[BILLBOARD] Taeyeon Is 'Fine' With First Solo LP 'My Voice'

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[bILLBOARD] Taeyeon Is 'Fine' With First Solo LP 'My Voice'

 

Article: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/7709090/k-pop-starlet-taeyeon-fine-new-single-first-lp

 

 

She’s released some of Billboard’sfavorite K-pop songs of the past two years, and now Taeyeon has released her first full-length album. The Girls’ Generation vocalist released My Voice on Tuesday (Feb. 28), four months after the release of her last single, “11:11.â€

 

The album showcases Taeyeon’s soulful vocals through a variety of genres, with an emphasis on pop-rock and woozy R&B.

 

Lead single “Fine†is an acoustically-driven alt-pop post-breakup song. Thought it starts softly as a mellow country tune, Taeyeon brings out her soaring vocals for the angsty chorus. Her repetitive, drawn out wail of a hook (“it’s not fineâ€) negates the song’s original calm to audibly paint the whirlwind of emotions that accompanies heartbreak.

 

After the emotional gravitas of “Fine,†airy crowdpleaser “Cover Up†swoops in like a sugary tropical dance track built for radio play. The dichotomy of the album’s first tracks can be seen throughout the album, as if Taeyeon’s unveiling her multifaceted nature as a singer through My Voice.

 

Pop rock tracks like “Feel So Fine,†the funky “I’m OK,†“Fire,†and the synth-rock “Time Lapse†-- the latter written by Nell’s Kim Jong Wan -- are nestled between sultry R&B tunes including the ‘90s throwback “Sweet Love†and passionate pre-release single “I Got Love.†A few ballads -- “When I Was Young,†“Lonely Night†and “Love In Color†-- and the quirky Brit-rock finale of “Eraser†bring My Voice to a close. (The physical copy of My Voice also features a bonus track of Taeyeon covering Nell’s 2011 song “Time Spent Walking Through Memories.â€)

 

As one of South Korea's most popular vocalists, Taeyeon's ballads and pop songs have appeared regularly on multiple Billboard charts ever since she began releasing solo music separate from her career as a member of Girls' Generation.

 

Both her 2015 debut EP I and its 2016 follow-up Why appeared in the top 50 of the Independent Albums chart, while I charted at No. 5 and Why came in at No. 15 on the Heatseekers chart. I also took No. 1 on the World Albums chart, while Why ranked No. 5 on the same chart.

 

“Fine†was released with an artsy music video showing Taeyeon reminiscing about a past relationship. Watch it here: