Bobby becomes first YG young artist to release solo album
Bobby pose before the press interview at a cafe in Mapo, Seoul, last Thursday. / Courtesy of YG Entertainment
Singer regrets IKON fans’ boycott of band’s souvenir
By Kim Jae-heun
Rapper Bobby of IKON, YG Entertainment’s latest boy band, has become the first to release a solo album.
While individual members of YG Entertainment’s most successful groups BIGBANG and 2NE1 each have solo activities _ notably G-Dragon and Tae Yang from BIGBANG and CL of 2NE1 _ chief producer and the owner of the entertainment company Yang Hyun-suk has not allowed any of the young YG stars to pursue solo careers.
Bobby had been writing songs for his enjoyment and kept sending them to Yang for feedback, which he thinks helped him become the first among the young YG groups IKON and WINNER to release a solo album.
“It is an honor for me to release a solo album,” said Bobby during a press interview at a cafe in Mapo, Seoul, last Thursday. “I did not write songs intending to release them on an album. I have just enjoyed producing music for a long time and hoped I could share them with fans.
“The biggest difference between Bobby in IKON and Bobby as a solo musician is that I get to express more things of my own and talk about everything I want to when I am alone. When I am rapping in IKON, I only get a few seconds in a three minute song that seven members share,” said Bobby.
Bobby has taken a break from his intense rapping skills in his new music and chosen emotional melodies to harmonize with lyrics about love and relationships.
The title of the album, “LOVE AND FALL,” says it all.
He included the word “Love” because most of the tracks are about love stories, and the word “Fall” signifies the autumn season, and the double meaning of falling in love and collapsing. Bobby explained that love and fall contrast each other and he chose two opposing words to show how one can fall in love but collapse during the relationship.
“LOVE AND FALL” consist of 10 songs all written by Bobby including the tracks “I Love You,” and “Runaway.” Yang particularly recommended “I Love You” as the first single as he explains it is less profound and easier for people to listen to. It is Bobby’s first attempt at a fast-tempo melody with a cheerful tune. “I Love You” is repeated in the chorus, despite the lyrics of a couple’s relationship collapsing over time.
Bobby’s favorite song is “Runaway,” which he wrote based on his lonely life as a trainee back when he was 20 years old.
“My friends would always tease me that I am stuck in the practice room dancing and singing and that I cannot go traveling with them. I really wanted to go out with my friends but I was not in a position to, then,” said Bobby.
“Honestly, my mom does not like the song Runaway. It talks about my hardship as a trainee and she feels sad listening to it,” he added.
The singer also expressed his regret of an IKON fan’s recent announcement on boycotting the K-pop act’s souvenirs.
Fans criticized Yang for keeping his K-pop bands in hiatus and not allowing them to release a new album. It took WINNER over a year to release their fourth mini-album since the third in February 2016.
Bobby says Yang is not the one to be blamed and it was the band that was not ready to release a new album.
“I understand our fans have decided to boycott our souvenirs because they really miss us and want to hear our new songs and we are trying our best to satisfy them. We don’t want to disappoint our fans and we are working days and nights to present our best songs as soon as possible,” Bobby said.