MONSTA X (MONSTA X) main vocalist and vocalist Kihyun, who stood on the 'borderline' between the two, cleverly crosses that line.
MONSTA X (MONSTA X) main vocalist Kihyun returns with his mini album 2, "BORDERLINE (Borderline)," which compiles his musical identity as he marks his 10th year since debut. The album, reached after Kihyun's 2022 first single "VOYAGER (Voyager)" and mini album 1 "YOUTH (Youth)," captures the clearest present Kihyun faces as a solo artist. After a long 3 years and 9 months of hiatus, military service, and an intense world tour journey, what Kihyun found was none other than self-assurance.
Kihyun, who participated from the planning stage of the album, emphasized that this new release is an important inflection point in his life as an artist. He said he conveyed to the A&R team guidelines ranging from the total number of songs to what kind of feeling he wanted for each track, and noted that while there was pressure to show an even better side since the previous album was well received, he is more confident in the quality than any other album. Regarding why he insisted on seven tracks despite it being a mini album, he explained that while there were practical reasons to fill the number of songs for fans who want solo concerts, gathering songs he didn't want to discard led to his insistence on seven tracks.
The title track "So Good (So Good)" is a song that concentrates Kihyun's will to create his own direction on a road with no correct answers. Capturing the moment of deciding to trust one's own sense and choices amid voices demanding the correct answer, this song best showcases Kihyun's three-dimensional vocals. Kihyun shared behind-the-scenes that although the company recommended other songs, they gave full support when they heard the recording, and that from the first time he heard the song he felt it would be perfect sung in the slightly husky voice he had wanted since childhood.
The album greatly expands Kihyun's musical spectrum by centering on rock sound. From the rush of "Borderline" to the conviction of "So Good," the urban mood of "Domino," and the explosive high notes of "Howling," different emotions are organically connected. Kihyun explained that while MONSTA X required a stable sound because of choreography and performance, his solo album allowed him to freely shape his vocals from delicate to refreshing through rock-based music.
This musical change runs parallel to Kihyun's outlook on life. Entering his 30s, Kihyun said he used to be someone trapped by molds and driven by compulsion, but through rock music and various experiences he learned how to be freed from stress, and he expressed his ambition that his ultimate goal is to reach a level of skill that no one can take away and that shines most when he sings. He also sincerely conveyed that he wants to be a singer who tells stories, saying he hopes each lyric is absorbed into listeners' hearts so they feel the same emotions as when he sings.
BORDERLINE is the product born from Kihyun's process of finding answers to the questions surrounding himself. As Kihyun said that the album captures the process of creating one's own direction on a road with no correct answers rather than rummaging through memories of youth, this album will be strong evidence stamping his identity as a solo singer. His remark that the goal of this promotion is to let many people know that there is a MONSTA X member who can do rock music well and sing amazingly as a solo artist conveys the weighty confidence of a 10-year artist.
Kihyun's mini album 2, "BORDERLINE," will be released at 6 p.m. on the 7th through various music sites.
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