hongjoin returns with his self-produced track “Ms. I Thrift Everything” ahead of his debut album CLOCKWORK.
Brooklyn-based artist and producer hongjoin returns with his fifth single, “Ms. I Thrift Everything,” ahead of his debut full-length album CLOCKWORK, arriving May 29. The track paints a vivid, coming-of-age vignette, turning a simple thrift-store outing into a dreamy, feel-good experience with honeyed melodies and candid storytelling.
Drenched in Y2K warmth and late-afternoon energy, the song channels the excitement of first crushes and loud bedroom sing-alongs. It blends bright indie bounce with R&B-infused melodies. Each note evokes the teen-dream reverie of hallway-heartbeat pop, where a fleeting glance sparks imagination and the possibility of destiny.
“Ms. I Thrift Everything” showcases hongjoin’s knack for transforming everyday moments into cinematic, emotionally rich narratives. With a mix of theatrical flair and diary-like honesty, he crafts a romantic universe from a brief encounter, capturing the irrational hope and beautiful delusion of first love.
The track encapsulates the nostalgia of flip-phone era romance, CD-player confessions, and youthful emotional intensity. It offers a snapshot of a generation defined by small, heartfelt moments and endless imagination.
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CLOCKWORK: A Genre-Fluid Debut
Set to release on May 29, CLOCKWORK is hongjoin’s ambitious 12-track debut. Each song representing one hour on the clock and a full rotation through the emotional spectrum of love and loss. Written and produced entirely by hongjoin, the album merges alt-pop, R&B, and indie sensibilities into a deeply personal and genre-fluid statement shaped across Asia and America.
A rising figure in Southeast Asia’s global music wave, hongjoin has accumulated over 10 million Spotify streams. Boasting 183.9K monthly listeners concentrated in cities across the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
He earned recognition in 2024 as a Spotify Top Artist of Rising 65, with his single “KOMOREBI” ranking among the platform’s Top 5 Songs of Rising 65. That same year, he sold out his homecoming show Everything in Between at Singapore’s Esplanade Annexe. It opened for artists including Ricky Montgomery, Matt Maltese, and grentperez.
Entirely self-produced, hongjoin’s work reflects a generation shaped by global internet culture and bedroom creativity. With “Ms. I Thrift Everything” setting the tone, CLOCKWORK promises a lush, coming-of-age world that captures fleeting romance, youthful wonder, and the emotional textures of growing up in motion.
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About hongjoin
At 24, Singapore-born artist and producer hongjoin has firmly established himself as a versatile force in the indie and alt-pop scene, now based in Brooklyn, New York. A staunch believer in the DIY approach, he writes, produces, and performs across a wide range of genres. He seamlessly blending personal storytelling with experimental sonic textures.
Since being named a Spotify RADAR Artist in 2023, hongjoin has honed his musical direction. He built a reputation as both a producer and a performing artist. His evolving catalog, including Petrichor (2022), F(OOL) (2023), and KOMOREBI (2024), showcases his growth in sound and identity, earning him a Top Artist placement in Spotify’s Rising 65 and a Top 5 spot for KOMOREBI in 2024. Expanding his global footprint, he also signed an album deal with TikTok’s US distribution label, SoundOn.
Deeply connected to his Singaporean roots, hongjoin frequently collaborates with local talents such as zzzat, Marian Carmel, and RENE. Most recently, he teamed up with viral breakout Regina Song on the self-produced indie-rock track i don’t rly care bout u!, which has surpassed 1.13 million streams.
In the US, hongjoin has opened for globally recognized artists, headlined his own shows in New York, and established a presence on the college circuit. Asian student organizations frequently spotlight him, providing platforms that bridge Southeast Asia with global audiences. Through consistent touring, collaborative projects, and a commitment to self-produced artistry, hongjoin continues to cement his position as a rising voice in contemporary indie music.
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