Taeyeon, The Increasingly Burning Spark

[Review] Taeyeon’s <Purpose>, has proven once again

 

Everyone will have a singer they ‘Trust and Listen to’. When a music site updates with a new song, there’s a name that will induce a click without hesitation. For many people, singer Taeyeon is etched with the ‘Name of Trust’. From the stance of K-Pop fans, there are only a few reasons to reject a singer equipped with a clear vocal tone and rich expressiveness. It was 12 years ago when Taeyeon first greeted the public. The image of the high note part in ‘Into The New World’ left a strong impression on K-Pop fans. The memory of admiration after watching a short video of ‘Compilation of ‘I want to tell you*’’ remains vivid.

 

“This moment warmly entwines me

I want to tell you all my tremors” 

- Into The New World (2007) (*Taeyeon’s high note)

 

Girls’ Generation was recorded as the name that opened the renaissance of idols together with Wonder Girls, Big Bang, and more. However, when it comes to talking about artist Taeyeon now, the name ‘Girls’ Generation’ is rarely followed. It’s not to deny Girls’ Generation. The area where Taeyeon has established herself as a solo musician is clear. 

 

The trust that Taeyeon is receiving now is based on the diligent attitude she has adhered to as a musician. Over here, ‘diligent’ does not simply mean the number of albums she has put out. It’s her constantly expanding the scope of what she can express. She broke prejudice starting from the first solo album. Starting with ‘I’, which features an alternative rock sound, she has repeatedly experimented with genres.

 

Burning, so it won’t turn off (*Spark lyrics)

 

Taeyeon’s second full album <Purpose> released last October has not left the charts for a month. Before the album’s release, changes were detected from ‘Four Seasons’, which was revealed in March. Because she was singing about doubt and weariness, not the thrill and sadness that love can give. Listening to the album, it may be that ‘Four Seasons’ and ‘Blue’ were previews for the full album.

 

The album's opening is the grand intro 'Here I Am'. The vocals that break through the magnificent string sound are ear-catching. The title track ‘Spark’ is buried with self-assurance and determination. A heavy bass line like Adele’s 'Rolling In The Deep' is impressive, but the somewhat archaic lyrics sound like a ‘motivation song’ for young people. A resolute attitude is maintained in ‘Find Me’, which declares that ‘Falling doesn’t mean anything’. 

 

‘Hahaha (LOL)’ which creates sexual tension, and ‘Better Babe’ which stands out with Hitchhiker’s delicate arrangement. As expected, these are moments of inspiration that cannot be missed in this album. The songs baptized with jazz, like ‘City Love’ or ‘Do You Love Me’ attempt to change the atmosphere. It’s hard to see a predictable song, and there is a sense of lively expression. <Purpose> exceeds the category of idol vocalists, it’s a stage where the best K-pop vocalist of her generation has spread her talent to her heart’s content.

 

With the exception of the recently aired episodes of ‘Begin Again 3’ and ‘Amazing Saturday’, it’s not easy to see her on broadcasts. She doesn’t even show her face on ranking programs. Instead, she favors concert halls where she can personally meet fans and enjoys direct communication through SNS. 

 

When asked by a fan, “What’s your pleasure in life?”, Taeyeon said “Anticipation for tomorrow”. That was Taeyeon's answer because "the sunset, the moon, and the sun are different every day" and because "we live a different day every single day". Expectedly, Taeyeon’s music is the same. In this moment right now, artist Taeyeon constantly burns the spark within herself day by day.

 

 

2019.11.24

Written by: Lee Hyunpo

Translated by: Bee (@taengab)

Source: OhMyNews

 

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Stream Spark:

 

Buy Purpose:

‎Purpose - The 2nd Album by TAEYEON