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J-hope has been on a musical odyssey over the last 12 years, and his latest release, "Killin' It Girl (feat. GloRilla)", is just the beginning. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 31-year-old rapper, singer, dancer, and producer opens up about his artistic vision, his growth as a musician, and what it means to be back with BTS.
"If there's one small belief I still hold on to, it's that if I genuinely like what I make, listeners and fans will feel that too," j-hope tells PEOPLE exclusively. "That's why I always try to be honest in the stories I tell. And when it comes to making music, I think that's when I'm at my most sincere."
His latest single, "Killin' It Girl", is "about an emotional rush and magnetic pull toward someone," he explains. "So I'd love for it to feel bold, sensual, and have that kind of energy that makes you want to play the track on repeat."
The GloRilla feature was a natural extension of that. "Lately, I've been especially drawn to artists whose powerful presence truly stands out," he says. "I was confident that GloRilla's presence on the track would bring exceptional synergy."
J-hope performed "Killin' It Girl" live for the first time during the sold-out finale of his Hope on the Stage Tour in Seoul on June 13, with the six other BTS members present and hyping him up in the stands. But since June 2022, when the group first announced a hiatus to work on solo ventures and complete their military service, j-hope has been finding his footing as a solo act.
"I've always been the type of person to face things head-on and learn through experience," he says. "There's this saying in Korean which basically translates into 'you won't know until you try it.' That really reflects how I live. I've learned so much by living that way, and it continues to motivate me as I move through life."
As all the BTS members finish their time in the military, j-hope says, "I'm genuinely excited about what lies ahead."
And the recent challenges he faced alone have only inspired him to push harder. "I still want to keep taking risks, embrace pain, and grow from it all," he says. "I'm not done growing yet. There's still so much to learn, and I'll keep sharing it along the way."
As for the group's future activities, speculation is already swirling. "While on my solo tour, of course, I couldn't help but think about the tours we went on as a group," says. "I was handling things on my own that we used to always do together, so I feel like doing them together again as a team will bring a whole new kind of emotion in a good way. I'm looking forward to it."
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"Killin' It Girl (feat. GloRilla)" is now streaming. Charm of HOPE, out July 11, is available for pre-order.
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