YESUNG, 10th Anniversary Album ‘Where We Are’… Voice and Narrative Contained in 12 Songs

Super Junior's YESUNG has released his 2nd full-length album 'Where We Are' to mark his 10th debut anniversary. YESUNG released the album at 6 PM on the 6th and presented the title track 'Pedazos'. Like the song title, which means 'broken pieces', it captures the complex emotions remaining after a breakup through a modern rock sound. Starting with calm vocals, it gradually builds strength along with the band performance, and in the latter half, Spanish lyrics and passionate instrumentation are added.

This album consists of songs in various genres, including modern rock, city pop, ballads, and disco, including the title track. YESUNG took on self-directing, participating in the overall planning and production from music selection to creative visuals and styling. He was credited with writing lyrics for 9 of the included songs, and for 'The Forest Dwellers', he participated in both songwriting and composing. Regarding the title track, YESUNG explained that it is a song where his various emotions gathered, and said it would be a song that allows him to remember his self at that time even after time has passed.

The 2nd Full-Length Album, Participating in Planning and Visuals

'Where We Are' is the 2nd full-length album released by YESUNG to commemorate his 10th debut anniversary. YESUNG provided ideas and set the direction for the entire production process, not only for the music selection of the album but also for the creative visuals and styling. This means he personally looked after not only the music that makes up the album but also the visual elements and styling. For this comeback, YESUNG prepared the album through self-directing and reflected his opinions in various stages of planning and production.

The album contains a total of 12 songs, including the title track 'Pedazos'. In addition to the title track centered on modern rock, it contains different genres such as city pop, ballads, and disco. YESUNG participated in writing the lyrics for 9 of the album's tracks, and for 'The Forest Dwellers', he was credited for both lyrics and composition. The A&R representative who worked on the album production said regarding the composition of the work, "As it is organically composed to speak of growth and love within the theme of time, all 12 songs are works that fulfill their respective roles without exception."

Emotions After a Breakup Contained in 'Broken Pieces'

The title track 'Pedazos' is a dynamic modern rock song. The song title means 'broken pieces', and the lyrics deal with the complex emotions remaining after a breakup. The song starts in a calm and low atmosphere and gains more strength as it progresses. YESUNG's voice also continues calmly and composedly in the beginning, then extends with a refreshing and strong tone in line with the flow where the band sound grows.

The lyrics contain the afterimage of the person who left and the emptiness after the breakup. The passage "Your persistent afterimage remaining inside my empty self" sings of the memories that remain even after the partner has left. It continues to recall moments of the past with the lyrics "That small smile of yours that I could hold in my hands back then," and follows the change in emotion with "Now I can't hide it because I'm suffocating, it passes by me chillingly." The empty atmosphere of the song unfolds as YESUNG's vocals and the band performance are added.

In the latter half, Spanish lyrics appear, and YESUNG's vocals and passionate band performance escalate together. It is a composition where the calm beginning of the front part and the strong sound of the back part are connected within one song. YESUNG compared this flow of the song, where emotions and arrangement change, to his own life. He also introduced the background of the song as an experience where the excitement of hearing the title track for the first time and the worries faced afterward overlapped on the same day.

A Day Where Sunshine and Excitement, Worry and Fear Overlapped

YESUNG described 'Pedazos' as "a song that resembles our lives." Explaining the day he first heard the song, he stated, "I first heard it while riding a taxi on a sunny day, and I felt excited and good, as if I had found an answer I had been waiting for a long time, thinking 'I've finally met my title track.' But at that moment, I suddenly received a call that my mother was unwell, and because completely different emotions rushed in instantly, many thoughts crossed. I realized again that life is something where various emotions inevitably exist at the same time. 'Pedazos' is also a song where my diverse emotions, including the sunshine and excitement of that day, as well as worry and fear, are gathered."

YESUNG's explanation of the song connects to the dynamic progression of the title track. He felt the joy of having found his title track when he first heard it, and after hearing the news that his mother was unwell on the same day, he also experienced worry and fear. He said he put the experience of different emotions existing all at once into the song. YESUNG also expressed his affection for the song, saying, "I think it will be a song that allows me to remember, 'This is the kind of person I was back then,' even when I listen to it again after time has passed."

Vocals and Album Direction Directly Filled by YESUNG

'Pedazos' captures the way YESUNG's vocals change according to the progression of the song. Starting from a low and calm introduction, as the band sound gradually grows, strength is also added to his voice. In the latter half, the Spanish lyrics and the performance escalate at once. The entire album includes city pop, ballads, and disco in addition to modern rock, so various genres can be heard within a single album. YESUNG personally oversaw the entire production, including music selection, visuals, and styling for this album.

Participation in lyric writing is also a part of the album production process. YESUNG participated in writing the lyrics for 9 out of the 12 songs, and for 'The Forest Dwellers', he took charge of both lyrics and composition. The A&R representative stated that the album was composed to tell stories of growth and love within the theme of time. YESUNG contained the capabilities he has built up over the years in this 10th anniversary album and expressed his desire to continue singing in the future. He said, "I want to sing until the last moment of my life."

YESUNG released his 2nd full-length album 'Where We Are' at 6 PM on the 6th. The album includes 12 songs, including the title track 'Pedazos', and YESUNG's self-directing is reflected in the overall production, including music, visuals, and styling. The title track was released, capturing the experience of various emotions explained by YESUNG and the dynamic composition of modern rock.

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