Nayeon is the centre of the universe, and we’re all simply revolving round her. Along with her sophomore mini-album, ‘Na’, Nayeon makes certain we don’t take note of anybody else: in spite of everything, the phrase “na” means “I” in Korean. However greater than getting a little bit of consideration, the TWICE member is set to make everybody “fall deeper” in love along with her, as she sings on the challenge’s addictive title monitor ‘ABCD’, which powers by means of with much more zest than her viral TikTok hit, ‘Pop!’.
That single, and its accompanying mini-album ‘Im Nayeon’, was a testomony to Nayeon’s particular person skills past TWICE, and laid the groundwork for a promising future as an artist in her personal proper. With ‘Na’, Nayeon returns for an much more genuine celebration of herself. “I do know it’s not a should to attempt new issues and problem myself,” she tells NME over a Zoom name from Seoul simply weeks forward of the discharge. “However I feel it’s extra attention-grabbing to indicate completely different sides of me”.
Nayeon offers us an early soundtrack for the summer time with the seven-track assortment, which navigates by means of a mixture of Y2K pop (‘ABCD’), alluring R&B (‘Heaven’, ‘Magic’), UK storage beats (‘One thing’) and extra. “Within the course of of choosing songs, ‘ABCD’ actually stood out to me,” the Ok-pop star says. “I cherished it, and I believed it was appropriate for the title monitor as properly. I chosen [each song] in numerous intervals, however I bear in mind selecting ‘Butterflies’ and ‘ABCD’ as my favourites from the get go.”
‘Na’ additionally options collaborations with Sam Kim, AKMU’s Lee Chan-hyuk and KISS OF LIFE’s Julie – all artists that Nayeon adores. “I’ve all the time cherished [Sam Kim’s] music, nevertheless it was my label that advised the collaboration,” she shares. “For Julie, we would have liked a rapper for ‘Magic’, and she or he was the primary one which got here into my thoughts, so I advised my label that I wished to work along with her. And for Chanhyuk, I’ve all the time admired his music as properly, so I requested him to work with me on this album.”
Notably, although, Nayeon’s new launch additionally options three songs which might be totally sung in English – particularly ‘Butterflies’, ‘Heaven’, and ‘Magic’ – nevertheless it was a quest that the Ok-pop star gladly accepted so as to attain wider audiences. “Having a variety of experiences is the bottom for development”, she says. “I feel it’s an important alternative that Ok-pop is receiving a lot love globally, and it’s additionally an opportunity for us to satisfy followers all over the world”.
Whereas Nayeon has tried her hand at songwriting earlier than, contributing to TWICE album cuts similar to ‘Make Me Go’ and ‘F.I.L.A’, the singer reveals that she “determined to not” this time round as a result of she “aimed for this album to be past good”. And to succeed in that stage of perfection, she recruited a first-class workforce of producers and writers, from BTS collaborators Pdogg and Adora, to JYP Leisure co-founder J.Y. Park, to R&B singer-songwriter SOLE. “As a lot as it’s enjoyable and rewarding to work by myself songs, I’m not 100 per cent glad with [the ones] I labored on beforehand.”
Nayeon. Credit score: JYP Leisure
With nearly 10 years below her belt as a Ok-pop idol, Nayeon says she feels extra relaxed in comparison with when she first made her debut. She provides that these days she has “sufficient area to seek out pleasure and enjoyable in my career”, revealing how essentially the most enjoyable, but difficult a part of engaged on ‘Na’ was studying the dance strikes for ‘ABCD’. “I needed to study a brand new [style] of choreography, in order that was one thing I struggled with,” she says.
Bursting with highly effective shifts, the choreography for ‘ABCD’ is a complete cardio exercise, hardly ever waning down or stopping to catch a breath, very similar to the perky, plucky melody of the monitor. To not point out the thrilling dance break that’s featured within the music’s music video and dwell performances. “Typically my confidence dropped whereas I used to be studying, however each time my members raised me up once more,” she says, earlier than stopping for a second to reminisce, softly laughing to herself. “I cherished when the members commented that I appeared cool.”
Followers may need to attend till the following TWICE tour to see how cool Nayeon certainly seems to be dwell, with the singer revealing that there’s presently “no plan” for any “solo tour or concert events”. On the identical time, she’s fairly certain that new music can be simply across the nook. “The idea for this album got here after I launched the primary album, so I feel the identical will occur with this time properly,” she reveals. “After I wrap up promotions, possibly we’ll begin discussing plans for the following one.”
Nayeon. Credit score: JYP Leisure
Although, this shouldn’t come as a shock to followers who’ve been following Nayeon because the starting. She is all the time holding busy, whether or not it’s on new TWICE music, her solo profession, with vogue and sweetness manufacturers or connecting with followers over social media. “I’m a really passionate particular person and I’m very laborious working, and I additionally know learn how to declare what’s mine. I’ve fairly sturdy opinions as an artist,” she says when requested to explain herself.
“I’ve been on this enterprise for as long as a TWICE member and likewise as a solo artist, and followers have come to know me very well over time,” Nayeon provides, saying that she believes what followers see of her is a real reflection of who she truly is. “And lately my every day life, not as an artist however as a person, can also be on TV rather a lot, so I feel what you see is precisely who I’m. Not all of it, however most of myself is fairly public proper now.”
When she’s not dazzling audiences onstage, Nayeon likes to take a while away from her busy idol life. “I feel resting properly is de facto necessary. I attempt to do this in my very own method,” she says. “I recharge myself, and use the vitality that I get from resting on my skilled life.” However most of all, Nayeon likes to put down in mattress (or, as TikTok would name it, #bedrot) and pet Kookeu, her Pomeranian canine. “That’s how I stability it out.”
Nayeon’s second mini-album, ‘Na’, is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and extra.
