As certainly one of modern-day Okay-pop‘s top-selling soloists, Baekhyun hardly wants an introduction. However with the discharge of his new solo album Hi there, World, the singer-songwriter is signaling extra than simply one other musical comeback — it’s the beginning of a brand new period, the place Baekhyun is equally concerned behind the scenes as he’s when performing the songs onstage.
After his 2023 exit from SM Leisure, the Okay-pop label the place he spent 12 youth as a member of EXO in addition to its subunit EXO-CBX, and the Billboard 200-topping supergroup SuperM, Baekhyun established a brand new residence at INB100, which additionally homes fellow EXO members Xiumin and Chen. Whereas EXO’s group actions stay tied to SM, Hi there, World is Baekhyun’s first launch outdoors his longtime label, showcasing the expansion and independence cultivated as a longtime idol performer and an more and more extra hands-on Okay-pop skilled.
Hi there, World tracks just like the bossa nova-inspired “Rendez-Vous” and crunchy-yet-harmonious, electro-pop reduce “Woo” strike a steadiness between the polished, silky R&B and jazz influences Baekhyun first confirmed in 2019’s Metropolis Lights (that peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s World Albums chart and spent 16 weeks on the chart) to extra experimental concepts he’s been wanting to discover together with a rap-like supply on “Chilly Coronary heart” and the ’80s new wave-tinged departure into synth-pop on the lead single “Pineapple Slice.” Now having a production-heavy hand in all the things from musical course to visible ideas, tracklisting and fan connectivity, the celebrity admits that his perfectionist tendencies slowed down the method however finally led him to the correct steadiness.
“I’m a little bit of a perfectionist with regards to music,” Baekhyun shares throughout a day Zoom name from a Seoul workplace. “I believe [the album] was delayed as a result of I used to be looking for the proper really feel to launch the proper album, which was actually born from the title monitor ‘Pineapple Slice,’ which ended up being simply the tune I used to be searching for.”
The lead single’s sweet-yet-sultry vibe turned the cornerstone for the remainder of the album, inspiring the 32-year-old to push boundaries and additional personalize his artistic course of.
“Now, I wish to categorical my opinion, my concepts and what I wish to strive,” Baekhyun provides. “I believe it’s enjoyable to construct up from the first phases of making ready for an album and dealing along with a workforce the place I’ve been capable of contribute extra is thrilling. I really feel a bit extra possession.”
Whereas Baekhyun’s comeback might appear to be a seamless return to kind from the surface, Hi there, World outcomes from numerous hours spent behind the scenes, meticulously crafting his sound and picture to kickstart a brand new chapter with grace. For now, the EP is Baekhyun’s method of claiming he’s again and able to tackle much more in his subsequent part, sharing with Billboard extra in regards to the album, the processes behind it, and the way he needs to fulfill followers world wide.
How are you feeling with this new album launch? The album’s title is Hi there, World, and the opening tune is “Good Morning.” Does it really feel like a brand new day for you as an artist?
I actually like new beginnings so I’m very exited about this new chapter in my life and excited to point out a larger viewers what I’ve ready. That’s precisely why I put “Good Morning” as the primary monitor on the album and why I named it Hi there, World as a result of the primary lyrics that begin the tune are “Hi there, world” so I wished lots of people to hear and really feel like, “Oh, this is the beginning.” The tune was form of made to really feel like preparation in your coronary heart to take heed to the remainder of the album; it has an total very delicate sound and I assumed that it could be good to construct up musically all through the album. I used to be very specific with the tracklist, so I’m very completely happy that the order of songs get progressively extra climactic.
This isn’t your first solo album, however your first below your new firm in INB100. Has the method been related or completely different to previous releases?
It’s very completely different from once I launched my earlier album. Now, I wish to categorical my opinion, my concepts, and what I wish to strive, which I believe is absolutely good as a result of I can strive loads of large, new concepts. I believe it’s enjoyable to construct up from the first phases of making ready for an album and dealing along with a workforce the place I’ve been capable of contribute extra is thrilling. So, I really feel a bit extra possession of the album — I’m excited for it to develop into certainly one of my favorites.
You enlisted within the army for nearly two years, and it’s been three-and-a-half years since your final solo file in 2021. Usually talking, what took so lengthy?
I’m a little bit of a perfectionist with regards to music, and I believe it was delayed as a result of I used to be looking for the proper really feel to launch the proper album, which was actually born from the title monitor [single] “Pineapple Slice,” which ended up being simply the tune I used to be searching for. So long as it took, I actually put loads of effort into this to have the ability to put and present much more of the issues that I wished to do.
What sort of issues had been you in a position to do that time?
I had loads of ideas about wanting to point out who I’m as an artist in the long run which signifies that I ought to concentrate on the music that I take pleasure in and inventive choices that I, as an artist, want to make. Stylistically, loads of the music is what I wish to do. The style is R&B, however there are such a lot of genres that I can department out to additional with that style as a base. I even tried rapping on this album which was one thing new for me.
Second off, process-wise — the music video, the recording process and the visuals — all the things was a little bit bit extra “Baekhyun-centric” and I used to be capable of enter much more of my opinions. As an alternative of somebody saying, “Oh, this is able to look good on you,” I used to be capable of, I assume, reverse that course of and say, “That is what I’ve been envisioning for myself, what do you guys suppose?” and transfer ahead from there.
You say Hi there, World is impressed by film genres with the album description saying, “A world the place creativeness turns into actuality.” How precisely did you present this?
I’ve achieved loads of completely different ideas all through my profession and I consider that the job of an idol is to form of expertise all these completely different sides you present. So, I assumed that [making] the key phrase “movies” or “films” can be a great way to place that in like one large field and categorical all these various things that I’ve achieved as one large style. So, pretending that that is all a film means I can flip my creativeness into actuality: I may be the stuntman, I generally is a author, I may be the director; there are such a lot of completely different roles that go into making a film…the “Pineapple Slice” music video is vampire themed and that additionally form of faucets into the fantasy and magic style. However, as soon as once more, creativeness turns into actuality as a result of, not like the stereotypical vampire who’s afraid of the solar and will get burned by the daylight, my character within the music video doesn’t, so it’s even these little twists that replicate again on the overarching theme of a world that I’ve imagined.
You may be very theatrical in your music, ideas, and even your vocals, however I’ve additionally learn you’re very low-key; proper now, you’re in a T-shirt and easy hair. Does it really feel such as you’re performing once you go into Okay-pop idol ideas? Is idol life like performing in a method?
I believe the job of an idol is much like that of an actor, who acts in response to the scene or idea. Whereas I’m very glad with my job, I don’t often wish to put on make-up each day in order that’s why I’m a bit extra informal as we speak. [Laughs] However alternatively, I believe there are variations. Onstage, I undoubtedly concentrate on the second and absolutely digest the idea within the tune, however I don’t actually really feel like that’s performing — it’s not like I’m placing on a brand new persona. It’s extra in order that I concentrate on the second and the job of performing the tune completely greater than being pretend or pretending to be one thing.
The primary preview we bought of the album was the bossa nova-inspired “Rendez-Vous” carried out throughout your Lonsdaleite Asia tour. Why was this tune essential to introduce your new chapter of music?
I wished to point out probably the most “Baekhyun-like” type from the songs I had. It’s been some time since I’ve been out [with new music], so I wished to point out followers a sound they had been extra acquainted with as a substitute of one thing fully new that might really feel stunning or distant. I personally actually just like the tune “Rendez-Vous,” such as you talked about it incorporates bossa nova, and that’s what I take pleasure in about R&B is the way it can department into and be altered in so many alternative methods relying on what you fuse in it.
Even since your final file, R&B music has modified a lot, so it’s cool that you are able to do areas you’re comfy with and play with one thing new in a tune like “Pineapple Slice.”
Once I first heard “Pineapple Slice, ” I bought the texture throughout the first few seconds that this was the monitor I wished to make as my title monitor [single]. I’d been looking for a tune that has a really intriguing instrumental and catches the ear and “Pineapple Slice “did that. The bassline could be very catchy so once you first hear it, I might form of envision folks listening and tapping their toes to the bass. And it’s completely different from my first three albums [singles] “UN Village,” “Sweet,” and “Bambi” in that it has a stronger sound moderately than the smoother, jazzy vibe. However the lyrics are very candy, talking a couple of male character making an attempt to lure and seduce a lover, so I believe the distinction can also be very charming.
What do you suppose is probably the most stunning tune on the album for followers?
“Chilly Coronary heart” was a monitor that, once I first heard it, I used to be very very like, “Oh, would I be capable of pull this off?” however I actually wished to offer it a shot. It was the primary time I selected a tune that I wished to be higher at; I selected it as a result of I wished to form of show that I might do it. I’ve spent as long as a vocalist, and this monitor has loads of hip-hop influences and references, so discovering the proper tone for rap was very troublesome. So, I’m nonetheless feeling very nervous about this tune popping out to the world and that the discharge day will probably be my “judgment day” because the followers will then be capable of see whether or not or not I actually pulled it off. I consider they’ll suppose, “Oh, Baekhyun sings this type of tune?”
It’s nice to listen to you difficult your self in all these alternative ways below your new firm. Why was it essential so that you can escape and create an area with your individual firm?
To begin with, I wished to fulfill my followers extra and get a little bit bit extra nearer to them. And I at all times wished to take part extra in my very own album course of. With this query, moderately than fascinated with having fun with a brand new sort of problem, it’s extra in order that I actually simply wished to get nearer to my followers and listeners. Likewise, I consider that now I gained’t need to take as lengthy of a break between releases and hope to have the ability to come again in a faster timeframe. Working with my workforce and folks, extra prospects are open for me with reference to issues that I can do sooner or later, like producing, for instance. Though there aren’t any set plans as of now, it’s a dream of mine and I assumed this new chapter would open such doorways.
That is sensible since you’re conserving group actions with EXO robust and have EXO-CBX with you at INB100. Extra Okay-pop artists are balancing outdoors solo careers with group actions. How do you personally steadiness either side?
Many followers wish to proceed seeing new sides of the group, so I perceive that and we will probably be persevering with to strive new issues and meet you sooner or later. As for Baekhyun as a soloist, I really feel that’s a little bit bit completely different from Baekhyun as part of a bunch. So, sooner or later, I’m excited to point out three completely different sides of myself: as part of a unit, a solo artist, and likewise as a part of a bunch. So I hope my followers are additionally excited to witness that journey alongside [me] because it occurs.
Something you’ll be able to tease in your followers on this new period? Or different messages to the followers?
So, at the beginning, I’ll undoubtedly be engaged on album promotions. Aside from that, I wish to go on a world tour sometime — and it’s undoubtedly a chance that’s, uh, not very removed from attain. [Laughs] Since I just lately completed my Asia tour, I wish to department out additional to followers world wide…
To EXO-Ls who’ve been ready for my album for such a very long time, I’m so grateful for all of you and I wish to promise you that there’ll by no means be a break like this once more. I’ll present you loads of nice issues sooner or later with new seems to be, new music, and all of the cool issues I’m prepared to point out the world. And like I barely teased earlier than, I’m able to go meet extra followers world wide so I hope that everybody stays completely happy and wholesome till we meet once more.
