"I will prove what kind of singer I am"...MONSTA X Kihyun's current status [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

"We have returned with quality and messages more confident than ever. Through this activity, we will clearly show that 'Kihyun is someone who sings songs like this.'"

MONSTA X member Kihyun returns as a solo artist after about four years. Having passed through the passion and concerns of youth in his 20s, he has now entered his 30s. Through this third solo album, he puts a clear "period" on his musical identity and stamps a new "seal."

Recently, Kihyun held a roundtable interview at Starship Entertainment's office in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of his second mini-album "BORDERLINE."

The title track "So Good" is a song about the sense of liberation and freedom that comes only when one finally trusts their own senses and choices amidst countless answers repeatedly forced upon them by others.

Regarding this title track, Kihyun stated, "While the vocal difficulty is much higher than in my previous two solo albums, all seven tracks on this album feature strong, dynamic sounds with bold self-expression. Among that intensity, 'So Good' best showcases my vocal color and most accurately represents where I stand now. It was a challenge for me personally, but I chose it as the title track."

His first encounter with "So Good" came like fate. Kihyun still vividly remembers the moment he first heard the song in the waiting room during the U.S. "Jingle Ball" tour last December.

"I was in the tour waiting room when my manager asked, 'How about this song?' and played 'So Good.' From the moment I heard it, it kept looping in my mind and wouldn't leave me alone. I became convinced that it was the perfect track to fully realize the slightly husky yet rock-optimized voice I have been pursuing. Although four out of the seven tracks were title candidates, causing much deliberation, 'So Good' left the strongest impression on me from start to finish, so I ultimately decided on it as the title track."

Then what does "where I stand now" mean for Kihyun, who is in his 10th year since debut and has passed thirty? He explained the unique weight of this album by reflecting on his solo filmography.

"If my first solo album 'Voyager' was a song that announced an exciting start as a solo vocalist, allowing me to sing freely and play around, and my second album 'Youth' was a process of bringing out pure emotions and youth while gathering my own musical colors, then this third album, which I faced while spending my 30s, is the album that puts a definitive seal on all the musical colors I have accumulated so far."

Kihyun continued, "As my life has also gone through a process of maturing, my music has matured accordingly. I believe I have now reached a stage where I can perfectly showcase 'my own music.'"

"BORDERLINE" will be released at 6 p.m. on the 7th via various online music platforms.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.