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In solo career, Soyou turns assertive in album production

October 4, 2018

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) — When she was a member of the girl band Sistar, Soyou wasn’t the type of singer who freely put forward her opinions about albums. But after launching a solo career following the band’s breakup, Soyou changed dramatically.

“While I was part of Sistar, my share of participation (for album production) was about 5 percent. I wasn’t the type who proactively proposed my ideas to my agency. I put forward my opinion only when I had to,” Soyou said, recalling the seven years during which she worked in the girl group until its breakup last year.

Following Sistar’s disbanding, Soyou released her first solo album “Part. 1 RE:BORN” in December last year, and since then things have changed.

“This time, I made an input of 80 percent. At first, it was very difficult for me to say ‘No.’ I was hesitant and it took me about three days (to say no) because I was afraid that I might hurt the feelings of the composer if I proposed revisions,” Soyou said in a media interview on Tuesday ahead of the release of her second solo album.

“Since I am a soloist, the whole (production) staff get in trouble if I do not make quick decisions. So now, I put forward my opinion quite on time,” she said.

The new album “PART.2 RE:FRESH” will be made available for streaming on major online music stores starting at 6 p.m. Thursday.

As she noted, the lyrics and arrangement of the album’s tracks as well as the photography of the album jacket and the filming of its music video all have her touch.

This image of Soyou was provided by Starship Entertainment. (Yonhap)

In fact, Soyou was the one who selected Latin dance music for the main track of the new album, a rare dance song release during K-pop’s autumn season.

“I wanted to prove my progress,” she said after being asked the reason she chose dance music for the fall season.

“For my first solo album last year, I did acoustic ballads, and they were loved by many. (But this time) I wanted to do passionate dance music after I traveled to Mexico in January. I wanted to dance along to a Latin rhythm,” she said.

Besides the Latin dance music of its main track “All Night,” the six-track album includes many other different genres.

The fourth track “Funny” is a tropical house song typical of Sistar’s music, while the third track, “When I’m with You,” brings out the mellow and sweet side of Soyou.

The other three tracks — “Decrescendo,” “Shadows” and “Little Moments” — all deal with the subject of breakups, but in a very different mood.

She wrote the lyrics of “Shadows,” her first time songwriting.

Still, Soyou is cautious about overworking her colors. “I would end up nowhere if I am too emersed in my own musical colors. The music I like may be different from the music people want to hear,” she said.

“So I leave my ears open to the opinions of other people.”

Soyou also said she is not aiming too high with her new album.

“I hope I could help make a very rich autumn for many people. I am not thinking of becoming No. 1. I just want to accomplish what I started,” she said, while also admitting that she prays for “a miracle” with her new album.