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iuteamstarcandy · 1 year

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[TRANS] Album/Song Introduction - IU 5th Full Album ‘LILAC’

Album Introduction

“Hello to a flower petal-like hello”

“I’m moving on to the next step without any doubt on my mind”

Having shown us a preview of her glamorous ‘greeting’ to the end of her 20s, IU is back with her 5th full-length album [LILAC] along with the scent of spring. Unlike the first album of her 20s, [Spring of a Twenty Year Old], which was full of her honest and fresh emotions, IU’s full-length album in 4 years [LILAC] captures her emotions which have matured over the years, through 10 tracks showing varied perspectives of her 20s thus far.

This time, IU participated again as a producer, composer and also wrote the full lyrics for the album and had new collaborations with various local and international top artistes, experimenting with new genres and releasing high quality songs, raising expectations for IU’s ongoing musical transformation as she enters her 30s.

Top music video production teams in Korea, VM Project (Celebrity, Flu), Flipevil (LILAC, Epilogue) and Sunny Visual (Coin) also participated for this album. The sensory videos each with unique styles, created a great synergy with IU’s music.

The lilac flower which is used as both the album title and title track, represents ‘first love’ and ‘memories of youth’. Here is a greeting from a glamorous yet slightly lonely IU, to show her gratitude to everyone who has read the first page of her 20s to the last page.

Song Introductions

01 라일락 (LILAC) [TITLE]

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Im Su Ho / Dr. JO / Woong Kim / N!ko

Arranged by Im Su Ho / Woong Kim / N!ko

The story of a couple bidding each other a happy farewell amidst the exclamation that spring is coming, after passionately being in love for 10 years.

The opening song for the full-length album with the same title as the album is ‘LILAC’, which presents us with the thrill of spring with a gorgeous and rhythmic sound.//

A 70-80s disco sound that harmonises the rhythmical bass line with funky and pop elements brings joy to the listeners. Im Su Ho, Dr. JO, Woong Kim, Niko participated in the song composition.

02 Flu

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Ryan S. Jhun / Martin Coogan / Madilyn Bailey / Zacchariah Palmer / London Jackson / Jacob Chatelain

Arranged By Jacob Chatelain / London Jackson / Ryan S. Jhun

When writing lyrics about the subject matter of ‘love’, the feeling that comes to the forefront for me is ‘agony’. When I finally come to the realisation that this feeling called love has been bothering me to the extent of discomfort, I feel like everything in my body has become topsy turvy. The feeling is not exactly refreshing.

This song tells the story of a final rebellion in a desperate fight from being attacked by the love virus, after a fierce denial ended in vain and left me powerless.//

Written by the hit song composer Ryan S. Jhun and his composing team, which has worked together on a variety of music projects, ‘Flu’ has an urban beat, a catchy hook and a fantasy-like melody, adding to the song’s vividness. The unique detailed lyrics filled with IU’s wit and her risqué voice maximise the song’s appeal.

03 Coin [TITLE]

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Poptime / kako / IU

Arranged by Poptime

Stimulating things have an irreplaceable appeal to them, but eventually are detrimental to our health.

Let me play just one more round of this game that is detrimental to my health. //

A new genre that IU has never tried was created by combining a sample sound reminiscent of a game room at the start, with Poptime’s funky groove band soundtrack and IU’s melody. With IU’s glamorous rapping revealed for the first time through the song release and an unconventional drop part, this song with a concept that (IU) is trying for the first time since her debut, became a hot topic since the release of the teaser video.

04 봄 안녕 봄 (Hi spring Bye)

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Naul

Arranged by Kang Hwa Seong

Although there are still times that your name unconsciously comes to my mind first,

and occasionally there are sleepless nights like these,

I won’t think of this as my lingering affection (towards you) anymore.

Just a name I recall on a tiring day

or a coincidence I want to face again

The feeling of getting off at a small stopover early in the morning, just in case

The feeling of stretching out one’s hand to the wind gently blowing past, just in case

The feeling of calling out your name when looking into the vacant gaze of a cat, in case it’s you

So you’ve turned into a butterfly

Still as beautiful as ever

So you’ve turned into a bird

Free at last

You have come again today without fail

Thank you

It’s a relief to be able to wait again tomorrow

Let’s meet again on a good day. //

The song that top Korean singer-songwriter Naul gifted IU is simple and yet the understated melody with the EP and nylon guitar tune, carefully brings out the emotions of the song. The melodious monologue-like chorus and Naul’s calm voice deepen the song a layer further. The gentle bridge that leaves an impression is straightforward, yet adds a refined touch to the song. The poetic string tunes like the arrival of spring, together with the warm electric guitar sounds, completes the classic yet emotional contemporary pop sound.

05 Celebrity

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Ryan S. Jhun / Jeppe London Bilsby / Lauritz Emil Christiansen / IU / Chloe Latimer / Celine Svanback

Arranged By Jeppe London Bilsby / Lauritz Emil Christiansen / Ryan S. Jhun

I have a friend with eye-catching outfits, slightly unique taste, various talents, a defence mechanism that started out as shyness, a personality that differentiates the likes and dislikes for everything and because of all this, was often treated as someone who is eccentric.

I love my friend even more for all these characteristics, but for the same reasons, the friend received even more looks of hatred all this while.

These lyrics started out as things I wanted to say to my ‘eccentric friend’, but as I worked on this song, I realised that this is also my story. After completing the lyrics, I think it wouldn’t be unnatural at all for anyone to become the main character, besides my friend or me. Because in life, we would definitely have experienced a sense of alienation for not having met expectations set by others. Including my friend, I want to tell those who were born unpolished yet unique. You’re not ‘byeolnan’ (eccentric) but someone who is like a ‘byeol’ (star).

‘Celebrity’ is the preview to IU’s 5th full-length album after 4 years. The pre-release track that introduces the album, ‘Celebrity’, is an electronic pop song mixed with tropical house, covering a spectrum of genres, with the involvement of Ryan S. JHyun who has produced many hit songs, Danish composer Chloe Latimer, as well as IU herself in the song production, bringing the song to a higher level of completion.

In particular, the album art has the word ‘Celebrity’ scrawled by IU using her left hand, which makes it even more special. The lighthearted and classy ‘Celebrity’ track has a hook in the style of a drop produced with synthesiser and autotune that has not been used in IU’s songs before and combined with IU’s voice, makes it more refreshing.

06 돌림노래 (Troll Feat. Dean)

Lyrics By IU / DEAN

Composed By Park Woo Sang / JUNNY / DEAN

Arranged By Park Woo Sang

Even though it’s pathetic,

If it’s still love after all this, then it’s love. //

The much-anticipated collaboration between IU and DEAN has come true. Park Woo Sang, JUNNY, DEAN, jane participated in composing the song. With a reggae and bossa nova-based genre, IU and DEAN exchange honest words with each other about a relationship like a ‘circular song’ (Korean title of this song, although the English title is ‘Troll’).

07 빈컵 (Empty Cup)

Lyrics By IU

Composed By WOOGIE / PENOMECO

Arranged by WOOGIE

Instead of the cup of coffee that is filled to the brink with the scent of the panicked faced man who was unable to grab on to the woman who got up from her seat first, only the cold remains of the coffee stain remains scarred on the floor. //

Producer WOOGIE, hip-hop musician PENOMECO, and IU. In ‘Empty Cup’, which became a hot issue since the release of the tracklist showing a fresh collaboration between artistes who cover a wide music spectrum, a toned-down IU with a lonely voice, low-fi guitar sound and R&B based band sound, maximise the chic emotions of the song.

08 아이와 나의 바다 (My sea)

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Jehwi / Kim Hee Won

Arranged by Jehwi

I am unable to love myself perfectly

After nights where my heart was down bad,

Only now have I found my ocean. //

The ‘Through the Night’ duo, composers Jehwi and Kim Heewon worked together again on a ballad track. Despite a calm beginning, the grand sound that makes its appearance matches IU’s vocals full of energy, grabbing the attention of listeners for 5 mins and 16 seconds. Also, the rich performance by the string ensemble with 20 members add to the beauty of the song and IU’s powerful high note in the second half with the choir formed by Jehwi’s friends bring the song to a dramatic climax.

09 어푸 (Ah puh)

Lyrics By IU / Lee Chan Hyuk

Composed By Lee Chan Hyuk / PEEJAY

Arranged by PEEJAY

Lets hang out near the ocean until we’re sick of each other.

A refreshing sound with an attack feel, like surfing the waves, the clicking rhythm almost like a camera shutter and a dynamic melody, which bring out the fun lyrics written together by IU and Lee Chan Hyuk. Also, the comment from Lee Chan Hyuk that ‘this would fit (the description of) a modern interpretation of IU’s refreshing songs in the early part of her career’ adds to the various highlights of this song.

10 에필로그 (Epilogue)

Lyrics By IU

Composed By Shim Eun Ji / SUMIN / Kim Soo Yeong / Im Geum Bi

Arranged by Shim Eun Ji / Kim Soo Yeong

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the listeners who willingly shared in conversation with me without an annoyance throughout my talkative twenties.

Not the twenty-three-year-old IU, the twenty-five-year-old IU, nor even the IU last year (28), but the me of right now will now be moving on to the next chapter.

Goodbye ♥

-from Jieun //

Shim Eun Ji, the composer of the last track of IU’s first album of her twenties ‘Spring of a Twenty Year Old’, together with singer-songwriter Kim Soo Yeong, SUMIN and Im Geum Bi, wrote the last track of this album again which brings IU’s twenties to a close. Like a relieved greeting from IU, this is a ballad song that evokes a mysterious atmosphere with a low-fi sound from an old record player and retro feels.

Source: Melon

Translated by IUteamstarcandy

#IU #album introduction #LIlAC

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