[Exclusive] Dayoung Talks Jay Park Chemistry, LA Sessions Behind 'FLIRTY'

WJSN's Dayoung says her recent collaboration with Jay Park gave her a fresh creative jolt. Looking back on the project, she credits his voice and easygoing attitude for the warm, playful chemistry the two built on the track "FLIRTY."

In a recent interview with KPOPIT, Dayoung talked about the making of "FLIRTY," and where she wants to take her solo work next.

Asked about her days lately, Dayoung said she has been moving nonstop. "From recording 'FLIRTY' to filming the music video, rehearsing the performance, and shooting content, it has been a blur," she said. "I'm grateful to be this busy."

She said she rarely fully switches off. "I really love my job. Even when I rest, I'm not the type to just do nothing," she said. "Eating good food, listening to good music, imagining my next project and jotting down ideas, that is my real healing. I enjoy the creative process more than I used to. Having time to do what I love, at my own pace, is what rest means to me."

Released on the 4th, "FLIRTY" pairs Dayoung and Jay Park in a mood that sits somewhere between lovers and close friends, and the chemistry drew a lot of attention. Dayoung gave the credit to her collaborator. "It was all thanks to him," she said.

She said the concept photos and music video were built around the tension right before a romance begins. "But on set, I remember laughing a lot," she said. "Jay Park made the atmosphere so comfortable that I relaxed quickly. We respected each other as artists, and I think that's why so many natural moments made it into the final cut. Working through it together, piece by piece, made our chemistry stronger."

Dayoung co-wrote and co-composed the song, and she said she had Jay Park's voice in mind from the start. "After performing with him at the MMA stage last year, people around me kept saying our music would fit really well together. That idea stayed with me, and then 'FLIRTY' came together in LA," she said. "I was sure his relaxed groove and natural vocals would suit the song."

The first playback confirmed it. "When I heard the version with his vocals in the studio, I thought, 'This is it,'" she said. "It came out even more natural and charming than I had imagined. I was really satisfied."

She is open to more collaborations. "Working on 'FLIRTY' showed me how much I enjoy collaboration," she said. "The process of creating something I could never have made alone was fun and meaningful. Rather than limiting myself to one genre or style, I want to work with any artist whose musical color can meet mine and create new synergy."

Since "Body," Dayoung has kept building a solo lane with tracks like "What's a girl to do." Asked why her solo work keeps connecting, she pointed to the energy she brings on stage. "I think my biggest strength is delivering bright, positive energy naturally on stage," she said. "Whether I'm singing or performing, the most important thing is making a stage the audience can enjoy with me."

She said that takes steady work. "I keep up with vocal practice and my physical training all the time. I think about small details like facial expressions, eye contact, and breathing. Every stage, I try to be a little better than the last."

The pressure to keep growing is real. "I keep asking myself, 'What new side of me can I show next?'" she said. "I want every project to show a version of me that has grown, even a little. It's not easy, but I believe that process is what makes me grow. I want to keep taking on new challenges and make my own color even clearer."

"FLIRTY," Dayoung's collaboration with Jay Park, was released on the 4th. Media outlets including Forbes picked up on the release. In a story on the 7th, Forbes called her "K-POP darling Dayoung is the queen of summer anthems," praising her music and predicting the new track could become another signature summer song after her hit "Body."