K-pop Solos Showdown: Woohyun, Tiffany, Jessica & More

If April was a galore of comebacks from your favourite K-pop acts, then May welcomes an impending storm of solo debuts (and comebacks) from the likes of Girls’ Generation, INFINITE and more. How did they fare in our books? Let’s find out.

Nam Woohyun (INFINITE) – Write

Our thoughts: The INFINITE member has kept fans waiting six years for his solo debut, and we’re finally getting one in the form of a solid 7-track record. A startling contrast to INFINITE’s usual dance-pop genre, Write showcases Woohyun’s soulful vocals in its rawest glory – in fact, every song is so masterfully crafted that they all have the potential to be the title track. Despite consisting of purely heavy ballads throughout the album, it’s incredible how the momentum barely dips and keeps you immersed in the music till it ends (and you’ll find yourself hitting repeat #TrueStory).

Worth a spin: ‘Write’, ‘Nodding’, ‘Scent’

Rating: 4.5/5

Tiffany (Girls’ Generation) – I Just Wanna Dance

Our thoughts: She’s 1/8 of Girls’ Generation, 1/3 of TaeTiSeo, and now, a full-fledged solo singer in her own right. Ditching the bubblegum sound SNSD took claim of, Tiffany’s I Just Wanna Dance debut brought onboard ’80s synth influences and slick electronica to create a refreshing album that’s easy on the ears. It’s certainly not your conventional pop production, but we like how the songstress didn’t choose to go down the radio-friendly route, and instead went ahead in pursuing the kind of genre she wants. We’re definitely loving what we hear so far.

Worth a spin: ‘Fool’, ‘Yellow Light’, ‘What Do I Do’

Rating: 4/5

Jessica Jung – With Love, J

Our thoughts: We’ve always had a soft spot for Jessica’s vocal colour since her SNSD days, and her new music definitely does it justice. A year and a half after departing from the biggest K-pop girl group, the multi-hyphenate finds her way back to K-pop with her solo endeavour, With Love, J – and goes head-to-head with former bandmate Tiffany, whoops. There’s the similarity of synth-driven elements, but Sica infuses her own flavour of summery beats and uplifting lyrics to make this album uniquely hers. We especially like her message of freedom in ‘Fly’, encouraging you to soar high because “your wings are made to fly”.

Worth a spin: ‘Fly’, ‘Big Mini World’, ‘Love Me The Same‘

Rating: 4/5

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Here are some upcoming solo comebacks to watch out for:

Jonghyun (SHINee) – Like
Expected release date: 24 May