[Exclusive Interview] Yerin Baek "If the previous work was like a fairy-tale... the 2nd album is like an honest diary" A small face that is revealed between long, blonde hair and a white mask. The shy girl who smiles like the crescent moon at dawn is Yerin Baek (23) indeed. Imagined as the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ running in reverse breaking K-pop’s concrete rule with a hammer. A special girl who has decided on her type (style) ahead of time, just like Dido’s cosy vocal tone and Whitney Houston’s excellent singing. However, the first impression I had of Yerin Baek in my mind was ripped apart upon meeting her for the first time at the record label ‘Blue Vinyl’ in Mapo-gu on the 3rd. She had expressed her feelings ahead of the release of her new work as “embarrassing” and “scary”. Yerin Baek will be releasing her 2nd album ‘tellusboutyourself’ on the 10th. This full-length album comes after a year of her first album ‘Every letter I sent you’. She who was reluctant to be interviewed (previously) said that she would like to meet an interviewer this time round to talk about her new music. Yerin: “There was an upheaval (experienced) in my life while making the album. I met bad people and I have gone through moments where my personality has changed a little after experiencing a lot of things.” (Like) a glass bottle containing those moments still hidden away, we managed to listen to the 14 songs from the 2nd album on this day. From Chicago House in the 1980s, UK’s Garage Sound in the 1990-2000, to Indie Pop and Dream Pop in the 2010s…, a diverse sound spectrum and new experiment that is once again breaking and expanding Yerin Baek’s world. Yerin: “If the previous work was as beautiful as a fairy-tale, the new work will be showcasing the edgy sides of me just as they are which makes me a little worried.”
The ‘F-word’ will also be making its appearance in the title track ‘Hate you’. The new work will be kind of a concept album that acts as a record of Yerin Baek’s year. Yerin: “I have arranged the songs in the album in chronological order according to the days they were written, like a calendar. The working title of the tracks were all dates like ‘0123’ ‘0216’. It’s actually a little scary because it feels like my diary is being revealed.” In the K-pop scene where (the use of) capital and strategies is rampant, Yerin Baek has written a meaningful successful story. While she debuted under JYP Entertainment in the her early 10s, she set up her own one-person label and went independent last year (at the age of 22). She has been writing and composing all of her own songs, with some songs composed and arranged together with producer Cloud (Birth name: Ko Hyeongseok, 29) from Indie Rock band ‘Bye Bye Badman’. Yerin: “I have earnestly started computer programming since last year. The new work will have increased proportions of songs where I personally chose the sounds and participated in the song arrangements.” At the Korean Music Awards in February this year, Yerin Baek won three trophies including the highest honour of ‘Album of the Year’. Last year, it was the first time in the history of Korean pop music to have a Korean artist topping major charts with an English song (‘Square (2017)’). The new work’s title ‘tellusboutyourself’ is the username Yerin Baek recalls for her fictitious Instagram account. Yerin: “It is a request to the countless selves within oneself to “please tell me about yourself”. It’s a little complicated right?” The completeness of the new work is astonishing given the seemingly divided sounds of the countless selves. There are several house music style songs including ‘0415’ and ‘HOMESWEETHOME’ where the bass drum is down to every beat. Yerin Baek’s unique alluring vocal tone and her singing of a painful love is like gracefully walking down a thorny velvety runway. The first half of the album will be going through a rosy antinomy. With a dreamy saxophone outro, the memorable 3rd track ‘I am not your ocean anymore’ is like a mixture of “Whitney Houston’s R&B and Washed Out’s Dream Pop” (Cloud). Mounted with a bold twist, the 5th track ‘Ms. Delicate’ is tightly woven with discernible Latin percussion sounds. Over a dreamy electronic piano, the 4th track ‘Hall&Oates’ is a tribute to the influential American duo in the 1970s and 80s ‘Hall & Oates’. A change to this new work is the participation from a new joint song arranger Bang Minhyeok. Yerin Baek said, “I was able to be more courageous when making choices like (incorporating) drastic breaks and musical transitions.” The lyrics in the album this time is also 99% English. This is because of its soft pronunciation that fits well with her singing. Yerin: “The poetic metaphor of Blossom Dearie (1924~2009) and the straightforward details of Amy Winehouse (1983~2011) as English lyricists. I was greatly influenced by these two differing styles at the same time.” Yerin Baek also enjoys rock music. She not just appreciates it as a listener. The four-member rock band ‘The Volunteers’, which includes her and Cloud, will have their official album scheduled for release around March next year. A poster of the British rock band ‘Wolf Alice’ is hanging off of Yerin Baek’s room. Yerin: “I have always been afraid of being in front of people because of my (introverted) personality. That’s why it was tough for me as a (JYP) trainee. I was a person who was extremely afraid of being evaluated in front of everyone.” However, the fear of being cut off from the world by others was greater than that of leaving a big company to become independent. Yerin Baek said that out of all the lyrics in her new work, she is the most satisfied with what is contained within the song ‘Hate you’. ‘You are strong enough to overcome this/Because people like me can write better songs through people like you.’ The present Yerin Baek seemed stronger than ever. Yerin: “Just like how I have come this far by listening to good music, I hope my music can be of a good influence on the younger generation. Like BoA who raised me, Light & Salt, like Yoo Jaeha’s music, just like that.” - Source: naver.me/58h1cR8B Translation by yerinBsupport
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