Jaehyun of NCT has left some crumbs while he’s in the military! Critically acclaimed R&B/pop duo Emotional Oranges recently released their latest single, “Call It Off”, and it features none other than Jaehyun of NCT! The single is part of the duo’s highly anticipated upcoming debut album, “Orenjii”, which is set for release on May 16, 2025.
Continuing their streak of standout collaborations, the track featuring Jaehyun of NCT brings a fresh energy and cross-cultural depth to the duo’s signature smooth R&B sound. With “Orenjii” drawing heavily from South Korean and Japanese influences in both sound and aesthetics, this release stands out as a particularly special moment on the album thanks to the involvement of Jaehyun of NCT.
Azad of Emotional Oranges shares that they met Jaehyun of NCT last year while working on his song, Flamin’ Hot Lemon. “It was iLL to get to know someone who grew up on the other side of the world but influenced by similar things,” shares Azad. “He was inspired by a lot of the same boy bands, both R&B and Pop, that came out of the ’90s, so I thought of him when V and I were working on Call It Off. This one is giving Popstar Papi 2stepping in Seoul energy. Sending lots of love to my boy and can’t wait until he gets out of the army so we can celebrate!” To be honest, we can’t wait for him to come back either!
Blending the smooth, groove-laden style of Emotional Oranges’ A+V with the soaring vocals of Jaehyun of NCT, “Call It Off” bridges the worlds of K-pop and R&B, resulting in a dreamy, genre-blurring track that’s both globally resonant and uniquely intimate. Speaking on the make up of the album, Emotional Oranges share, “If there was one word to describe ‘Orenjii’, it would be juxtaposition. We wanted to blend worlds that typically don’t belong together or aren’t viewed as complementary and create a new feeling.”
Emotional Oranges continue, “’Orenji’ means “orange” in both Korean and Japanese. The time we’ve spent in Seoul and Tokyo over the past few years have had a strong influence on our overall taste and helped inspire the album title and concept. That coupled with how they embraced our music and art, sometimes faster than other cultures, is something we always took note of. With that said, lyrically this is a record rooted in love of self and love for others. When it came down to it, we just wanted to make a collection of music that would give the younger versions of ourselves hope.”
Photo by Kimmoondog
“Call It Off” follows the success of Emotional Oranges’ recent releases Candy Gum and Out of the Blue, both of which garnered widespread acclaim and strong editorial support, including placements in Spotify’s R&B Weekly and Channel-X, and coverage from top global outlets such as The Line of Best Fit, Wonderland, F Word, TMRW, UPROXX and more.
With “Call It Off” featuring Jaehyun of NCT marking just one of the many high-profile collaborations on their upcoming album, Emotional Oranges are setting the bar high. As anticipation builds, the duo continues to prove why they’ve become a beloved force in global music, bringing people together through sound, style, and culture.
What do you think of the single featuring Jaehyun of NCT?
Got any music you’d like us to listen to? Email me at angeline.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send me a direct message at When in Manila Angeline on Facebook. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Join our WhenInManila.com community on Viber, as well!
