Korean artist Doyoung from NCT has released his first solo album titled ‘Youth’. The title references the metaphor of stepping back and seeing the beauty in the chaos of youth. Doyoung wanted to show who he is as a person and share his story. The concept of youth is a familiar one for K-pop artists transitioning into early adulthood. However, Doyoung, at almost 30, reflects on his experiences with more wisdom.
The idea for the album flowed out of Doyoung once he had hit on the concept of ‘Youth’. Before, his initial lyrical sketches had been rejected by the company but on ‘Youth’, Doyoung claims two writing credits, a fact he attributes to a fresh honesty in his storytelling. In making the album, he crafted PowerPoint slides with his ideas, spent hours on single lines, and was hands-on through every part of the album. The process was certainly different this time with Doyoung taking control and putting more of his genuine experiences and sincere feelings into the album.
The album focuses on the passage of time and the march of time. Doyoung’s thoughts on time are reflective and the inspiration for many songs on the album. Cozy coffee shop tune ‘Time Machine’ is a duet between lovers who accept that, if they could turn back the years, everything would turn out the same
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