mino for naver vibes

' 12 Songs Filled With Sincerity:  MINO is MINO '

2018.11.26

Link: http://naver.me/GTMyk7RN

 

First as a member of WINNER, and now as an artist standing before the general public with a new solo album on the market, Song Min Ho answered VIBE's questions about his honest sentiments toward his first album <XX> just before its release.

 

Q1. Tell us about the process you went through with your solo album. When and how did you start preparing for it, and what went into it from its creation to its release?

I had constantly been making music not for the purpose of releasing something but more as a habit. I made this and that whenever I had the time, but I think I formally started working towards a 'solo album' around January of this year. Then I discussed the formalities with the company, got the confirmation for the album release, and after that, I practically lived in the studio for about two months. Of course, including the WINNER album release, concerts, fan meetings, and media appearances, there wasn't a single part that wasn't important, so when I was done with my schedule for the day I would always either start or end my day at the studio.

 

Q2. We heard that you titled this album XX because there was no set limit and no answer, and that you wanted it to be interpreted in a multitude of ways. What's the overall message of the album?

It's just me as I am. With this solo album, I wanted to rawly convey a "me" without any hesitation, worry, or any sort of packaging. So including the songs, which are the core of the album, I also put in a lot of work into the package design, as well as the artwork within the album and the music video -- especially thinking about every single element and in what format it could best represent me.

 

Q3. We've observed how you've grown deeper and wider through your songs. Is there something that you always pay specific attention to while making music because it's a consistent part of Song Min Ho's individual style?

I consider 'sentence flow' as the most important thing when I'm writing my songs. I like it when lyrics have a smooth flow even when you're reading the text alone, and to structure them so that the contents can be imagined right away as though you're reading a novel. But sometimes, there are instances when I have to use a more direct expression in order to match the flow or the concept of the song. At the same time, I believe that these lyrics must have great 'deliver'. Not every listener is going to separately seek out the lyrics and read them while listening to the song, so I tend to go back sometimes and change certain words into more commonly used ones so that these people would hear what I consider the most important line in the song just once and be able to clearly understand and to remember. It's to the point where I'll make edits multiple times even as I'm recording.

 

Q4. It's the voice that delivers the lyrics, so on the vocal side, what's a part you really need to put effort into?

RIght. That's why I'm looking for a voice that's most comfortable to listen to. At the same time, I like to use diverse vocal tones to make a colorful composition. Sometimes I play around with the tone to deliver a feeling that it's someone else singing.

 

Q5. With the new release of your solo album, what's something you want to tell your fans as you stand at the starting line?

Our Inner Circle! You've waited a long time. I know the release was a bit belated due to unforeseen and unintentional circumstances, so I can only imagine that you've been waiting for this more eagerly than I have... So with that in mind, I'll try to make up for it with better promotional activities and good music. I am always so grateful for all of you, you are all my biggest source of motivation and inspiration, my muses! I worked hard on a variety of expressions for this solo album, and out of the many songs I've composed, I've narrowed it down to 12 tracks. Releasing a form of studio album that's packed with 12 songs is not an easy feat nowadays, so thank you so much to CEO Yang for trusting Mino and leading me this far! Anyway, let's all love each other!