Son Tae-jin (36), a singer who crosses over classical, crossover, and trot, reflected on the path he has taken as he released his first full-length album. He felt shy about the fans' praise that “Son Tae-jin is a genre itself,” but expressed his hope that there would be music associated with his name.
On October 28, Son Tae-jin released his first regular album ‘SHINE’. He recently met with Maeil Business Star Today, achieving a career high by surpassing 100,000 copies in initial sales (sales within a week of release) and ranking his title track and other songs on the Bugs adult music chart, a major domestic music site.
In the interview, Son Tae-jin said, “I have been preparing for my full-length album since the beginning of this year, and I was half worried and half excited about how it would be received. This is my first full-length album under my name. It was a moment when I realized it was a new beginning. The album contains seven songs of various genres, and I hope at least one of them can resonate with the fans' hearts.”
In this album, Son Tae-jin presented a total of three title tracks: ‘Mask’, ‘Flower’, and ‘I Will Call You’. He said, “When you listen to the three songs, you might wonder if it’s the same singer because you can feel different colors. ‘Mask’ is a genre that only I can do, while ‘Flower’ is a song that the public can listen to more easily and comfortably. ‘I Will Call You’ is a song I participated in composing.”
‘Mask’ carries a message of hope wishing for bright days to come for lonely youth, while ‘Flower’ embodies a heartfelt confession of love to a precious person. Additionally, ‘I Will Call You’ is a song that expresses intense and earnest feelings for a loved one. Notably, the main title track ‘Mask’ features lyrics and composition by Kim Jong-hwan, a singer and poet who has received much love for songs like ‘Reason for Existence’ and ‘For Love’, drawing attention.
When asked about the collaboration with Kim Jong-hwan, Son Tae-jin said, “Kim Jong-hwan has such a sophisticated musicality. I directly approached him and said, ‘It would be great if I could receive a song,’ and it seems he had heard about me through someone else. He was watching my music and gifted me ‘Mask’. I was worried that the narration in the middle might come off as ridiculous, but he gave me confidence, so I decided to take on the challenge.”
He continued, “The song ‘Mask’ might be somewhat difficult to listen to and profound. Kim Jong-hwan said, ‘There are many singers these days, but it seems there are no new songs. We need to create lasting songs.’ Hearing that advice made me think that instead of a song with mass appeal, I should make music that only I can do as the title. So, I decided to make ‘Mask’ the main title track.”
Son Tae-jin, a graduate of the vocal department at Seoul National University, gained recognition as a member of Forte di Quattro, the winning team of the JTBC crossover survival show ‘Phantom Singer’, which ended in 2017. After continuing his active career, he participated in the MBN trot audition ‘Burning Trotman’ in 2022, once again lifting a trophy with his unique ‘high-quality trot’ singing style.
Did he not have any concerns about participating in another trot audition while holding the title of ‘Phantom Singer’ winner?
“At first, trot was unfamiliar to me. I worried a lot, thinking, ‘Will I lose what I have done so far?’ But I found that trot also has techniques and skills that have been influenced by overseas styles. When I looked at French chanson and Italian art songs, I noticed similar bending techniques, which were the same as trot. I gained confidence from that. I hoped that trot would not be far from the music I had done and that participating in the program would be a learning opportunity for me. (laughs)”
When asked about the secret to his success as a two-time winner of survival programs, he said, “Song selection is the most important. Survival programs inevitably have a set time limit. Within that time, you need to quickly find a song that suits you best. That way, you can secure a little more practice time.”
He continued, “Watching the competition, the strengths of the top 7 are all different. The first place in ballad, the first place in traditional trot, and the first place in performer types seem to make it to the finals. So, I always tried to incorporate elements that would highlight my strengths on stage. Of course, I think luck also played a part.” He laughed.
So, what is Son Tae-jin's ultimate goal as a singer?
He said, “When I hear music playing in a café, even if I don’t know the song, I often think, ‘Isn’t this the music of an artist whose voice or style I recognize?’ I want to grow to be like those seniors. I want to be a singer that the public listens to and says, ‘Isn’t this Son Tae-jin’s voice?’ or ‘Isn’t this Son Tae-jin’s song?’” His eyes sparkled.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
