Published : Sept. 17, 2018 - 18:06
It’s been a dream-like year for GOT7. On top of the enormous success of its “Eyes on You” album, the group performed in 17 cities across the world and became the first K-pop act to perform at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
But that’s not all the group has lined up for the year.
Its third full-length album “Present: You,” released at 6 p.m. Monday, is not only an ode to the group’s millions of fans around the world, but also a culmination of nearly five years of work and a reflection of the act’s maturing artistry.
(Yonhap)
Fronted by lead track “Lullaby,” a rhythmical urban deep house track about the sweet feeling of love, the 16-track album features solo tracks by every member of the group, with lyrics and music by all the band members.
Introducing each of their songs during a press conference for “Present: You” in Seoul on Monday, the members said they have become more confident in the course of their K-pop careers and a series of world tours.
“Our confidence is based on our efforts. In the past, we were very aware of our shortcomings. But this time, as mature artists, we wanted to showcase our confidence,” Jinyoung said.
JB chimed in, saying, “I think we gained some peace of mind over the five years of our career. I’m not sure if there was a particular motivation behind it, but I guess we’ve grown through our activities.”
(Yonhap)
With the band full of diverse personalities and backgrounds, the new album showcases music of different genres and messages.
Leader JB, who crafted the solo track “Sunrise,” introduced his song as a blend of moody melodies and light lyrics, with lines such as “Let me enter your deep universe and heart.” The singer shared that his opinion on the song’s sonic style had clashed with that of Park Jin-young, head producer of the band’s agency JYP Entertainment, but he ended up sticking with his own views.
“Actually, Park suggested me to make the song richer in sound. But I told him that I wanted to forgo such embellishment and make a song that shines with lyrics. And he finally accepted my opinion,” he said.
(JYP Entertainment)
Other bandmates also spoke about their solo tracks.
Mark said he wrote the solo track “OMW,” an abbreviation for “on my way,” on a plane during the group’s world tour. In the song, he talks about his dedication to success and ongoing efforts.
Jackson opted for powerful sound and positive messages of youth and passion in “Made It,” while Jinyoung leaned toward the softer side with “My Youth,” also a song about youth and a positive future.
“It’s a story not only about me, but also all of us. I wanted to depict how people forget their first time doing something and forget the meaning of it. I made the song in the hope of keeping my initial mindset and continuing to grow up,” Jinyoung said.
Youngjae sang about the dark feelings of loneliness and pain in “Nobody Knows,” an experimental track based on the Vaperwave genre. Yugyeom showcased his skills as a songwriter and a choreographer in “Fine,” for which he created the song’s dance movements by himself.
“I seem like a positive and perky person, but I think I’m the opposite of it. I have lots of worries over my talent, and I am a very competitive person. I hope people can find comfort with my song,” Youngjae said.
Elevating the album’s mood, Bam Bam’s “Party,” is a mix of hip-hop and house, an uplifting song about throwing a party and enjoying life.
The album also includes “Enough” and “I Will Protect You,” songs crafted by JB, as well as “No One Else” and “I Am Me,” in which members Yugyeom and Jinyoung took part in songwriting and composing.
What makes this album even more special is that it has been released in four languages: Korean, English, Chinese and Spanish.
“After meeting our fans all over the globe through the world tour, we’ve been wondering how we could communicate with them in a more direct way. And we thought, singing in their own language would do it,” Jinyoung said.
“We feel blessed and grateful for being loved in countries we’ve never visited before. I felt proud of it, and we hope to become a group that can further promote K-pop,” Yugyeom added.
GOT7 recently wrapped up its “2018 Eyes On You” world tour, which brought it to 17 cities across Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
(lotus@heraldcorp.com)