On March 11, 2019 my same 2 friends and I went to another K Pop concert, although this time it was a solo artist named Sunmi. This was very interesting for me because I hadn’t heard any of her music before apart from a single song, as i found that the solo singers didn’t carry the weight and intensity that I enjoyed in the bigger groups music. I was more than impressed with the show.
One of her top hits is called “Gashina”, which had a great drum and synth accompaniment. Its tempo made your head bob, and was successful in muting instruments in order to change the mood and build up the song. What stood out about this song (and in retrospect, most of her songs) was the fact that the instrumental parts were what really made the song, and the singing is more or less just a guide to the drops and instrumentals. However, this song (also among others) included some notable lyrics about being powerful and unstoppable, and having a good time on the weekend. It honestly felt kind of empowering, and made you want to dance when the beat dropped.
Very similar to the above, although with a more passionate feeling was Sunmi’s “Heroine”. This song was categorized by 3 parts (A, B, C). A was a slower part, B was moderate tempo an C was the instrumental drop with adlibs. It repeated twice with slight modulations in the repetition, and was very dance inspiring. The stage dancers were doing crazy dancing on stage, choreographed to the music (as intense and passionate as it was!). It was truly a show stopping performance and was definitely one of my, and my friends, favourite performances.
To slow things down, Sunmi played her song “Siren”, which starts with her singing melismatically ooh-ing. Later on in the song she sings a “la-la-la” part. Both parts are very catchy and are repeated throughout the song. These parts are the siren in the title of the song – a constant wailing throughout the song. Whether it be in your face like “la-la-la” or in echos like the “ooh’s”, it is there sounding the alarm. They had laser lights and fog around the dance floor, as she sang “Get away out of my face…” as she tried to escape her lover. It was a very cool concept and was executed well! They even include a part where they half-time the song to make it sound as though she got caught, but then it breaks with her escape once more.
The concert was very disappointing short, lasting only 45 minutes at max. However, it was a great show to be sung by one woman. She ended her concert with her song “Black Pearl”, the only song I knew going into the concert. This song I always liked for its smooth jazz saxophone solo part way through the song. The whole song (Black Pearl) has a wavy feel to it, from the high reverb on the piano to her trailing off voice. It all made for a very intriguing song and when seen live, was more than captivating. It left me entranced and eager for more, which is probably why I am so sad that the show was so short. It’s okay though; I am just left hungry for more at this point. I am ready to see my third K Pop concert now!