Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
Who is NAYEON?
NAYEON has been in the industry for ten years, debuting in JYP Entertainment’s survival show group TWICE. They have had consistent hits over their ten-year career with nine members and have become a global force. On their recent tour, they performed at iconic stadiums. According to USA Today, “TWICE became the first female K-pop group to headline MLB and NFL stadiums including SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium.” TWICE have found themselves as one of the most popular girl groups to come out of Korea. The only other girl group performing at these stadiums is BLACKPINK. Additionally, TWICE has 121 music show wins, which is the most for any girl group, and are just behind BTS, who are at #1.
After every member re-signed with JYP Entertainment, NAYEON debuted as a soloist for the first time in 2022. She debuted with a mini album, IM NAYEON. It featured the cute title track song, “POP!” The track was a soft, bright summer song that fit her vocal range perfectly. The song went mega-viral on TikTok as the choreography shows an iconic hand-movement dance. Sportskeeda stated, “With her first solo mini-album, ‘IM NAYEON,’ the singer has become the first K-pop soloist of any gender to enter the top 10 of Billboard’s famous Top 200 Album chart.”
She has now made a comeback two years later this summer, deeming it NAYEON season!
“ABCD” Review
On June 14, NAYEON released her second mini album, NA, with the title track “ABCD.” “ABCD” is NAYEON’s “Crazy In Love” moment, talking about how once she likes someone, they will be hers instantly. She went for more of a mature concept compared to the bubblegum pop song “POP!” As she enters her solo endeavors, it is important not to stick to one sound. NAYEON is pushing the limits as a soloist for this more adult comeback. “ABCD” is spelled out in the chorus. The chorus translates to, “Ayy, you’re gonna be my babe. Every time you see me fall deeper, deeper, babe. (Hey, listen to me now) A-B-C-D, over and over again I’ll teach you how to fall in love.” She spells out ABCD with “Ayy (a)…be my babe (b)…see me (c)…fall deeper (d).”
I personally think that this is the best song she’s ever released. NAYEON challenged herself to a new concept that felt more age-appropriate for her. The best part of the song is the pre-chorus and chorus because of how catchy they are. They create an infectious tone with high energy and perfect vocals. The music video for “ABCD” elevates the song times 100. She starts the video by crashing a car and having everyone’s eyes on her. Full of self-assurance, NAYEON gets out and struts in an iconic outfit exuding all of the confidence. There are multiple outfit changes, including a nerdy outfit and a dance break outfit. The dance break gives Beyoncé energy and she looks amazing. For the dance break outfit, she had Louis Vuitton knee pads, a white top and denim jeans. NAYEON kills the dance break and shows she truly is an all-around artist.
NA Mini Album Review
Similarly to her first mini-album release, NA has no skips and is truly full of hits. Every song fits perfectly and captures the energy of summer. Summer is officially NAYEON’s season because every time she drops music during this season, it’s perfect music. The best song of this project has to be “MAGIC.” The incredible JULIE, who is the leader of KISS OF LIFE, features on the track and the pair-up is truly a match made in heaven. Production-wise, it has a mystical feel to it, with the flute in the instrumental playing against a strong bass. NAYEON sings, raps and overall sounds incredible. JULIE adds another dimension to this song with her strong rap tone and silky vocals. This song talks about a girl being with a guy and feeling magical and otherworldly.
“HEAVEN” is a close second favorite because of how amazing her vocals sound. It features Sam Kim, who adds a male perspective to the track, which I personally think is outstanding. NAYEON has done a bunch of features on this album, as well as her debut, but they don’t sound forced. They sound perfect and truly don’t sound like they simply slapped someone on a song just to make it a feature. NAYEON matches their voices well due to her incredible range. The six-song project is truly a must-listen for everyone.
According to the Times of India, NA debuted at #1 on the iTunes Worldwide Charts and, as of June 20, is still sitting at the top. “ABCD” has soared to the top of the charts all around the world as well.
