A big explosion erupts in a discipline, sending a battered previous automotive up in flames. Thick smoke billows far above the ruined automobile and the scorched earth round it. Standing earlier than all of it is Seulgi, her face scratched and bruised. She flinches because the blast goes off, eyes darting suspiciously as she hurriedly walks away from the scene.
The second types simply 4 seconds of the album trailer for the Pink Velvet singer’s debut solo mini-album, ’28 Causes’, but it surely – and the remainder of the haunting visible – make a huge effect. Though longtime followers will know of the star’s love of horror motion pictures, the ominous character she performs within the trailer is firmly at odds with the demure picture most of the people affiliate her with.
Darkness fills Seulgi’s first solo launch, from the trailer and the gloomy messages on the schedule poster (“Good and evil individuals coexist inside one particular person”) to the brooding sounds all through the file. “I positively need to present a juxtaposition from the Seulgi who has a really form picture visually,” the 28-year-old tells NME days earlier than its launch. She’s leaning on a desk in SM Leisure’s workplaces, the black of evening smothering the bustle of Seoul’s streets via the window behind her. “With this EP exhibiting extra of a mischief and darkish troublemaker vibe, it brings up that distinction.”
The title monitor – a shadowy dance-pop gem pushed by a low, rumbling bassline – leans into the concepts that schedule poster hinted at. It presents somebody who’s each somewhat bit good and somewhat bit unhealthy, highlighting the complexities in people and {our relationships}, and the concept nobody is strictly at one finish of that spectrum.
“Everyone has somewhat of excellent and evil [in them], and a few individuals suppose and surprise about vices, sins and greed – however typically we solely attempt to present the great facet to society,” Seulgi causes. As a substitute of sticking to that accepted model we current to the world, she determined to “experiment” and indulge within the unseen “unhealthy” facet of a personality.
There was some priority for the darkness of ‘28 Causes’. In 2020, Seulgi teamed up with bandmate Irene for his or her acclaimed sub-unit launch, ‘Monster’. “‘Monster’ has a really comparable color and the same quantity of darkness which you can see in ’28 Causes’, so I really feel like [this record] is one step additional than ‘Monster’,” she explains. “So it was a great transition.”
’28 Causes’ feels most menacing air on the alluring but sinister ‘Lifeless Man Runnin’’. Ever felt like another person has razed your life to the bottom? This tune sinks into that sensation and the instability that follows. It’s the primary time that Seulgi participated within the songwriting of certainly one of her releases. To get herself within the mindset of that story, she immersed herself in a selected subset of movies. “I watched lots of motion pictures about villains, like Joker, the place lots of antagonists are highlighted,” she shares. “The demo sounded just like the scene proper earlier than the villain [appears on screen], so I wished to construct up that feeling.”
“Can I request to provide an enormous shout-out within the article for the way wonderful the members are? I like you, Pink Velvet!”
When the subject of songwriting comes up, Seulgi – already heat and enthusiastic all through our interview – lights up much more. She talks at size concerning the course of, having to pause mid-way via her excited solutions so the interpreter by her facet can catch up. As she speaks, it turns into clear simply how a lot thought and a spotlight to element she poured into her lyrics.
“Songwriting isn’t nearly filling a tune out with phrases,” she begins. “I had to consider what it might sound like once I mouth them out – will the Korean and English phrases be pure after they’re sung collectively? Will or not it’s simple to sing, given the intonation? I had to make use of phrases that I don’t usually use in my colloquial speech, so I realised songwriting is a very difficult path.”
It wasn’t all the time assured that Seulgi would write the lyrics for ‘Lifeless Man Runnin’’. As a substitute, she needed to submit her work to the label via a blind check, competing in opposition to makes an attempt by different songwriters. “The producers and the corporate selected and filtered the lyrics and so they didn’t realize it was written by me,” she says, grinning. “However many individuals stated that the tune and lyrics went very well collectively, so I used to be actually completely happy and felt recognised from the analysis.”
It wasn’t simply the employees at SM Leisure who have been impressed by Seulgi’s work. Although eager to indicate who’s as a solo artist with ’28 Causes’, she nonetheless relied closely on her Pink Velvet bandmates for assist whereas making the file. Every member listened to the tracks she was engaged on as she went, giving her suggestions. Their constructive reactions crammed her with confidence.
“I used to be very not sure once I first determined to do a solo debut, however the members actually gave me lots of vitality,” she says fondly. “I’m normally very dependent and reliant on the members, so standing alone for the primary time was an enormous problem.” After the interpreter finishes translating her phrases, she raises her hand. “Can I request to provide an enormous shout-out within the article for the way wonderful the members are?” she asks, falling again into her chair, laughing at herself. “I like you, Pink Velvet!”
It’s been eight years since Seulgi debuted with the group. In that period of time and in such a aggressive discipline because the Okay-pop trade, has she skilled moments that match the temper of ’28 Causes’? Fairly the other, Seulgi says. “As you already know, in Okay-pop there are lots of needs and greed, and never everyone will get to attain the desires they need,” she muses.
“We’ve additionally seen instances the place the well-being of some artists will not be effectively cared for. Happily, I’ve obtained a lot love and assist and people fixed fortunes have helped me keep sturdy and keep on with the great, and never fall right into a darkish place. I wish to say I’ve grown effectively, with none troubles or hardships.”
Since debuting, Seulgi has confirmed herself to be a strong vocalist and an excellent expertise – seemingly two the explanation why she was chosen earlier this 12 months to be part of the SM supergroup GOT The Beat, alongside Pink Velvet’s Wendy, aespa’s Karina and Winter, Women’ Technology’s Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, and iconic soloist BoA. When NME mentions the challenge, Seulgi lets out an awestruck “wow”, as if she nonetheless can’t fairly consider that was actual.
The GOT The Beat expertise was a significant one for her, not least as a result of she started working with some bonafide Okay-pop legends. “I used to be actually honoured to be invited to be part of that challenge and this cross-generational group is the form of mixture you may solely see at SM Leisure,” she says. “Seeing the contemporary, younger, energetic vibe from aespa and the skilled experiences and well-developed abilities from Women’ Technology and BoA in the identical place was an incredible alternative.” Though GOT The Beat solely launched one single, ‘Step Again’, earlier than shifting on to different initiatives, she suggests it won’t be the final we’ve seen of them. “Maybe you may see extra of GOT The Beat – or comparable initiatives – sooner or later,” she says.
For now, although, Seulgi is specializing in carving out her personal path whilst she contributes extra brilliance to Pink Velvet. As she prepares to wrap up her day, she shares hopes for her future that embrace extra writing and extra alternatives to develop her sound and strengths. “I additionally hope that maybe I may very well be a supply of inspiration for another person, or for another artists,” she provides shyly. With ’28 Causes’ beneath her belt, there’s little question she’ll obtain that aim.
Seulgi’s ’28 Causes’ is out now
