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| ▲ This image of K-pop singer Kang Daniel is provided by ARA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- “I’ve never been under a deadline because of my job before, but staying up all night with a friend for three days writing a song brought a lot of stress. Still, looking back, it was a fun and intriguing experience.”
Singer Kang Daniel shared his thoughts on trying his hand at songwriting for the first time while preparing for his new mini-album "Glow to Haze" at a press conference held in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday.
“I had basic knowledge about songwriting, but I avoided it because the stress was intense,” he said. “But it’s a great medium for expressing my own story, and it has a different appeal than lyric writing, so I decided to take on the challenge.”
Kang’s sixth mini-album "Glow to Haze" captures the journey of love as it shines brightly at first but gradually loses its light. The album includes five tracks, including the title track "Episode", and "Love Game", which he wrote and composed himself.
The title track expresses the excitement of love through Latin rhythms and R&B elements. It portrays various episodes that occur when loving someone passionately.
“It has Latin tones in the drums and a European feel in the verse,” Kang explained. “I thought it would be a song I could perform well as a solo artist, so I chose it as the title track.”
"Love Game", which Kang Daniel composed, is placed as the third track. The song’s lyrics reflect the stress he experienced during the creative process.
“I was stressed because I had to finish the song quickly, and I connected that pressure to human relationships,” he said. “It expresses the question of why we can’t let go of a relationship, even when we feel tired of it or get hurt.”
Having debuted as part of the group Wanna One and now entering his seventh year as a solo artist, Kang shared his desire to show a wider range of himself as both a singer and songwriter. He noted that with experience, he’s gradually gaining a clearer vision of the kind of music he wants to create.
“Though I’m still not completely satisfied, I’ve built up a decent amount of data and expertise,” he said. “Since I started music relatively late, I believe I still have a lot to show—and no real limits.”
He added, “I want to keep working as a songwriter. As a composer, I can present more sentimental and emotional music—something I can’t always show as a dance artist.”
With the new album release, Kang Daniel plans to be active in various ways, but he also revealed he will take a break later this year to fulfill his mandatory military service.
“I plan to show as much as I can as a singer before I enlist,” he said. “I want to say goodbye with meaningful activities.”
He also expressed his artistic ambition to create music that stirs imagination and emotional connection.
“I hope when people listen to my songs, a scene or a certain color comes to mind,” he said. “I want to create music that listeners can emotionally connect with based on their own personal experiences.”
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