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Singer Younha: Ups, downs inevitable in life

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Singer Younha released mini-album
Singer Younha released mini-album "STABLE MINDSET" with four tracks, Tuesday. The album is part of a seasonal series and another one will be released in winter./ Courtesy of C9 Entertainment

By Jung Hae-myoung

Singer Younha's mini album "STABLE MINDSET" has been well-received by fans who were anxious to hear her comeback after years of hiatus since her last album.

In late June, Younha, 31, met reporters for a roundtable interview at a small wine pub in the Hongdae area in western Seoul. She appeared calm and graceful, compared to years ago when she showed off her powerful vocals in 2008 with "Password 486."

Although an experienced singer with 12 years in the pop music scene, she is still searching for what genre is right for her, exploring different tastes and genres of music. After some experiments in her last album, Younha says her new album shows the best of her true self and genuine style.

"For the new album, I met many producers and composers. I also took the artwork of the album very seriously, and even went to the printing factory," Younha said. RecuE, her previous album, showed her experimental spirit with an exploration of EDM.

"Of course, I had struggled for the first five years, but for fans my fifth album might have been a shocker, I know," She said. "So for this album STABLE MINDSET, I tried to narrow the gap between me and my fans."

Younha said she tried to focus herself as a performer rather than a producer, in order to bring her best possible vocal capacity. She spent a long time on vocal training and changed her daily routine to keep up her strength.

"I think I lived like an athlete; I went to bed early and also made the studio outside my home to feel like I'm going to work or for training," she said.

The sound constitution is also kept to a minimal, using only hand instruments, such as piano and guitar. "I tried to make my vocals stand out more than anything. I selected instruments very carefully to not interrupt the vocals, and used tube microphones with less effects," she said emphasizing she poured her efforts into maximizing her vocal capabilities.

Younha said she had misunderstood the reason why her fans like her and her music.


"While I was working on this album, people around me told me about me and what they like about me and my music. They really comforted me," Younha said.

"I thought people liked me because I was ambitious and worked hard, but people presented a completely different point of view about me. After listening to their opinions, I thought 'Why I didn't just trust myself and let me be myself?'"

So she said she went back to focusing on what she could do best ― singing.


"Being consistent throughout life is not easy," Younha said. Although she tries to keep her identity as Younha, she is also a curious person trying several different things.

"I think what I like and what I think changes from time to time," she said. "Even with yoga, I need to try out different postures, fall down and get back up, in order to find the right balance. The narrator in my songs is also anxious and unstable. She tells she could not let go because she is obsessed with her past or past lover." She gave the album the name "STABLE MINDSET" in irony.

Her train of thought also comes from her experience trying out different roles as a producer and adding trendy music styles to her past albums.

"Making the album really made me grow. If I see something new and interesting, I have to do it until it ends. I also wanted to try out trendy music. So many things change in music, with new platforms, new tryouts, new ways of producing… While trying them, I realized what I can do differently in them," she said. "I couldn't just leave everything I have done."

There are younger artists who have years of experiences in those areas without distraction, and she did not feel it was necessary for her to follow the same thing.

As her album title hints, everything is part of something in the making.

"Everyone has ups and downs in life and they do even within a day. But Younha who slipped to the right is still me and the one who slipped to the left would still be me. I think these all come together in the end to make a better self," she said.

"During my teenage years, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and tried to achieve that goal. My 20s was the time I tried to make my dream come true. Stepping into my 30s, I began to wonder if the goals I set are realistic and attainable. What I am saying is different from just giving up, but rather drawing a picture while acknowledging the world is not perfect."

For most of the interview, Younha was honest about how she tried to deny some part of herself, but she also found ways to embrace that part and her past. Compared to her quirky, powerful energetic rock and roll girl band singer in the past, she seemed more settled with a firm hand.

"STABLE MINDSET" was released on July 2, with the lead single "On a Rainy Day" tossing and turning on the charts of music streaming websites. Younha debuted as a singer in 2004 first in Japan and 2006 in Korea. Her best-known songs are "Waiting," "Password 486," and "Comet."




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