'The Ballad of Us' Song Ji-woo captured viewers' hearts with her distinctive tone.
The SBS program 'The Ballad of Us,' which ended in December last year as the country's first ballad audition show, left a deep impression by reinterpretating classic songs that span generations with the sincere voices of contestants whose average age was 18.2.
Among them, Song Ji-woo, standing on a large stage for the first time in her life, overcame stage fright and captivated viewers' ears with her unique tone. From a girl who used to sing only on YouTube, Song Ji-woo's presence, filling the stage with a dreamy tone, remained a special moment in 'The Ballad of Us.'
# courage that overcame trembling, from the girl on YouTube to a rapid qualifier
Because of stage fright, Song Ji-woo, who had been singing only on YouTube, went onstage for the first round of the finals and frankly said, "I usually fail and can't get on stage, but I gathered my courage and came out." Her nervous looks as she looked around during the preliminaries were shown on broadcast, prompting viewers' support.
The first song Song Ji-woo chose was Lee Eun-ha's "Like the look that sent me off with a smile." The moment the first line rang out, her pure yet mysterious tone immediately captivated the venue, and before the first verse ended she surpassed 100 votes and secured advancement. Despite her shy demeanor, once the song started Song Ji-woo's immersion changed completely, leaving a strong impression, and she received 143 out of 150 votes, nearly unanimous.
# the persuasive power created by a dreamy tone, Song Ji-woo's stage language
Song Ji-woo's greatest weapon is undoubtedly her dreamy tone that is hard to forget once heard. Her clear yet breath-filled vocal naturally seeps into the song and conveys emotion persuasively without elaborate technique. That is also why Song Ji-woo's stages left a comfortable yet deep resonance in every round.
In round 3, Song Ji-woo, with Lim Ji-seong, selected Jannabi's "For Hesitating Lovers" and captured the fresh feelings of youth, and in the semifinals she performed Lee Chi-hyun and the Bunnim's "Only you," recalling her pet cat "Yeoreumi." Her choice to interpret the song from a cat's perspective was a unique approach, and her dreamy tone lent credibility to that setting and naturally drew listeners' emotions.
Song Ji-woo tells a story with tone and breath rather than large gestures or exaggerated emotional displays. Her song, which begins quietly and soon seeps into the depths of the heart, became a stage that will be remembered long after 'The Ballad of Us' ended.
The following is a Q&A with Song Ji-woo related to 'The Ballad of Us.'
Q. How do you feel about finishing the competition in sixth place overall on 'The Ballad of Us'?
A. The process left a bigger impression than the result. I thought it was truly meaningful that someone who found the stage scary was able to sing until the end and come down. I learned a lot and want to grow more.
Q. Which moment onstage that you showed on 'The Ballad of Us' is most memorable and why?
A. The semifinals performance of "Only you" is the most memorable. It lingers because the feeling of wanting to convey something became stronger than the thought that I had to sing well.
Q. What prompted you to challenge 'The Ballad of Us' despite stage fright, and what were you thinking before your first performance?
A. I thought that if I kept avoiding the stage because it scared me, I would drift away from the songs I love. Before my first performance, I thought more about not running away than about doing well.
Q. You are often described as having a mysterious tone; how would you like to define your voice?
A. Rather than saying it is special, I think it's a voice honest about emotion. I hope it is a voice that reveals the feelings of the moment rather than being decorated, and that listeners can receive it with their own emotions.
Q. How is the stage now different from when you only sang on YouTube, and what did you gain from your journey on 'The Ballad of Us'?
A. If YouTube was a space just for me, I learned that the stage is a place to share emotions with others. Although you sing alone, completion comes together — I learned that through 'The Ballad of Us.'
Q. What color of music would you like to show going forward, and what goals do you want to achieve?
A. I want to make quiet music that lasts. Songs that, even if they pass by at first, suddenly come to mind again. My goal is to become a singer who consistently shares songs containing my stories in my voice.
Q. Please say a word to the viewers and fans who supported you.
A. Thank you so much for listening kindly to my songs and walking with me. Thanks to the support you sent, I could take one more step of courage. I will continue to sing slowly but sincerely. Please keep watching!
Song Ji-woo and the 'The Ballad of Us' top 12 meet viewers every Tuesday on their first spinoff program "Mumu X Chacha - Ubaladio." After opening the curtain on the nationwide tour concert of 'The Ballad of Us' in Seongnam on the 10th, they will perform on the 24th in Daegu, on Feb. 7 and 8 in Seoul, on the 28th in Busan, and on March 7 in Daejeon, continuing moments of emotion.
[Photo] Provided by Shihyunhada.
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