Meet JIHO (@jiho.mp3), a singer-songwriter
who turns personal experiences, changing relationships, and different chapters of life into music that feels like a time capsule.
With the release of Rent Is Due, JIHO invites listeners into a collection of songs that capture different moments, emotions, and versions of themselves. From the personal stories behind tracks like “Places” and “No Metronome” to the often-underrated “Wish You Would,” each song holds a piece of a story worth revisiting.
In this edition of City Stories, we sit down with JIHO to talk about the experiences behind the music, the memories that continue to shape their songwriting, and the stories that make each track meaningful. Join us as we get to know the artist beyond the songs and discover the person behind the music.
For people discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce jiho and the person behind the music?
I’m pretty freaking normal. I like korean food and long walks on the beach.
When did you first realize that songwriting and music could become a way for you to express things you couldn’t easily say out loud?
Oh man, back in high school, I started writing really bad raps with my friends over YouTube beats, but I’d low-key surprise myself sometimes, haha. I once got suspended for a diss track I wrote about our principal. I hope that never resurfaces. 😂
Your music carries a very personal feel. Where do you usually find inspiration for the stories you turn into songs?
I guess it depends on the song, but I always try to write something that feels personal to me. I once saw someone say in an interview, “Write something only you can write,” and that really stuck with me.
You’d be surprised how many people go through similar things that you thought you experienced alone. I love it when my lyrics resonate with people and fit the context of their own lives.
What is the story behind your artist name “jiho”?
My mom and dad came up with that one shouts out them. (its just my name) haha.
How would you describe your sound and the kind of emotions you want listeners to feel when they hear your music?
Hmmmm, I’ve heard a lot of people say my music feels nostalgic, which, tbh, I don’t really understand, but I fuck with it, haha. I don’t know. I don’t want them to feel any one specific emotion. That’s for them to figure out. ❤
Is there a particular song you’ve released that feels the most like “you”? Why?
I think this is hard because all these songs, or my songs in general, feel almost like a time capsule of who I was at the time.
I wrote “Places” while I was in treatment for substance abuse, so that was me and how I felt back then. “No Metronome” came from a rocky relationship. I think “Wish You Would” is slept on, though, haha. That’s one of my favorites on the EP.
Tell us about “Rent Is Due.” What story were you trying to tell through it?
To put it simply, that’s just where I was at. It’s about all different aspects of my life at the time. I was working three restaurant jobs and writing whenever I had a chance. Rent WAS due.
When you’re writing a song, what usually comes first for you—the lyrics, melody, emotion, or a specific experience?
Usually the melody and usually I have no idea what I am about to write about. It’s a very subconscious thing that I still have trouble trying to hone in on but when it works it is so rewarding.
Do you tend to write about things that have actually happened to you, or do you also find inspiration in people and stories around you?
Usually things that happen to me but honestly its not so black and white. I wrote a song about Marceline from Adventure Time that I really like haha.
Has there ever been a song that was difficult for you to finish because of how personal the subject was?
There is one on this new EP that is probably the most personal song I have made yet and that’s not on any hype promo stuff cause I won’t say which one… but I was iffy about even releasing it but I really want the person who it’s about to hear it.
Music can sometimes become a form of healing. Has songwriting ever helped you understand or process something in your own life?
Dude all the time. It’s crazy cause I will write and record something and then listen back in the car a week later and realize “Oh this is about this situation?!?” like it’ll be clear as day haha.
Like I learn about myself through my songs. It sounds corny as hell but its true.
What is one misconception people might have about you when they first hear your music?
That I am white. I grew up in the whitest place ever so, fair.
Social media has become such an important part of discovering new artists. How do you balance creating music with creating content and maintaining your online presence?
I don’t. I hate it but it has to be done. I read somewhere that the artist I look up to and grew up listening to would be on TikTok if they were born in this generation and it made me feel better about it.
I used to feel like it was so cringy and like ahh people from highschool are going to see this and think i’m a cornball but I finally said fuck it who really cares.
What have you learned about yourself since you first started releasing music?
That I should trust my own gut more often.
If you could sit down with the version of yourself who was just beginning this journey, what would you tell them?
Dude, trust your gut more often.
Are there any artists, writers, or musicians who have significantly influenced the way you create?
Oh yeah I listened to unhealthy amounts of Mac Miller. A lot of Dominic Fike. Steve Lacy, Sublime, Jack Johnson, Smino… the list goes on.
What kind of story do you hope people take away from your music—even if it isn’t the story you originally intended to tell?
I just hope they hear something they can relate to and take home that they aren’t alone in whatever their struggles may be.
Looking ahead, what can listeners expect from JIHO? Are there new songs, projects, or collaborations you’re excited about?
A new EP is on the way. I just need to add some final touches but I am pumped on this one
Finally, if City Stories gave you one page to leave a message for everyone discovering your music today, what would you want that page to say?
Be yourself, keep on rocking in the free world. Live love laugh. Stream Rent is Due.
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