If debuting as a solo artist awakened the small hero within me and taught me how to express sincere emotions, this time, perhaps, it conveys how to properly face and manage those uncomfortable feelings that I may not want to reveal. This is the story of Chuu, who has spent over 500 days as a solo artist.
Excluding the second mini-album 'Strawberry Rush', which showcased a bright and cheerful image, Chuu, as a 'solo artist', has shown a markedly different path from the familiar image to the public. In her first mini-album 'Howl', she presented a deep narrative and emotions, while in the third mini-album 'Only Cry in the Rain', she showcased a poignant yet lyrical sentiment. The common theme of the two albums is 'emotion', and as Chuu debuted as a solo artist, she sings about the process of bringing out and confronting this 'emotion'.
Thus, the keyword for solo artist Chuu is 'emotion'. While the keyword remains the same, the way it is approached in 'Howl', released about 500 days ago, and the new release 'Only Cry in the Rain' inevitably differs. This is because she has grown and matured over time. While 'Howl' was inherently deep and dark as it was the first time she honestly brought out her emotions, 'Only Cry in the Rain' reveals a more mature way of bringing out and managing those feelings. Although the song title suggests a desperate ballad, the unexpected twist of synth-pop indicates that the emotions are not merely sad and heavy; instead, it signifies her growth and maturity, allowing her to revisit them.
The title track 'Only Cry in the Rain' delivers comfort and courage to the youth of this era who live concealing their emotions, saying, 'It's okay to be honest with your feelings, at least on a rainy day.' Setting 'rainy days' as the only moment and place where one can lay bare their emotions, it depicts that just like a cuckoo clock that only chimes at the appointed time, heartfelt emotions are cautiously brought out only on rainy days, and when the rain stops, the youth carry on with life as if nothing happened.
The reason that the emotions revisited do not feel entirely sad is due to the dreamy synth-pop sound based on new wave. Coupled with lyrics that resemble a poem written by songwriter Seo Ji-eum, who has maintained a connection with Kim Jin-mi while writing hit songs for Oh My Girl, it has been crafted into a more polished track through Chuu's unique emotional vocal delivery.
The music video enhances the overall understanding of the song while increasing immersion. The use of 16mm camera quality aimed at conveying the album's message, 'Even if memories fade, emotions remain,' suggests that the emotions faced again over time may not be clear but definitely exist. Furthermore, the analogy of the emotions being cautiously brought out only on rainy days, using a cuckoo clock that only chimes at a certain time, is memorable. This reflects the planning ability of Kim Jin-mi, former general director at WM Entertainment, who has completed Oh My Girl's lyrical narratives.
Including the title track, the songs that compose the album show a journey of confronting the invisible concepts of 'memory' and 'emotion' while moving forward again. It sings about revisiting feelings that have been forgotten and how they ultimately make up the person I am today. This allows us to confirm the deepening of Chuu's musical world and the growth of her lyrical inner self.
Through this process, we can glimpse not only the growth of 'artist' Chuu but also of 'person' Kim Ji-u. In the album's 'Thanks to', Chuu noted, 'When it rains, it feels like the world pauses for a moment. People quiet down, and each person's heart may become moist. During that moment, it feels like we share the same emotion, which oddly brings comfort. Just like waiting for the sky to clear, it's like believing our hearts will also clear up someday.' She shared, 'This album 'Only Cry in the Rain' contains those feelings. I hope a piece of the emotions I felt brings you a little comfort. On rainy days, even small things feel bigger, and sometimes our hearts may feel heavy. But I don't think those moments are necessarily bad; sometimes, a day when we just want to cry for no reason is necessary. So if your heart feels cloudy today, it's okay to let it be. You don't have to force yourself to be okay. On rainy days, it's fine to get wet or to cry if you want to. Someday, the rain will surely stop and become clear again. Then, we can take a lighter step forward together.'
'Only Cry in the Rain' holds on to the keyword 'emotion' while also embodying 'growth' and 'maturity', delivering 'comfort' and 'encouragement'. From the planning capability of the agency perfectly tailored to the artist to the complete vocal execution by the artist herself, it is a perfect synergy achieved by ATRP and Chuu.
Returning with a more grown and mature appearance, Chuu will first unveil her stage performance of 'Only Cry in the Rain' through MBC M's 'Show! Champion' on the 23rd, initiating her full-fledged activities. As Chuu's song aims to support the youth, I hope it resonates on many stages, serving as warm comfort for spring.
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