned from managing a music label and not just being an artist is that there’s more to it than you know. What music is for me is it is that outward expression of what you’re feeling—it’s a creative outlet. But coming from the music label perspective, there’s a lot more to it, what a song can actually do. Yes, it can touch others. Yes, it can make them want to dance. But it can also connect people and places.”
“This is something that I’ve been trying to do more by collaborating with artists in Singapore and Korea—trying to connect the Philippines with different regions. That’s something that I’ve discovered and have been working towards.”
What is the hardest part about doing so? What is the most rewarding?
“The hardest part is managing expectations. In the music industry, maybe one out of 1000 people will make it. I think the chances are even less. When you’re dealing with people’s hopes and dreams, sometimes it can get rough.”
“My favorite part is that I’m simply in a field where I’m having fun. I get to make music, work with different artists, and take my career into my own hands. I have creative control to take risks and explore. If I were working with another company that was focused solely on making money, then I think we would be doing things very differently. We wouldn’t get the opportunity to create music that is outside the box and pushing it a little too far. I like being in that space where I’m free to explore, where I’m free to make mistakes and take risks.”
“If I were working with another company that was focused solely on making money, then I think we would be doing things very differently. We wouldn’t get the opportunity to create music that is outside the box and pushing it a little too far.”
If you could go back in time and speak to a younger version of you who is just about to start Careless, what would you say?
“I would say, ‘Prepare yourself. It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be really stressful, but very rewarding.’ I wouldn’t tell him to do anything differently. I’ve learned so much through the years. If it weren’t for all those challenges, mistakes, and unfortunate events, I wouldn’t have grown as much. I wouldn’t change anything. I would just tell him to buckle up.”
“I’ve learned so much through the years. If it weren’t for all those challenges, mistakes, and unfortunate events, I wouldn’t have grown as much. I wouldn’t change anything.”
What’s next for James Reid?
“We have a lot in store, not just for me, but for the label as a whole. This year, we transitioned into becoming an entertainment company, not just a music label. We’ll be exploring more music, but also TV and film.”
“We’re kicking off the next year with Liza’s first Hollywood film, ‘Lisa Frankenstein,’ which is coming out in February. A lot more will be coming from her—we’re also even producing her own TV series.”
“I’ve already begun recording a new album which will be coming out next year. The fans can be excited about this one since it’s very different from everything I’ve done in the past. A lot of music projects will also be coming out from the Careless artists. We’ve taken a lot of hits. It’s been very challenging. But we’ve just been getting ready, preparing everything, and collaborating with a lot of different production houses and music labels. It’s going to be a big year.”
