BIGBANG member Taeyang made a comeback as a soloist after 6 years.
On January 13 at 1:00 PM, Taeyang held a countdown live to commemorate the release of the new song through his official YouTube channel.
Taeyang stated, “I was extremely anxious because it’s been a while since I released new music. I was unable to get any sleep last night, as I was overwhelmed with thoughts about how my new song will be received by you all.”
Taeyang added, “Thankfully, I’ve heard that many people have been eagerly anticipating my comeback. My new song will be released in an hour. Let’s wait together and catch up on things we haven’t shared before and have a good time.”
Signing with The Black Label
Before his comeback, Taeyang concluded his 16-year long association with YG Entertainment and signed an exclusive contract with The Black Label, headed by Teddy.
He said, “I am starting anew in this new place, and I will be meeting you all in 2023 under The Black Label. It’s a new feeling. I continued to work on my solo album after my discharge, and one of the outcomes is a song titled ‘VIBE’ which will be released soon.”
Taeyang mentioned, “Before the release of the song, there has been a lot happening. I also opened a fan cafe and I’m trying to visit it daily and leave short messages. Interacting with fans in the new fan cafe reminds me of the past and I personally love it, so I am trying to communicate with you all every day.”
Answering fans’ questions
A comment from a netizen on an internet forum discussing Taeyang’s comeback, “But can Taeyang dance? Isn’t he just a vocalist?” became a popular topic.
In response, Taeyang said, “It’s been 17 years since I debuted as a singer, and people who were born when I debuted might have a hard time seeing me. So I’m not surprised to see comments like this. Since I have focused more on singing, people might think that I am not a singer who only sings.”
He continued, “If you think back to the early days of my debut, you will be surprised when you watch the music videos from my first solo album and subsequent albums. I was dancing very intensely. I want to leave that impression on people. I can still dance a little,” he laughingly said.
Regarding a comment from a fan who said that seeing Taeyang’s shirtless image reminded them of his performance at the 2014 MAMA awards, Taeyang said, “I went back to the basics and put in a lot of effort while preparing for the music video. I worked hard to present myself in the best shape, which is why I decided to take off my shirt in this music video. I think it turned out well.”
One important aspect to pay attention to is Taeyang’s chemistry with Jimin of BTS. In response to the comment, “A legend next to a legend,” Taeyang responded, “Yes. As everyone knows, I think this is said because we collaborated on a song together. I hope I can live up to that expectation,” he replied.
Collaboration with Jimin and Behind-the-scenes of the Jacket Photoshoot
The behind-the-scenes of the jacket photoshoot were also revealed. Taeyang said “This music video outfit was the first scene we filmed. When we met for the first time on the music video set and worked together, we hoped to look cool. However, when we took pictures together for the first time, it brought out an image we didn’t expect. I remember being happy with both Jimin and myself. It felt like an old hip-hop duo and a cool feeling came out,” he recalled.
when a fan commented on how amazing it was to see Taeyang and Jimin in the same frame, Taeyang replied, “It feels very strange. I never thought this day would come. I had many thoughts and concerns about whether the day would come when I could release new music again. But despite all of them, I am here now, and it’s great to be able to come back with such a wonderful collaborator like Jimin.” In response to a fan’s request for them to wear the same outfits on music shows, he said, “I’m not sure if this outfit will work, but I will try to show off a cool image with Jimin again.”
Taeyang also revealed some details about the lyrics of his new song. He said, “I like every line of the lyrics, but if you ask me what ‘VIBE’ means in my current situation, there is a phrase like this among the lyrics. There is a Twilight at the end of the dark night sky. I believe I was able to express my feelings of meeting you all again through my new song with these lyrics, and I really like them,” he said.
Taeyang and Jimin’s Collaboration: How it came to be
It was Teddy’s suggestion that led to Taeyang’s collaboration with Jimin.According to Taeyang, “It was two years ago. I remember that it was not a time when BTS was doing a lot of solo activities. At that time, I continued to work on solo songs at The Black Label after I was discharged from the military. Teddy hyung talked as if he was passing by and suggested that it would be great if Jimin and Taeyang came out with a great song. I was surprised by the suggestion as I hadn’t thought of that until then. It was difficult to say because I had never collaborated [externally] with other artists” he recalled.
“Since last year, I have been invited to private events, dinners, and various gatherings, and had the chance to meet members of BTS. I met each of them and also met Jimin. We discussed different things, and then the idea of making music together at the right time came up. This led to the collaboration, and while working together in the studio, we created the song called ‘VIBE’.”
Taeyang performed his solo hit song ‘Eyes, Nose, Lips’ and BIGBANG’s ‘Still Life’ spontaneously, accompanied by the guitarist.
When asked about his secret to maintaining a youthful and handsome appearance, Taeyang replied, “I’m not sure if it’s because I have a baby face or if I’m just good-looking, but the secret is to lead a healthy lifestyle. The most important things are eating and sleeping well. I try to maintain a healthy routine,” he replied.
At the end of the broadcast, Taeyang expressed, “I deeply apologize and am grateful to those who have waited for me for the past 6 years. I am currently filming MBC’s ‘Point of Omniscient Interfere’ entertainment program. I hope to show you interesting and honest sides of myself that have not been seen before. We are planning to meet you through various other content, so please wait patiently and enjoy it. We will continue to visit you with great songs after ‘VIBE’, so please give us a lot of interest and love.”
WATCH TAEYANG – ‘VIBE (feat. Jimin of BTS)’ M/V:
‘MY CON’ IN MANILA was presented by Wilbros live.
