A Look into SHINee Onew's Solo Debut With 'Dice'

"I wanted to do music that didn't limit me. This album marks the first."(Onew)

Shinee's Onew is back with an album of his own after three years and four long months. The album brings the singer's strengths to justice, and is filled with his gentle voice.

A few of the tracks are bubble gum pop and some are more mysterious. The album has allowed for the singer to enlarge his musical spectrum.

A press conference took place for Onew's mini album, "DICE" on April 11th. The host for the day was his group mate, Minho.

Onew expressed his excitement regarding the release of the album and remarked, "I'm both excited and nervous because it's been a while since I released an album of my own."

The album has a total of six songs. Onew commented, "Some of the songs are really energetic, and some are gentle and romantic."

The title track, "Dice" is a pop genre. "Dice" is a romantic tune with hints of synth sounds.

The lyrics unravels the feelings one gets when they find themselves falling in love. Love is described as an inevitable loss, and embarks on the emotions of having the desire to give one, your all.

Regarding his music, Onew commented, "I knew this was going to be my title track after hearing the rhythm for the first time. The optimistic atmosphere is a key aspect to the song."

Onew's comeback also comes with a performance. The choreography is meant to display the singer rolling a dice, just like the name "Rolling Dice."

The songs are generally pop. "Sunshine" however, is an electronic pop genre. Like most of his songs, his voice is the star of the show. The track makes one feel as if they are on vacation.

"On the Way" is a romantic tune. The background uses the sound of a guitar to accentuate Onew's beautiful voice.

The star revealed that the said track took the longest to record in the studio. He said, "It took a total of five hours. I was very detailed because I wanted to really give off feelings of romance."

"Love Phobia" is an alternative pop genre. The star remarked, "The track gives off a more modern vibe. The song contradicts feelings of uneasiness in love with a desire of wanting to love."

"Yeowoobi" uses a lofi guitar. The star explains the way he gets into character for his song. Onew exclaimed, "I had wanted to express something similar to a "Yeowoobi" (heavy rain) so I sang how I felt would be best with the track."

Lastly, "In the Whale" is a medium tempo pop track. Onew sings to the music, the drums and more. This specific song was personally written by Onew himself.

The album holds a significant meaning to Onew. It's both a challenge and a message. The star commented, "It's my first solo album. I think I need to broaden my spectrum even more."

Onew further explained, "I don't want to be limited to someone who can only do gentle music, I wish to be known as a singer who can experiment and do performances as well. The key is to be well-rounded."

Onew will be standing on stage alone for the first time. The soloist revealed, "It's overwhelming and there's a lot of pressure. I missed standing on stage with my group mates."

"My group mates personally came to see me on set. I thought I was alone but they were a big support system when I needed it most."

The idol further commented, "I'd like for my messages of hope and happiness to reach a lot of people out there. I'd like to be a singer who impacts the people in a positive way."

"I feel this album will be the turning point in my career in which I do things outside of the box. Please watch over me during this special time."

Onew's "Dice" will be released at 5:00 pm today (KST). An official countdown is taking place on SHINee's official YouTube Channel.

by. Hyejin Park