Group (G)idle member Soyeon demonstrated that her name itself is a genre and a brand by capturing universal narratives.
Soyeon on the 7th at 6 p.m. released the full audio of her first solo full-length album "A life to die for" and the music video for the title track "I will quit (Narr.Kian84)" across various music platforms.
Soyeon returned as a solo singer after 5 years and 2 months since her solo mini album "Windy." In addition to activities with (G)I-DLE, Soyeon, who has shown her abilities as a leading K-pop producer in her solo work, participated in all tracks of this album as well, making her color even clearer. She also collaborated with perceptive producers such as Groovyroom and R.Tee, signaling a more expanded musical world.
"A life to die for" boasts a wide musical spectrum not confined to a specific genre, including rock, hyperpop, disco and band sounds. It is characterized by honestly expressing a variety of emotions—love, breakup, anger, anxiety and a sense of liberation—through different characters in each track. Through "A life to die for," which contains new looks she had not shown before and various genre experiments, Soyeon once again proved her "excellent" producing ability.
The title track "I will quit (Narr.Kian84)" uses the theme of "quitting," which any office worker can relate to, pairing realistic lyrics with band sounds to deliver warm consolation.
The song treats the realistic theme of "quitting," which everyone dreams of at least once, with Soyeon's wit; rather than enduring for a stable future, the romantic and self-directed attitude of leaving to find something that can make one satisfied and happy right now is impressive. Soyeon led the song's narrative by freely switching between a comical acting tone that represents the pent-up frustration of office workers and a refreshing, chest-opening vocal delivery, and Kian84's narration added a realistic yet distinctive synergy.
The released music video begins with Soyeon in a bleak, colorless office throwing away paperwork and coolly walking out, then maximizes visual pleasure and a sense of liberation by showing her riding a scooter through the city and staging a large flash mob that fills the streets. At the end, a white-haired grandmother with a satisfied smile appears, leaving a lingering impression of a "life enjoyed without regret" and "a life to die for."
In addition to the title track, the album features the hyperpop "icebluerabbit," which was pre-released during (G)I-DLE's world tour; "STAR," an EDM track that emits the energy of a rock star; and the character-driven, animation-track–style "I hate vegetables song," which draw attention. Also included are a total of eight well-packed tracks, such as the disco number "Amigo (Feat. Minsu)," which samples Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and features Minsu from the indie scene, and "Bankroll," "Can't we just love," and "Sending romance."
Soyeon, who broke the existing frame of being an idol group leader and rapper, proved through "A life to die for" that she is a consummate artist who can perfectly orchestrate any music. In particular, by forming empathy through the realistic theme of "quitting," she demonstrated planning ability that shows universal narratives beyond personal stories through music, establishing herself as a leading K-pop producer and creating a unique genre called Jeon Soyeon.
[OSEN]