"I first dreamed of becoming a singer at the age of eight, and 19 years later, my dream has come true."
The album marks Jihyo's first solo effort. After 9 years of her debut, she goes by the name of Jihyo, not TWICE. She will begin her own story with her first mini-album 'ZONE'.
We should forget the lively Jihyo of Twice for now. She will present a mature and bold performance. The excitement, desire, and anxiety of the moment of falling in love were expressed through intense choreography.
Her vocals have also changed. As a member of TWICE, her voice was powerful and high-pitched. This time she challenged the bass in reverse.
Jihyo confidently replied, "I did my best. I don't think I will regret it no matter how it is received. I put 100% of my effort into it."
On August 19, Jihyo held a press conference at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul. She shared a deep and sincere story about her solo debut and album preparation process.
◆ Putting her old dream into 'Zone'
Jihyo put all her stories in 'Zone'. The name of the album has a meaning: 'Zone' means Jihyo's (Z) first (ONE) album.
At the same time, It also means Jihyo's (Z) perfect work as a whole (ONE). Jihyo said, "I put healthy and bright energy like me in the album."
She wanted to convey many things through the album because being a solo singer has long been Jihyo's dream. She said, "it wasn't the label that decided on the concept. It was my assignment to figure out what I wanted to do."
Even though it was harder than she expected, she eventually reached her goal. When she was working on the songs, she thought, "I'll show you all the music I can show".
Jihyo said, "It's fortunate that I released a solo now." She reflected, "Over the last 9 years, I have gained a better understanding of myself. Through this process, this album was born."
◆ Written lyrics and composed 6 songs
'Zone' contains a total of 7 songs, including 'Killin' Me Good' to 'Talkin' About It', 'Closer', 'Wishing on You', 'Don't Wanna Go Back' (with Heize), 'Room', and 'Nightmare'.
Apart from the title song, Jihyo wrote six songs herself. She pointed out, "I worked on a lot of songs myself, as well as came up with the theme and concept," and added, " In this album, I focused on the things I wanted to show the most."
She put charm that she haven't shown before. She explained, "As a member of TWICE, I was responsible for the high notes. This time, I wanted to show the low notes."
She has also worked with foreign artists. She collaborated with famous American rapper 24kGoldn on 'Talkin' About It'. According to Jihyo, it is the only English song.
The title song is 'Killin' Me Good' with rhythmic and groovy sound. Jihyo's powerful vocal and performance fulfilled the potential.
The acting in Jihyo's music video is particularly impressive. It captured every moment of Jihyo's falling in love. She portrayed excitement, aspiration, and anxiety while dancing in the pouring rain.
◆ Continuing to grow, enjoying every moment
Were there any pressures on her first solo album? Jihyo emphasized, " I do not aim for grades." She added, "I prepared my album without shame. I have already achieved my goal. I hope you enjoy it comfortably."
Jihyo is a member of a girl group in her ninth year of debut. In preparing for her solo album, she looked back on the time she spent. The singer says it was a time of 'growth'.
Jihyo stated, "During the tour, the most noticeable improvement was in the way I interacted with the audience. In the past, I was nervous about every stage and rushed to finish it. Now I can really enjoy the stage."
Her identity as a team member was also preserved. "Ten years ago, I imagined standing on stage as a team," she said.
She added, "I am not sure if I am able to continue receiving the same kind of love, but rather than thinking negatively, I want to choose to be happy."
She concluded, "Singers give good energy to many people when they enjoy the stage themselves. A performance on stage that brings joy to others is the greatest satisfaction for a singer."
<Translated by=Jiwon Kim(Dispatch)>
