Singer Taeyang returned with a solo full-length album for the first time in nine years. He began Big Bang's 20th anniversary with solo activities and took on new challenges. Starting with his solo work, he announced a packed schedule leading up to Big Bang's 20th anniversary.
Taeyang held a listening session at 4 p.m. on the 18th at the Cube Convention Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of his fourth studio album "Quintessence (QUINTESSENCE)" and revealed the process of making the new record and behind the scenes.
Taeyang's fourth studio album "Quintessence (QUINTESSENCE)", which was released at 6 p.m. that day, is his first full-length album in nine years since White Night (WHITE NIGHT) in 2017 and consists of 10 diverse tracks. Taeyang participated in the production of every song, giving his own compelling delivery to the album's narrative arc.
About releasing a studio album for the first time in nine years, Taeyang said, "It always feels similar before an album comes out. I feel many emotions and many thoughts cross my mind," adding, "But I'm happier than ever, and since it's my birthday, I'm glad to be able to give fans a joyful gift. A gift I prepared for a year is coming out, so I feel relieved and have many thoughts."
He added, "This moment of presenting something I carefully made to the world is naturally the most nerve-wracking."
The album title Quintessence, meaning "essence" or "quintessence," is a word that reflects Taeyang's long-standing 고민, and through this album he is determined to solidify his distinct musical color while expanding into a deeper and broader world.
Although unseen, Taeyang's "Quintessence," which realizes a journey of seeking the most important values through music, contains Taeyang's questions and emotions in the process of searching rather than defining an answer, and his attitude toward them. The questions that began as the artist's personal narrative carry the hope that, through music, they will resonate with listeners by touching something essential within each person's interior.
Through this new record, Taeyang worked with several artists and tried new approaches to deliver music with different colors. Regarding this, Taeyang said, "This year is an important year marking my 20th anniversary since debut, and when I started making this new album, I focused on what is most true to me while being new," adding, "Over 20 years I made a lot of music and was active, so challenging something new itself is difficult. Still, I thought a lot about what I could do now if I could do something new. I think many of those considerations and attempts are reflected in this album."
The title track "Live Fast Die Slow (LIVE FAST DIE SLOW)" declares holding onto one's center amid a rapidly passing reality and the time spent living fiercely. The song conveys an ironic message that depicts pain and destruction as a brightly burning image and expresses a strong will to keep moving forward without stopping even on an endless road.
About selecting the title track, Taeyang introduced, "Isn't it the fastest melody among the songs I've released so far? When working on past albums, I made many album tracks and then chose the most fitting title. This time, I didn't have the idea of making songs just as album tracks; I made them with the intention of making them main title tracks. It was difficult to choose the title track, and I agonized over it until the end. I thought it was the song that best fit the album."
He continued, "While working on a solo tour two years ago, I thought that when I worked on the next album it should be the fastest and most exciting song. After deciding at the end, filming the music video and performing on stage made me feel this is the right song."
Taeyang said, "I created choreography with a considerably different feel from the dance styles I've done so far, and I made choreography that includes very varied sections. But the most important thing I focus on is energy. I'm centering on the energy shared with fans and the audience," and asked fans to look forward to the performance.
Taeyang's new record includes collaborations with several artists, including Paul Blanco, The Kid LAROI, Tablo of Epik High, Tarzan of ALLDAY PROJECT, and Woochan.
Taeyang explained, "I worked with producers who are also very active overseas, and when we started the album I asked who would be good collaborators; the company listed names, and among them Paul was the most eager to work with me. When we met and began the process of making music together, a lot clicked between us."
He also said, "Tablo hyung contributed lyrics to three songs. Many people helped with this album in various ways," adding, "After ALLDAY PROJECT debuted, I felt like I was seeing our past selves. I thought the freshness and debut atmosphere we had would come through. They worked so hard to complete the songs and greatly increased their quality."
Taeyang reflected on the year he spent working on "Quintessence." He said, "While working on this album I reflected on myself, and during the one-year process I spent a lot of time finding myself and asking many questions. Of course this music will leave my hands and be given to fans and the public, but I hope they enjoy it. I thought it would be good if fans could share the thoughts and questions I had."
He added, "This year I plan to appear in various ways. I started the beginning of the big 20th-anniversary project with my solo activities, and afterward I will appear with Big Bang members in various activities, so I hope you look forward to it a lot," asking for anticipation.
Finally, Taeyang expressed gratitude to fans, saying, "After being active for 20 years, I feel that the reason I could do this is ultimately because fans loved and supported my music. I felt that at Coachella as well. Thinking about how I feel about these 20 years, my image, and the fans who waited for me, it feels so miraculous."
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