LEE CHAEYEON Proves Everyone Should Know About Her with 4th Mini Album "Till I Die"
With her most sonically mature project to date, K-Pop soloist LEE CHAE YEON wants to prove that everyone should know about her. Till I Die is the artist’s 4th Mini Album, coming two years after the last release of her third EP, Showdown. Formerly a member of South Korean-Japanese project girl group IZ*ONE, LEE CHAE YEON’s new sound is the most true to herself the singer has ever been. Her mini album plays like a coming of age movie, each track an exploration of her musical identity that exhibits her growth as an artist since her last comeback.
Till I Die showcases LEE CHAE YEON’s range as a solo artist, opening with “Know About Me.” “Know About Me” is a hip-hop/R&B track that kicks off with a catchy guitar riff followed by a grandiose synth, introducing CHAE YEON’s vocals to the song like the main character in a movie. The song is reminiscent of Y2K girl groups, and lyrically CHAE YON tells us that she is here to stay through lines like “And now I made my mark / So bring it down / Another round, love me or not” and “I’ve been living that dream / But they don’t know about me.” Between confident high notes and a whisper-like chorus, LEE CHAE YEON playfully lets the world know who she is, but also hints that she hasn’t shown the world what she is entirely capable of—until now.
LEE CHAE YEON shines in her title track "No Tears On the Dancefloor," where she is credited as a lyricist. By seeing her tears as diamonds, she turned her pain into something beautiful, and spotlights the central theme of the project: the artist’s personal journey of finding herself through her solo career, and her perseverance and resiliency that ultimately allowed her to find her own voice. This catchy dance-pop track transports listeners to a retro-inspired disco heaven where despite your hardships, the dance floor becomes somewhere you can be free and your truest self. The string-forward outro leaves space for a dance break, proving that her destiny is to be what many might already know her as, a “performance queen.”
Following “No Tears On the Dancefloor,” “I’m Waiting” reflects hope for the future after enduring adversity. Highlighting LEE CHAE YEON’s delicate vocals, the song is laced with the excitement that comes from possibilities of the unknown. Synth-pop paired with lyrics focused on having the patience to heal and wait for something better, this song conveys an optimistic tone to the listener and indicates a promising future for the artist.
“BAD” is a bold, bass-heavy departure from the rest of the mini album featuring both LEE CHAE YEON’s vocals and rap. Immediately following “I’m Waiting,” “BAD” is an exploration of identity for the artist and a highlight of the project. With the career that she has at only 26 years old, the world is her oyster and LEE CHAE YEON wants to have fun. Amongst the horns in the pre-chorus and the playful rap and adlibs throughout the song, the singer has a blast with this one.
The final track on this mini album is an emotional reunion for LEE CHAE YEON, a song equally as full of love and longing as it is a dialogue with her fans. “How Are You” is a stripped down song with minimal synths, an acoustic guitar riff, and lyrics like “How are you? Been so many years since last time we talked.” LEE CHAE YEON is speaking directly to the fans that have patiently waited for her since her last comeback, and shows how much love she still has for those—romantic or not—that she hasn’t seen in years.
LEE CHAE YEON wants everyone to know that she’ll keep doing what she loves until she dies. Through Till I Die, all of the elements come together to display her newfound confidence and freedom, as well as her curiosity for different genres. This release marks a new era for LEE CHAE YEON, and with devotion not only to her craft but herself, we can confidently say that this is just the beginning.
Listen to 'Till I Die' below: