10 months after her departure from NMIXX, JINI (formerly Jinni) made her solo debut with An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove on October 11, 2023. For this re-introduction to the industry, JINI chose to highlight the English title track “C’mon” featuring American rapper Aminé. It’s an interesting pick for a solo debut, since many EPs feature English tracks as an extra rather than the main attraction, but rest assured that JINI’s first foray into the soloist world sets a promising tone.

This first EP contains five tracks:

“Here We Go Again”
“C’mon (feat. Aminé)”
“Dancing With The Devil”
“Bad Reputation”
“C’mon (feat Aminé) - Korean Version”

The Title Track: “C’mon (feat. Aminé)”

“C’mon (feat. Aminé)” seeks to intrigue from its circumstances alone. A full English title track and an Aminé feature is bold, and it works. The song’s hook, “c’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” will likely get stuck in people’s heads for weeks on end (I know it will for me). The Aminé feature is sparse—only appearing in the bridge—but the feature alone is a glimpse into the connections JINI’s company, ATOC, may have.

The music video doesn’t appear to contain many connections to the song’s love-filled lyrics, but it still has its charms. The music video blends animation with the reality of a high school setting. Animated creatures of pink, blue, and yellow appear and accompany JINI throughout the halls of the school. By integrating the animation in small bits and transitional moments, it doesn’t clash with the overall aesthetics. “C’mon (feat. Aminé)” is a catchy, chill tune with an equally entertaining music video.

The Pre-Release: “Bad Reputation”

JINI first released “Bad Reputation” through a performance video on October 4. It served as the first look the world got of soloist JINI. It sends a feeling of strength, moving on from old perspectives into the new. JINI wrote the lyrics of “Bad Reputation” with Erin from the lyric-writing team Makeumine Works (MUMW). Though not labeled as an intro track, “Bad Reputation” runs less than two minutes, making it incredibly short.

The Other B-Sides: “Here We Go Again” and “Dancing With The Devil”

The B-sides “Here We Go Again” and “Dancing With The Devil,” the first and third tracks respectively, also add to the fierce image of the EP. The phrase “an iron hand in a velvet glove” describes a gentle outer appearance paired with a determined attitude, which aptly describes the EP. Here, JINI makes a statement of persistence.

“Here We Go Again” starts the EP with a glimpse into the anxieties of going back to something a second time: as the pre-chorus says, “nobody, nobody, nobody knows how I’m feeling / Yeah, you got me, you got me, you got me, at my weakest.” On the other hand, “Dancing With The Devil” seems to encourage challenges that come by. “Dancing With The Devil”—a term associated with willingly making risky moves— is funky and even involves some additional vocals chanting “dancing with the devil” in the chorus. The vocals give a feeling of extra support.