Taeyang is officially back in the game after a six- time hiatus with his new single ‘ Vibe ’ featuring Jimin of BTS – watch the music videotape below and read on for NME’s interview with the K- pop star about this new chapter in his career, working with Jimin, and what’s to come for him.
Besides his work with Big Bang – who made an awaited comeback last time with their single ‘ Still Life ’ – Taeyang has made a name for himself as a soloist since 2008, when he dropped his first EP ‘ Hot ’, which contained his megahit single “ Only Look At Me. ” His solo career has ago been speckled with further successes including ‘ Wedding Dress ’ and ‘ Ringa Linga ’, to name a many. Before ‘ Vibe ’, his last solo release was 2017’s ‘ White Night ’.
‘ Vibe ’, which is out at January 13, carries rudiments of retro, R&B and New Jack Swing – stripes that Taeyang has always loved. Its intro especially was inspired by R&B from the late ’90s and early 2000s, he tells NME. Watch the music videotape for ‘ Vibe ’ below :
‘ Vibe ’ has been released on The Black Marker, the YG Entertainment chapter Taeyang inked to after parting ways with YG at the end of 2022. A new marker home is just one of the ways Taeyang is entering a new period this time – one he says he’s embarking on with modesty, honesty and choshim, or a “ freshman’s mind ”.
“ I wanted to go back to my core values of when I first started my career, both in music and life, and be more down to earth because the once six times made me suppose further about connections with people and life, not only about the music, ” Taeyang tells NME over a call from Seoul just hours before release day. “ I really had this heart of rebuilding and going back to basics and starting fresh. I see this timing as the alternate chapter of my life, a big turning point where I can start fresh. “ I ’m a little nervous but also veritably agitated at the same time for the release. Overall, I ’m just happy to be suitable to eventually meet suckers after such a long delay. ”
The assignments Taeyang took down from his six- time break from music also manifested in the positive, upbeat communication of ‘ Vibe ’. “ I really believe that a vibe, a good vibe, comes from the love that forms from the relationship that you have with someone or the effects you love and the harmony in between. And this is what stemmed from my time spent down. ”
‘ Vibe ’ was first was created two times ago by Teddy Park, accredited and fat tunesmith and theco-founder of The Black Marker, who also made a end and surprising suggestion to Taeyang about uniting with Jimin.
“ I did n’t suppose that was possible because we did n’t know each other back also. So I was actually surprised, because it passed to me like, ‘ Wow, I noway indeed allowed
of that, ’” Taeyang says of the prospect of working with Jimin. “ But starting from last time, there were some events and private gatherings where I got to meet the BTS members and got to know Jimin naturally. From there, we just started to talk about music and we both agreed that we wanted to unite and it came veritably flawless after that. ”
“ The song that was pitched to Jimin was actually not ‘ Vibe ’. It was another track, ” Taeyang reveals. “ And when I invited Jimin to the plant for the veritably first time, Teddy called me right before I played it and said, ‘ I do n’t suppose the song will be that song, ‘ Vibe ’ will be much better and people will love it. ’ And Teddy was right. Teddy is always right! ” he laughs.
“ But at that time, I had so numerous songs! I was writing three times a week. ‘ Vibe ’ only had the backbone with the composition deficient and none of the lyrics in there but just gibberish. And I did n’t want to show Jimin the song in that state. So, I apologised to Jimin for not hearing any tracks that day and invited him to meet another day. And within a week, Teddy and I composed and wrote the track and also invited Jimin.
” Those familiar with Taeyang’s work will know that he has over till now only banded with artists on his marker and its cells.( Though he emphasises to NME, “ I do n’t typically unite grounded on work, it has to be naturally. ”) But Taeyang says that after teaming up with Jimin, he’s come more open for unborn collabs for an forthcoming design. “ There will be an reader in the future, ” he teases. “ And I’m looking forward to uniting with other artists in my coming design. ”
Does Taeyang, a alternate- generation star whose influence on K- pop’s current crop of youthful artists is clear, feel any pressure promoting in a fourth- generation geography?
“ I ’d be lying if I said there was no pressure! ” he replies with a small smile. “ But I suppose there needs to be some kind of pressure coming back to this scene and wanting to show suckers and everyone a revived image of Taeyang.
” Taeyang, too, is conforming to the myriad different ways K- pop artists promote themselves moment. “ I noway allowed that I ’d be doing cotillion challenges because my life is a challenge, ” he laughs. “ Every day is a challenge! ”
And at the end of the day, what does Taeyang consider a ‘ vibe ’?
“ I suppose people picture( vibing as) going to parties, dancing, or making music and jamming out. But actually my true ‘ vibe ’ does n’t come from any of that, but from my everyday life. When I look out a window, lounge in nature while hearing the trees bruiting through the wind, or when I see a sky and it’s a beautiful evening, I feel calm, relaxed. And to me that’s what a vibe is. And my original happiness comes from my children. My little baby. When he laughs, it just brings me lattest joy.”