Singer Park Si-hwan of “Superstar K5” fame is widening his musical horizons with his first full-length album, hoping to show fans his full range of charm.
“The album was a chance for me to sing songs from many different genres,” Park said at a press showcase Wednesday at Rolling Hall in Mapo-gu, Seoul, ahead of the album‘s official release at midnight.
“I wanted to reach as many people as I could by offering them a wider variety of songs. I tried to show them all the different sides of me.”
Park Si-hwan at a press showcase for his first full-length album “Rainbow Taste” in Seoul Wednesday. (Yonhap)
Park’s desire to bring something new to his listeners was reflected in the choice of his title track, a seductive up-tempo modern rock number called “Dessert.”
“The lyrics and melody are both sexy and cute, and I hope that that came across in my singing,” Park said, adding that he found the teasing lyrics difficult to swallow at first.
Still, he seemed determined to surprise. “I’m sure that a lot of people expected me to come out with another rock ballad or ballad. I hope this song will be a pleasant surprise.”
The 12-track “Rainbow Taste” was an all-consuming project for Park that began as soon as he moved to his current label, Totalset Entertainment, in November last year.
“I started preparing my album right away,” Park said. “I was so busy recording songs and shooting the music video that I didn’t really have time to think about much else.”
Although he’s already met with fans with his own songs with the EP “Spring Awakening” last year, this album represents his first true attempt at finding his place in the music world.
“My mindset has changed since my EP,” Park stated. “I want to move beyond the enthusiastic but inexperienced guy everyone saw on the audition program. I want to do better and to live up to the title of being a professional singer.”
To fulfill that ambition, the songs on the album were tweaked especially for Park Si-hwan. It was no coincidence that the words to “I’ll Sing,” a passionate track about a man’s determination to make it as a singer, mirrored Park’s own experiences.
“The lyrics were actually rewritten to fit my own story and to allow me to immerse myself in the words,” Park explained after performing the song live. “The original guitar and drum arrangement was also changed into a piano arrangement to fit my voice.”
In the end, Park said, his goal with this album was to make a unique mark. “I want as many people as possible to hear my music. I want more people to know my music and to remember my name.”
By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)