Jeffery C《Love In Pieces》：在愛的碎片與不同聲音之間，拼湊完整的自己。

9 月 30 日，Jeffery C 發行首張個人創作專輯《Love In Pieces》，從不同時期的創作出發，整理一路累積的情感與音樂。

從 R&B 到 Live Band 與搖滾質地，Jeffery C 不希望自己被單一的音樂風格定義，持續探索不同聲音與創作可能。

這次好青年與 Jeffery C 聊聊《Love In Pieces》的誕生、〈把妳所有的愛〉的聲音轉變、跨國合作，以及一路走來的音樂製作經驗。

Q1： 《Love In Pieces》是你的首張個人創作專輯。從開始規劃，到最後真正完成這張作品，這段過程對現在的你來說，最重要的意義是什麼？而當你回頭看這張以「愛」為核心、整理了不同時期創作的作品時，你覺得它最真實地留下了哪一部分的自己？

Jeffery C：《Love In Pieces》的規劃，是從我收到文化部補助通知後開始的。因為這份補助的目標就是完成一張專輯，所以我也藉著這個機會，正式開始整理和製作這些作品。

對現在的我來說，這張專輯最重要的意義，是它讓我把不同時期的創作，完整地整理成一個作品。我覺得創作最重要的事，是坦誠地面對自己。平常有些說不出口的話、一些藏在心裡的想法，如果在創作時還是不願意誠實面對，就很難讓作品真正引起共鳴。這張專輯留下了我對感情的看法，也留下了很多不同面向的自己。

Q2： 主打歌〈把妳所有的愛〉在聲音上是整張專輯的重要轉折。相較於較細膩、柔和的 R&B 演唱方式，你選擇更直接的詮釋，並加入 Live Band 與搖滾質地。當初是什麼讓你決定以這樣的方式呈現這首歌？

Jeffery C：我一直都很喜歡比較柔和、內斂的 R&B 唱法，但製作這張專輯時，我和製作人也嘗試了很多不同的聲音，包括加入 Live Band 和搖滾質地的作品，甚至也做了一些帶有 Cyberpunk 未來感的歌，只是沒有收錄在這張專輯裡。

我不希望大家覺得我的歌都長得一樣，或是認為我只能用某一種方式唱歌。我和製作人合作時，發現自己很擅長模仿不同的唱法和唱腔，所以也想把這個特點好好發揮出來。對我來說，內斂和外放都是我的一部分，我不想因為既有印象，就限制自己去嘗試新的表現方式。

Q3： 〈把妳所有的愛〉的 MV 導演曾以「離開的人帶走了陪伴，而留下的人背負了靈魂的重量」形容歌曲想傳達的情感。對你而言，一段關係結束後，最難放下的是那個人的離開，還是對方曾經存在於生命中的痕跡？

Jeffery C：我覺得最難受的，不只是那個人離開，而是他離開之後，你還是會在生活裡的很多時刻想起他。那些曾經相愛、被陪伴過的證據，還留在你的日常裡；對方離開了，卻沒辦法把這些回憶也一起帶走。這些痕跡往往不是說放下就能立刻消失的。

Q4：《Love In Pieces》融合流行、R&B 與搖滾等不同聲音。身兼歌手、詞曲創作者與製作人的你，在製作一首歌時，通常會如何找到最適合它的聲音？是從歌曲本身的情緒出發，還是也會考量演唱方式與想傳達的畫面？

Jeffery C：我自己在找一首歌適合的聲音時，通常比較憑直覺。不過製作這張專輯也讓我學到，當有一位製作人能把你的想法帶到另一個層次時，要試著相信他。

身兼歌手、詞曲創作者和製作人，確實會有很多事情要同時考慮。只靠自己，有時候很難把情緒、演唱和想傳達的畫面都處理得很好。所以我覺得製作人或配唱老師的引導很重要，他們能幫助我找到更適合歌曲的方向。

Q5：〈Tell Me You’re Lying〉是你與阿根廷裔 R&B 歌手 Ulyss 的合作作品，你們也是在美國求學時認識。在與不同音樂文化背景的音樂人合作時，這段經驗為你的創作帶來了什麼啟發？

Jeffery C：我和 Ulyss 在洛杉磯音樂學院求學時認識，我一直很欣賞他的作品，也很喜歡他唱 R&B 的方式。他也是讓我開始喜歡 R&B 的原因之一，所以能和他合作，對我來說一直是一件很開心的事。

這次合作也讓我更清楚，跨國合作的作品要被不同市場的聽眾認識，確實有一些挑戰。我很喜歡〈Tell Me You’re Lying〉，但在製作專輯的過程中，我也逐漸發現，如果希望作品更容易進入台灣或亞洲市場，中文歌曲可能是很重要的入口。

Q6：這次專輯除了音樂之外，你也接觸到影像、視覺、實體製作與宣傳工作。這段過程中，你覺得最有挑戰性的是什麼？有沒有改變了你對製作一張專輯的想像？

Jeffery C：這次專輯從音樂、影像和視覺，到實體製作與宣傳，對我來說幾乎每一個部分都是第一次接觸，也都很有挑戰。很多事情需要自己做決定，我也因此發現，自己沒有原本想像中那麼擅長溝通和果斷地做選擇。

我沒有一個完整團隊從旁協助，很多時候只能靠自己的經驗，或是向合作對象請教，再一步一步確認方向。過程中有很大的壓力，常常會擔心是不是漏了什麼、還有什麼沒想到。但這次經驗也讓我在很多方面都成長了。未來如果有機會和團隊一起做專輯，我會更理解每個環節的重要性，也更知道團隊正在處理什麼。

Q7：你過去曾參與劉家昌老師相關的音樂製作工作。這段經驗帶給你什麼收穫？其中有沒有什麼觀念或經驗，至今仍影響著你的創作與音樂製作方式？

Jeffery C：參與劉家昌老師相關的音樂製作工作，除了累積實際的製作經驗，也讓我聽到很多他的人生經驗。當中有些是比較私人的內容，我不方便分享太多，但有一個觀念一直留在我心裡。

他曾經提醒我，一個作品做到自己覺得差不多就可以了，因為十年後回頭看，可能還是會有想調整的地方。這句話讓我學著不要一直陷在反覆修改裡，也接受作品在當下完成的樣子。

Q8： 你曾在美國洛杉磯接受音樂製作訓練，並於 2023 年返台後成立個人錄音工作室。從幕後製作到發展自己的音樂作品，這些經歷如何形塑現在的 Jeffery C？

Jeffery C：在洛杉磯接受音樂製作訓練，讓我有能力自己錄音、寫歌、演唱，也能參與製作。這些能力讓我創作時不必依賴太多外部資源，也更有空間去嘗試自己想做的音樂。

目前的 Jeffery C 還沒有被限定在某一種風格裡。我覺得自己有很多不同的面向，也希望能繼續探索，而這些訓練和經驗，讓我更有能力把想法實際做出來。

Q9：完成《Love In Pieces》這張首張完整專輯後，你對自己的創作或作為音樂人的定位，有沒有產生新的想法？接下來，你希望嘗試哪些過去還沒有機會探索的方向？

Jeffery C：完成這張專輯後，我對自己的能力和限制有了更具體的認識：哪些事是現階段可以做到的，哪些事需要公司的協助；寫歌時可以如何選擇語言，也有哪些地方還需要補足。很多想法都是在實際做過之後才慢慢形成的。

所以我不太會把過程中的不順利看成失敗。很多事如果回到過去，我想自己還是會做一樣的決定；而且一次沒有做到，不代表永遠做不到。現在我更清楚自己想繼續嘗試什麼，也知道接下來可以如何調整。例如這張專輯收錄了不少英文歌曲，但製作過程也讓我更確定，如果希望作品更容易進入台灣市場，中文創作會是很重要的方向。

Q10：有沒有哪位音樂人、哪張專輯，或某首對你特別有意義的作品，曾經啟發你的音樂創作，或影響你對音樂的理解？如果要推薦自己近期喜歡、希望更多人聽見的作品，你會選哪一首？為什麼？

Jeffery C：Justin Bieber 對我的音樂創作影響很深，是啟發我很多的一位音樂人。近期我也很喜歡 Chase Atlantic 的音樂，他們的聲音和風格都讓我覺得很有趣。

如果要推薦一首最近喜歡、希望更多人聽見的歌，我會選 KARRI 的〈Chasing You〉。這是我近期聽到、很喜歡的一首作品。

Jeffery C - Love In Pieces: Piecing Together a Whole Self Through Fragments of Love and Different Sounds

On September 30, Jeffery C released his debut studio album, Love In Pieces. Drawing from songs written across different periods of his life, the album brings together years of emotions and musical experiences.

From R&B to live-band arrangements and rock textures, Jeffery C refuses to be defined by a single musical style, continuing to explore different sounds and creative possibilities.

In this interview, Jeffery C shares with us about the making of Love In Pieces, the sonic transformation of “Give Me All Your Love,” his experience working across cultures, and the musical journey that has shaped him along the way.

Q1: Love In Pieces is your debut album of original songs. From the initial planning stages to finally completing the record, what has the process meant to you? Looking back at an album centred on love and bringing together songs written at different stages of your life, what parts of yourself do you feel it captures most honestly?

Jeffery C: The planning for Love In Pieces began when I received the notification that I had been awarded a grant from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture. Since the grant was intended to support the completion of an album, it gave me the opportunity to properly start organising and producing these songs.

The most important thing about this album, for me, is that it allowed me to bring songs from different periods of my life together into a complete body of work. I believe honesty is essential to creating music. There are things we find difficult to say out loud and thoughts we keep hidden inside. If we are still unwilling to confront them honestly when creating, it becomes difficult for our work to truly resonate with others. This album captures my perspectives on relationships, as well as many different sides of myself.

Q2: The lead single, “把妳所有的愛”, marks an important shift in the album’s sound. Compared with the more delicate and gentle approach you often take with R&B, you opted for a more direct vocal delivery, incorporating live-band arrangements and rock elements. What inspired you to present the song in this way?

Jeffery C: I’ve always loved a gentler, more restrained R&B vocal style. However, while making this album, my producer and I experimented with a wide range of sounds, including tracks featuring live-band arrangements and rock elements. We even made some songs with a futuristic, cyberpunk feel, although those didn’t make it onto the album.

I don’t want people to feel that all my songs sound the same, or to think I can only sing in one particular way. While working with my producer, I realised that I’m quite good at imitating different vocal styles and approaches, so I wanted to make better use of that ability. To me, both restraint and expressiveness are part of who I am. I don’t want existing perceptions of me to limit the ways I can experiment with new forms of expression.

Q3: The director of the music video for “把妳所有的愛” once described the song’s emotional core as follows: “The person who leaves takes the companionship with them, while the one left behind carries the weight of the soul.” In your view, after a relationship ends, what is harder to let go of: the person’s departure, or the traces they have left behind in your life?

Jeffery C: I think the hardest part isn’t simply that the person has left. It’s that, even after they’re gone, there are still so many moments in everyday life when you’re reminded of them. The evidence of having loved someone and been accompanied by them remains in your daily life. They may have left, but they can’t take those memories away with them. Those traces don’t simply disappear the moment you decide to move on.

Q4: Love In Pieces blends different sounds, including pop, R&B and rock. As a singer, songwriter and producer, how do you usually find the sound that best suits a song? Do you begin with the emotions at its core, or do you also consider your vocal delivery and the imagery you want to convey?

Jeffery C: When I’m trying to find the right sound for a song, I usually rely on intuition. However, making this album taught me that when a producer can take your ideas to another level, you need to learn to trust them.

Being a singer, songwriter and producer means having to consider many things at once. Sometimes, it’s difficult to handle the emotions, vocal delivery and imagery all by yourself. That’s why I think guidance from a producer or vocal coach is important. They can help me find a direction that works better for the song.

Q5: “Tell Me You’re Lying” is your collaboration with Argentine R&B singer Ulyss, whom you met while studying in the United States. What did working with an artist from a different musical and cultural background teach you about your own creative process?

Jeffery C: Ulyss and I met while studying at the Los Angeles College of Music. I’ve always admired his work and loved the way he sings R&B. He was also one of the people who first got me interested in R&B, so collaborating with him has always been something I’m really happy about.

This collaboration also made me realise more clearly that it can be challenging for cross-border collaborations to reach listeners in different markets. I really love “Tell Me You’re Lying”, but the process of making this album gradually helped me understand that Mandarin songs could be an important entry point if I want my music to reach audiences in Taiwan and across Asia.

Q6: Beyond the music itself, this album also involved working on visuals, music videos, physical production and promotion. What did you find most challenging about this process? Did it change your perception of what it takes to make an album?

Jeffery C: Almost every aspect of this album was new to me, from the music and visuals to physical production and promotion, and each came with its own challenges. I had to make a lot of decisions myself, and I realised that I wasn’t as good at communicating or making decisive choices as I had thought.

I didn’t have a full team supporting me, so a lot of the time I had to rely on my own experience or ask the people I was working with for advice, gradually figuring things out step by step. There was a lot of pressure, and I often worried that I might have overlooked something or missed an important detail.

But the experience also helped me grow in many ways. If I have the opportunity to work with a team on an album in the future, I’ll have a much better understanding of why each stage matters and what the team is working on.

Q7: You previously took part in music production work associated with the late Taiwanese songwriter Liu Chia-chang. What did you gain from that experience? Was there a particular lesson or piece of advice that continues to influence the way you create and produce music today?

Jeffery C: Working on music production projects associated with Liu Chia-chang gave me hands-on production experience, and it also allowed me to hear many of his life experiences. Some of those conversations were quite personal, so I can’t share too much, but one idea has stayed with me.

He once reminded me that when you feel a piece of work is good enough, you can consider it finished, because even ten years later, you might still find things you want to change when you look back at it. That advice taught me not to get stuck in endless revisions, and to accept a work as something completed in that particular moment.

Q8: You received music production training in Los Angeles and established your own recording studio after returning to Taiwan in 2023. How have these experiences, from working behind the scenes to developing your own music, shaped the Jeffery C we see today?

Jeffery C: My music production training in Los Angeles gave me the skills to record, write songs, sing and take part in production myself. These abilities mean I don’t have to rely on too many external resources when creating music, and I have more room to experiment with the kind of music I want to make.

The Jeffery C of today isn’t confined to any one genre. I feel that I have many different sides to explore, and I want to keep discovering them. The training and experience I’ve gained have given me more of the skills I need to turn my ideas into reality.

Q9: Now that you’ve completed Love In Pieces, your debut full-length album, has your understanding of yourself as an artist or your creative identity changed? Are there any directions you’d like to explore next that you haven’t had the opportunity to pursue before?

Jeffery C: After completing this album, I’ve gained a more concrete understanding of my abilities and limitations: what I can achieve at this stage, where I need support from my label, which language I can choose to write in, and what areas I still need to improve. A lot of these realisations only came through actually doing the work.

That’s why I don’t really see things that don’t go smoothly as failures. If I could go back, I think I would still make the same decisions. And just because something doesn’t work out once doesn’t mean it will never work out. I now have a clearer idea of what I want to keep trying and how I can adjust my approach going forward.

For example, although the album contains quite a few English-language songs, the process also reinforced my belief that writing in Chinese is an important direction if I want my music to reach a wider audience in Taiwan.

Q10: Is there an artist, album or song that has had a particular impact on your music or shaped the way you understand it? And if you could recommend one song you’ve been enjoying recently that you’d like more people to hear, what would it be, and why?

Jeffery C: Justin Bieber has had a profound influence on my music and has been a major source of inspiration for me. Lately, I’ve also been really enjoying Chase Atlantic. I find their sound and style very interesting.

If I were to recommend a song I’ve been listening to recently and would like more people to hear, I’d choose “Chasing You” by KARRI. It’s a track I discovered recently and have really enjoyed.