Bumkey drops first non-gospel full album in 10 years, 'On My Way,' with BewhY on the title track

Bumkey dropped his third studio album On My Way on August 31. His first non-gospel full-length in 10 years. The 10-track record pulls from R&B and soul with hip-hop and jazz woven through—built on the 1990s–2000s R&B sound that made his name.

Two title tracks anchor the project. "Freewill (feat. BewhY)" pairs Bumkey's vocals with BewhY's rap, exploring human choice and the direction you move in when surrounded by endless options. The "Freewill" MV features cameos from dancer Bata and comedian Lee Jeong-gyu, both friends of Bumkey's. "2006" marks 20 years since Bumkey met his wife, channeling two decades of accumulated love and memory through an R&B lens.

Family threads through the credits. His wife contributed to the arrangements. His son features on track 5, "No Need." The album started when Bumkey appeared on JUSTHIS's project last year—he'd planned a mini-album, but it expanded into a full LP.

Collaborators span BewhY, JUSTHIS, lIlBOI, GSoul, THAMA, and Horim. Pre-release "SPEEED (feat. JUSTHIS, Justin Park)" appears on the tracklist, bringing Korean-American R&B artist Justin Park into the fold. The album closes with gospel track "He Did It All" (Bumkey released a CCM-only album in 2024).

His older track "Gatnol-lae" has been reverse-charting recently. The timing is no accident.

"I've poured out all the thoughts I've had so far into this album," Bumkey said. His goal: "I want to receive the evaluation that this is the music Bumkey does best in our country."