First rising to fame as the main vocalist of the legendary K-Pop group Girls’ Generation, and later, finding even greater success as a solo artist, Taeyeon has established herself as one of the juggernauts of the Korean pop music industry. In this latest solo venture, she shares how she has found her Purpose in life.
With this album, it’s even more apparent that Taeyeon’s in her element. Purpose is a much more cohesive affair than her previous ventures, but that’s not to say that the songs sound the same, or god forbid, boring, either — they’re distinct, memorable tracks of different genres that still have the classic Taeyeon sound. From the sultry and upbeat tunes to mellow ballads, the album shows off a more mature side of Taeyeon, at the start of her thirties.
The album kicks off with “Here I Am”, with haunting, goosebump-inducing vocals accompanied by a lone piano. It gradually builds in intensity, with lyrics detailing her anxiety and lack of direction without that someone in her life, culminating in her signature high notes which are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.
“Spark” continues with the same intensity, with soaring melodies and an especially infectious refrain. A highlight of the album is “Love You Like Crazy”, a masterpiece by established producers LDN Noise that is sure to be a fan favourite.
“Gravity” ends off our insight into Taeyeon’s journey, a soaring power ballad which compares the force of gravity to love, a guiding force in gravitating her onto the path of self-love and acceptance, serving as her emotional rock even in the hardest of times.
It’s hard to come off listening to a Taeyeon album without feeling satisfied, and with an almost year-long drought of Korean comebacks, this album was well worth the wait, providing fans their own Purpose in life (until her next certified banger, that is).