That one-man-band mentality has persisted, collecting instruments as he goes, though he’s never been formally trained; instead developing his own ear. Prestigious music colleges were too expensive and so he eventually moved to Paris to study the sound and film, which helped give him grounding in cinematic arrangements. He fell into the city’s nightlife scene, playing live instruments in clubs in Paris, and became known as a Soundcloud producer who blended house and jazz, as on his vibey 2013 Time For A Change EP.
But then in 2015, he played a festival in the Philippines that changed everything. There he met June, who performs as ((( O )))) and who he’d remixed a track for. Eventually they got married and moved in together on an island off the country’s south coast, where they have created a tropical studio idyll that looks out onto lush rainforest. You can see it in the live session FKJ recorded there in 2019 (over 19m views on YouTube), as he flits between piano, singing and sax.
The seeds for his more introspective sound were sown with his 2017 self-titled debut, while the track that he did with Masego that same year, ‘Tadow’, further evidenced his effortless ear for intriguing rhythms – the pair made the hip-hop-speared jazz jam out of a day-long improvisation in Paris, duelling on their saxophones, their keyboards and drums interlocking effortlessly. There’s an ease to his collaborations – nothing forced; artists who are like-minded about being guided by groove – see the meeting of minds on the track “Risk’ with the American rapper Bas or his latest remix for PinkPantheress.
But in 2019, FKJ started drawing more from within. He released the Ylang Ylang EP, the result of a tumultuous and devastating year when June miscarried. The couple cancelled their commitments and holed up together to recuperate and make music. The sweepingly romantic jazz of the title track is the EP’s centrepiece, encircled by crisp R&B beats, acoustic guitar flourishes and ambitious sax instrumentals on the other songs. The making of it soothed them as much as it did his growing international fanbase. “With music, I feel safe,” he says. “So when I hear that my music is healing for people, it’s the best compliment.”
Back in the Philippines, with no wifi and an impending global lockdown, FKJ was quite literally cut off from the world, able to explore music’s endless possibilities. “Sometimes I would get into it for the whole night and go to bed when the sun came up.” Out of this freedom comes an expressionistic, touching album that’s impossible to pin down. There’s no more hiding behind a branch of leaves, as he did on the cover of his 2017 debut: V I N C E N T marks FKJ out as a crucial new voice. He’s redefining chillout music with his bursts of late-night jazz sax and piano, coupled with his wood-cabin whispery vocals, recalling Bon Iver’s early work, and those Santana-styled guitar flourishes.
V I N C E N T is a marvel – and testament to the magic that can happen when you dig deep. “This was a challenging record,” he says. “I’m a perfectionist and it’s hard to shake that off. But once I did, and I let the music take over, I felt totally free.”
Is Magic Gone
FKJ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, now you're going away
Coming across, you were so strong
Is magic gone?
I've been waiting now for too long
I have to tell you now all my thoughts
Our flame is only getting bloomed
Is magic gone?
Ooh
Is magic gone?
(Ooh, ooh)
Ooh
Ooh
(Ooh, ooh)
Ooh
Is magic gone?
Ooh
Ooh
(Yeah) ooh
Is magic gone?
You came in my life in such a way
Baby, now you're going away
Coming across, you were so strong
Is magic gone?
I've been feeling this for too long
I have to tell you now all my thoughts
Is there a way to carry on?
Oh, is magic gone?
Ooh
(Ooh, ooh)
Ooh
(Ooh, ooh)
Ooh
(Ooh, ooh)
Is magic gone?
In the song "Is Magic Gone" by FKJ, the lyrics reflect the feelings and thoughts of someone who is experiencing the end of a significant romantic relationship. The song opens with a reminiscence of how the person first met their partner, recalling how they came into their life in a significant way. However, now their partner is "going away" and the singer is left questioning whether the magic of their relationship has vanished. They describe their partner as once being "so strong" and now appearing to have weakened or lost that power that once held them together.
The singer then goes on to describe their desire to open up and share their thoughts with their partner. They admit to waiting "too long" to express their feelings and hopes for their relationship. Their love "flame" may be "blooming," but they are not entirely sure if the magic that once existed between them is still present. The song's repetition of the phrase "Is magic gone?" acts as a plea for clarity, for an answer to the question of whether their love is still alive or if it has vanished.
The song's lyrics give an intimate glimpse into the feelings and doubts of someone going through the end of a relationship. The emotive music, composed entirely of piano and vocals, enhance the raw emotion and vulnerability conveyed in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You came in my life in such a way
You entered my life unexpectedly and with significant impact
Baby, now you're going away
You are leaving me now, after a period of time together
Coming across, you were so strong
Your presence and influence was powerful and noticeable
Is magic gone?
I wonder if the magical quality of our connection has ended
I've been waiting now for too long
I've been anticipating and hoping for something that hasn't come to fruition for a long time
I have to tell you now all my thoughts
I need to share my feelings and ideas with you honestly and openly
Our flame is only getting bloomed
Our romance is growing and flourishing
Is magic gone?
I still question whether the magical quality of our relationship has faded
Ooh
Vocal expression of emotion or thought, not specifically defined in context
Is magic gone?
Reiteration of previous question and contemplation about state of relationship
(Ooh, ooh)
Reiteration of previous vocal expression
Ooh
Continuation of emotional vocalization
Ooh
Continuation of emotional vocalization
(Ooh, ooh)
Reiteration of previous vocal expression
Ooh
Continuation of emotional vocalization
Ooh
Continuation of emotional vocalization
(Yeah) ooh
Addition of 'yeah' to vocal expression
Is magic gone?
Final contemplation on state of relationship
You came in my life in such a way
Reiteration of earlier statement about unexpected impact of partner in life
Baby, now you're going away
Reiteration of earlier statement about partner leaving
Coming across, you were so strong
Reiteration of earlier statement about partner's powerful presence
Is magic gone?
Final question about presence and continuation of magic in relationship
Ooh
Final vocalization of emotion
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Vincent Fenton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Davorta
[Lyric]
you came in my life in such a way
baby now you going away
comin across you are so strong
is magic gone...
i've been waiting now for too long
i have to tell you now all my thoughts
my vein slowly gettin blown
is magic gone...
you came in my life in such a way
baby now you going away
comin across you are so strong
is magic gone...
i've been feeling this for too long
i have to tell you now all my thoughts
is there a way to carry on
oh is magic gone...?
[awesome guitar play]
@CK9C
I just can’t help but dance around the house listening to this!! 😍
@juanpablovp0
Me too
@ky13_l92
Shut it furry
@sanchitaroraa9651
SAME!!!!
@yourgaycousins942
FKJ literally never disappoints <3
@DannySullivanMusic
wow. totally right dude
@JimmySax
💥💥💥 really cool
@gregoryfitzpaterick6811
I can’t even explain how this song makes me feel……. This is the DOPEST intro to a track I’ve heard in a while! The guitar solo is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 The harmonies on this track takes me back to the 70s. This is nothing short of AMAZING !!
@rasty6262
the real music isn't on the billboard charts.
@amster1736
theres no such thign as real music everyone has different taste but i definitely agree this is some good
stuff