K-pop star Doyoung has spent the last decade evolving as a performer, but with his latest solo album, Soar, the 29-year-old is presenting a more mature side of himself.
In 2015, he was announced as one of Korean label SM Entertainment’s pre-debut group, SM Rookies, before debuting in megagroup NCT, and its sub-units NCT 127 and later DoJaeJung. Doyoung eventually released his first solo album, Youth, last year.
Soar, released today (June 9), builds off of the singer’s previous solo work. “Memory,” the album’s lead single, is a cinematic pop-rock track that allows Doyoung to show his vocal range. The NCT member told The Hollywood Reporter on a Zoom from Seoul that it was “destiny” for him to find the song.
Below, Doyoung shares how “Memory” became Soar’s title track, why he feels less pressure as an artist these days and how working as a member of NCT relieves his stress.
How do you feel you’ve grown since your first solo album, Youth? What did you want to take into this new album that might’ve been different?
Compared to my last album, Youth – which resonated with many through its honest portrayal of emotions experienced during youth, including my own – in my second album, I wanted to return with a more mature perspective and a stronger message that can go over something beyond youth, presenting a deeper and more evolved side of my music. I thought that would be the keyword – wing, that would help us soar and fly further [towards] our dreams. Through my music, I just wanted to show that we could soar further with the dream. I think that’s the difference between Youth and this album.
Why do you think “Memory” was the perfect title track for this album?
The memory behind my title track, it was kind of destiny [for me] to meet this song. While I was thinking a lot about which song to pick as my title track, there were so many songs that I’ve heard and listened up to pick. But once I listened to 30 seconds, the chorus top line of “Memory”, that instant, I knew and my colleagues all knew, at the same time, that this is the track that we should do right away.
Do you have a favorite memory or moment in making the album that sticks out to you?
That moment. The 30 second demo that I heard of “Memory,” the title track. When I was in L.A. for [NCT 127’s] the Momentum Tour – [it was] in the morning at my hotel, as soon as I woke up – I got to listen to the demo track. This song is made by a friend of mine called Donghwan Seo. When I heard this I thought we should quickly make a verse within four to five hours, and make our managers and our team listen to the song because that I really wanted to appeal to them about this title track. That memory is a very short but powerful memory to me. Then the second one is also related to this. When I went to SMTown Live L.A., I stayed at the same hotel and by that time, the making of the song was done. When I listened to the song again, it was like a contrasting memory of the 30 second demo at the same hotel [but] the song [was a] full track [this time].
What you hope people take away from the album sonically and in terms of its messaging?
Sonically… I want this album to be my identity as an artist. I want people to remember this album and songs as myself. In terms of messaging, I really want to give courage to people who didn’t have courage and help them dream, make bigger dreams and achieve dreams in their life.
Doyoung on his latest album, ‘Soar’: “I want this album to be my identity as as artist.”
Courtesy of SM Entertainment
When you’re making music as a soloist, do you feel that you tackle it a little bit differently than the other work you do in groups?
I think they’re both in a bracket as a whole to me. I don’t really differentiate me as a soloist or as a member of a group. The music we do in NCT, I believe that these songs or the genre itself, I think it’s hard for me, myself, to go through. I feel very thankful for my members being with me and being in a group together to make this music. It feels like friends, very good friends, making nice music along the way in life’s journey. But as a soloist, I try to do music that I can do that and also that I’m good and strong at. I believe that I need to put my identity into this album, and I am actually doing that.
You’ll have the chance to meet fans with your solo tour in Asia, and you’ll be in L.A. again this summer. What can fans expect?
Regardless of [whether it’s] meeting fans at a solo concert or with my members at KCON L.A., I just know that if there aren’t fans in a place, any city that would welcome us, that wouldn’t be a good memory to me, that would be kind of meaningless to me. Just having the fans exist in those city is the best part, so I always want to thank my fans around the world that welcome me. What I can tease or say, I don’t think there’s much in the current stage, but I’m going to KCON L.A. with my NCT 127 members. L.A. is one of our favorite cities, so the fact that we are just visiting L.A. make us very excited, so we’re in a very good mood while we are practicing and preparing for our L.A. performance.
In your episodes of [Korean reality show] Home Alone, you seem very dedicated to taking care of yourself. What do you find is the best way to recharge during busy schedules?
Actually doing all this solo work by myself is a lot of responsibility because when I work in a group, I can kind of piece it out with my members. But doing it alone actually is a lot of pressure. I really am [just] a person, so I get tired physically and mentally as well. Really this is the most honest answer for myself – I kind of recharge with my [NCT] members. The time that I actually spend with my members, when we’re practicing or waiting for a schedule or actually going into a schedule. They are my business partners, but they are really my true friends as well. They know everything about me – they know what I like, they know what I laugh at. The time I spend with my [group] members is the most fun and exciting time. It’s really my stress relief.
The 29-year-old says working with NCT is how he recharges: “The time I spend with my [group] members is the most fun and exciting time. It’s really my stress relief.”
Courtesy of SM Entertainment
You’ve been working for a decade now and this is your second solo release. Is the music you’re putting out now what you saw for yourself back when you debuted? How much do you feel your taste in music has evolved since your debut?
Throughout [the last] decade, I think the thing that changed the most within me is that I feel less pressure than when I had just debuted. I just felt like I had to do perfect and well in every single thing that I do. But during these 10 years, as I’ve had two albums [as a soloist], I just started thinking about pressure. There actually are good parts to pressure, but there are negative sides as well. I thought, well, maybe this isn’t something that’s that big that I should consider it this much. I feel like I’ve become mature in terms of thinking about pressure and looking at the perspective of it.
As an artist you don’t always have a choice in how you’re perceived, but how do you want people to view you as a performer or a person?
I think I’m at a stage where I’m really stable right now mentally and in various aspects [of my life]. I know that people might think differently of me, but I believe that even friends and really close family don’t fully know me as well. I can’t say every single thing that I think about myself to them. I don’t think people looking to me in a different perspective that I don’t want, [it] isn’t something very weird or special or strange. I think that’s just normal [for] people, and I have a job where I have to stand up in [in front of] many people. That’s the only difference I think. It’s fine for people look at me [how they want], unless it’s a very huge, huge misconception. I just want people to know me. The sincere, true me. I don’t want people to think I’m acting when they see me. Or that I’m a fake person. I just want people to know that I’m Doyoung, myself.
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