TWICE is releasing this year. They discussed the anticipation surrounding their final leg Ready to be tour with RS in February, before the group's latest album, Together with YOU — and here we are four months later, and the group still has three shows next month in Japan. Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu always bring new music and concerts to their fans, ONCE, and while the rest of the group took a short break from touring, Nayeon was busier than ever .
Nayeon was the first member to release solo music since TWICE two years ago, with her debut EP, I'm Nayeonwhich featured “Pop!”, which we also included on our Best Songs of 2022 list. And now he's back with To, out today. While her debut EP may have been more quintessential, Nayeon shares a more mature sound with To. We caught up via Zoom to talk all about the making of her latest solo release.
Hello! It's been a long time. I'm not sure if you remember, but we actually ran into each other at a coffee shop the day after your concert in Vegas. How have you been since then? I'm sure you've been busy preparing for the release.
Oh yes, I remember! He was very busy. I'm preparing a lot, filming a lot of different content, from social posts to variety shows, that will be out in the lead up to the release of the EP.
I know you've been touring for a while, so I'm curious to know when you started preparing.
We started planning and thinking about the album at the beginning of the year, but the actual production started in February. So it's been a few months in the making.
How would you describe? To? What kind of album is it for you?
I think it shows a lot of growth and maturity. There were a lot of styles on the album that I've never done before, or ones I'd normally find difficult. So it was definitely a challenge for me. I remember once we spent seven hours without rest in the studio for a recording.
What is your favorite piece?
My favorite song is definitely “ABCD”, but besides that, I also really like “Butterflies”.
And on the other hand, what was the most challenging or difficult song for you?
Although “Butterflies” is one of my favorite songs [laughs], I think it was still one of the hardest to actually record.
I noticed that there is a lot of English in the EP. “Butterflies”, for example, is an English track. How was that? Is there a new phrase or word you learned while preparing?
I learned a lot of English while preparing this album because I wanted to make sure I got all the lyrics right to convey the tone and emotion correctly. I looked up several words to be sure. “Butterflies”, actually, was a new idiom for me. I didn't know that this word can be related to love or a feeling of excitement. I thought it was really cute. There's also another line that's cute, something with a mouse and cheese…
Oh, the mouse that wants cheddar!
Yes, “I love you more than a mouse loves cheddar.” I thought that was such a fun and cute way to describe the feeling — like I'm the mouse and I love you like cheese. [Laughs.]
I'm sure this was intentional, but the name of the EP, To, comes from your name and means “I” in Korean. As was the first EP I'm Nayeon, which is your full name, but could also be read as “I am Nayeon”. I assume the other options being released were along those lines as well?
Yes, there were a few different options. [Laughs.] IMPOSSIBILITY, NAYEON-competent, Yes-attractive. I think most of them also had something to do with my name. To it was what really stood out though. Much more compared to the other options. … I think for all of TWICE's solos, like Jihyo's Zone Also, the label thought it would be a fun idea to associate the solo releases with the names of the individuals.
What are the most relatable song lyrics on this EP?
I don't know if I would say to mention, necessarily, but I really liked the lyrics of “Magic”. It's a very confident song, so I thought the lyrics were fun.
What was it like working with the three different artists credited on the album, Sam Kim, Julie from Kiss of Life, and Lee Chanhyuk, who produced “HalliGalli”?
We haven't actually met in person to work on the song. [Laughs.] But they are all artists that I really admire and wanted to work with. Working with Chanhyuk was really fun. I've seen him from afar over the years at music shows and beyond, but never really met him. It was a new experience for me. He is an interesting person — interest in my standards.
You wore many different outfits for “Pop!” I remember the Louis Vuitton towel was one that was talked about a lot. Do you have a favorite “ABCD” outfit?
There's an outfit in the music video where I'm wearing a hat—I've never danced in a hat like that before, so that was new and fun for me. I also really liked my outfit where I wear jeans and a white tank top. It was a very simple, yet clean look.
What was your favorite scene to shoot?
There's a scene where I'm dressed in a school uniform and have all the boys wrapped around my finger. I thought it was a fun and cute scene to shoot.
How would you say this album differs from your first? In the first, apparently “Pop!” it was a hit, but I also really liked the other tracks, like “No Problem” and “Candyfloss.”
Oh thank you. I think this album definitely has a more mature vibe.
Have your members or other artist friends all heard the album? What were their reactions?
All the members have listened to the album and had really positive reactions. And as for artist friends, Yeri from Red Velvet heard it too. Interestingly, they also really liked the centerpiece, “ABCD.”
There are so many amazing female soloists with new music here in the US right now, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish to name just a couple. Are you inspired by them?
I've been listening to Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish's new album a lot lately. Ariana Grande is an artist I have admired since my earlier days and an artist I continue to admire.
Next year is TWICE's 10th anniversary already! What do you think 2015 Nayeon would think of the Nayeon you are today?
It's truly shocking how quickly 10 years can go by. I think 10 years sounds like a long time, but it really did go by so fast. I'm just grateful that I've been able to be an artist with longevity that continues to grow.
Do you feel like you've accomplished the things you may have dreamed of years ago? Like world tours, stadium shows, for example?
I feel like I didn't understand the concept of a stadium show or how big venues are, back then. To be able to receive love from our fans for so long is something I am so grateful for.
People will definitely remember “Pop!” for the next few years since it was from your first album, but how do you want to be remembered for your second one?
A cool one. [Laughs.] As this is my second album, I hope it will be remembered as a reflection of my growth and I hope people recognize and anticipate the new side of me and remain curious about my different sides.
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