“Fighting!”
“Are you going to do well?”
“Do-hee will… figure it out. No worries.”
“Seo Yoon-ah, you need to let go of Do-hee’s shoulders.”
For some reason, it seemed like the older sisters were more pumped up than I was about to reveal the stage.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“You’ll be moving soon!”
I followed the calling staff to the back of the stage.
You could still hear it from the back.
—Wow!!
The pleasant cheers pouring in for the singer on stage before me.
If someone could play a hip-hop boom bap beat with drums and bass here, I’d feel uplifted too.
‘How about a Coral Blue song with a hardcore hip-hop vibe?’
That silly thought made me laugh.
“Hmm, ha…”
I closed my eyes.
I stiffened my face into a blank expression.
Even the cheers felt like noise to me.
This song has quite a dark vibe, unlike my usual style.
Nevertheless, the name of my new song is ‘I DO (到喜).’
I’m doing it.
I’m Do-hee… ha.
It sounds like I’m just PR-ing myself, but this solo song serves two main purposes.
“Ha…”
First, it’s a pre-release track to build anticipation for the postponed comeback day.
Second, instead of verbally getting caught up in messy fights, it’s a statement that Do-hee gets recognized by results.
Simply put, I really don’t like Mwave, and this is a revenge with a simple mindset of, “Let’s just announce a new song at WMA and see if we can break the ratings.”
“7 minutes left!”
‘In the end, the stage has to be the talk of the town.’
Thus, the direction of my solo song centers on performance and intensity above all else.
A song that everyone immerses in.
That’s definitely a different story than the difficulty level of playing the piano.
In reality, some of the high-difficulty pieces I received the grand prize for in competitions didn’t leave much of an impression on me while playing.
Those were more about spectacle and flashy techniques rather than immersive engagement.
And such a stage should be seen as closer to just a plain show rather than performance.
The stage was like sports.
In basketball, if you easily make a two-pointer by pushing your opponent with solid physicality and stepping back, you’d be a remarkable player.
But the essence of romance and cheers comes from the slam dunk that makes the court go boom!
The showmanship of sports is in the actions.
And.
The showmanship of music is in the song itself.
An attractive melody like a slam dunk.
That’s how intensity bursts forth.
So, simply relying on difficulty in the format was something to avoid.
The next concern was capturing a vibe that my target audience would likely enjoy.
“You’re going up in 5 minutes! Please get ready!”
This was simple.
Everyone, as I mentioned to my older sisters before, the main age group that will showcase my stage is still riding the Y2K boom.
It’s the style trending back in the era that can evoke Y2K vibes.
However, there’s one premise here.
I want this stage to go viral globally, not just in Korea.
Our upcoming comeback album is made with both the Korean and American markets in mind.
“I’m going to work hard because of my older sisters.”
I’m trying anything and everything to aim for Billboard number one.
Of course, I immediately thought of ideas without much hesitation.
A style that encompasses all the previous conditions and was trendy during Y2K.
The singer “Sweetbox” prominently borrowed it in the 2000s, and Koreans went crazy for it.
Even in the 2020s, idols frequently use it.
Originally, it was a culture born from African American music and hip-hop.
It’s a modern method that everyone can easily accept.
Sampling.
It even matches me quite well.
When I think of sampling, I recall classical music.
Classical music is my strong suit too.
“Though I’ve never done sampling before.”
So now, it’s time to decide which track to borrow.
It should have great performance quality.
A melody that’s immersive.
A masterpiece that everyone is familiar with.
And if it’s related to the 2000s…
“Wouldn’t that be the third movement of ‘Moonlight Sonata’?”
As expected, the trends of the past don’t change.
People enjoyed ‘Moonlight Sonata’ eagerly in rhythm games on 2G phones.
“So it must be the third movement of ‘Moonlight Sonata’…”
But I wondered, what kind of appeal could there be from simply sampling the melody of ‘Moonlight Sonata’ third movement?
What kind of performance could I possibly show?
“Now please wait.”
“Yes.”
I shifted my steps towards the stairs leading to the stage.
“Um… Fighting!”
“Yes.”
I calmed my mind and answered coldly, maintaining a blank expression.
Still, I slightly raised my thumb.
You’re just doing that for the fan heart.
“…Phew.”
Anyway, when pondering what kind of appeal could come from simply sampling the ‘Moonlight Sonata’ melody, the answer was…
There really isn’t one.
Ultimately, it would be a boring stage.
Could there be anyone who doesn’t know that I play the piano well?
It might sound a bit boastful, but I received recognition even from the classical world and pianists. Thankfully.
Even during my break from being an idol in my first year of high school, I re-entered a competition and won the grand prize, so I have concrete proof.
So, me going on stage now just to briefly perform the third movement of ‘Moonlight Sonata’ would be…
“Predictable… and boring.”
If that’s the case, why even watch an idol performance? I might as well be listening to a pianist who’s way better than me.
‘Of course, looking incredibly pretty is a crucial point too…’
Anyhow, there was a huge issue with sampling, too.
It’s the coexistence of pros and cons from a familiar melody.
It’s like I’ve already heard this song a hundred times over, yet it’s definitely appreciated. But… in the end, it gets boring fast.
It’s a fact that even Beethoven couldn’t escape, stacking up beautiful harmonic works while going deaf.
A strong craving for that German 6th chord wanting to move towards the 5th.
Rhythmic crescendos expressing urgency.
Sporozando bursting forth from a soft beat into harmonies.
Even just looking at the score from the front, the elements crafted from this overwhelming talent are present.
So, here’s how I improved my sampling method.
It’s all about borrowing the very distinct structural characteristic of the 3rd movement of the Moonlight Sonata.
Using ascending arpeggios.
That alone could definitely give off the feel of sampling.
But if that’s not enough, I’ll give even more of that vibe.
The second distinct feature of the 3rd movement of the Moonlight Sonata.
Right here, after this arpeggio ends.
A new bass melody emerging from measures 21 to 23.
The technique of simply repeating the accompaniment part played by the left hand in short notes to highlight the main melodic theme.
Exactly the Alberti bass technique.
I thought it would be good to draw from this.
I’ve incorporated two very distinct characteristics, so this is definitely sampling!
‘Hmm… Actually, this might be more of a reference than sampling.’
But that makes it even more intense, for sure.
Everyone will likely go through a series of thought processes.
─Huh? I’ve heard that somewhere.
─Is it the Moonlight Sonata?
─But isn’t the melody different?
─The accompaniment seems different too.
It’ll be a fleeting moment, but in that process, they’ll focus and immerse in the piece.
Familiar, yet a new sensation.
Intense yet not boring.
Hmm… it was a satisfying framework.
And if I’ve firmly constructed the backbone up to this point, now all I need to do is gradually add the flesh.
Melody, progression, and lyrics.
Plus, since it’s a modern piece, adding in some beats.
Of course, I didn’t forget.
This whole preparation for the song is the first step for showmanship.
For some time now, going viral has taken on a negative meaning in the Korean entertainment industry.
Yet for overseas fans, it’s still a positive term.
[Going viral]
Those overseas fans will excitedly upload trendy videos saying, “She’s going viral!”
And the fans in today’s audience will enjoy this moment on stage even more.
“Now, Do-hee is coming up!”
Everything needs to be wrapped up with a performance on stage.
I have to wrap this up.
I won’t forget.
*
Kim Seo-yoon hadn’t seen all the reactions yet, but she had already guessed from the vibrant heat of the audience she felt on stage.
Today’s year-end performance with the members was definitely above average, and it would surely be trending in real-time.
That was a feeling born from repeated experiences.
“Kim Seo-yoon’s vocals were insane again today.”
Still, sitting in the artist waiting area, Seo-yoon had long abandoned those thoughts, consumed by worry for the youngest on stage.
“…Ugh, why am I even worried about her? I should be prioritizing myself. At the very least, I need to stake my claim as the top vocalist among the 4th generation idols.”
Seo-yoon didn’t think of herself as particularly perceptive.
In fact, she felt that her emotional side often made her miss many points.
Yet, she could almost immediately understand Do-hee’s emotions, thoughts, and expressions.
It was more like a natural sense of empathy from recognizing her own feelings.
“Seriously, this isn’t some destined pair thing…”
It was probably because they had always been together.
But because of that, she felt frustration towards Do-hee.
She clearly liked them more than she was able to express.
Perhaps that was why, despite her exceptional abilities, she hid herself under the pretext of considering others.
A habit of not expressing her opinions and hiding them.
Of course, Seo-yoon’s challenging personality meant that this only bruised her pride.
So she just blurted it out.
“Just send me to number one on Billboard.”
Do-hee, the youngest, was the kind of person who set goals and relentlessly pursued them, and Seo-yoon knew that all too well.
“She says it’s not obsession, but it’s a mental issue. She really needs to go through some psychological evaluation. Seriously.”
Moreover, after expressing her feelings, Do-hee’s natural cuteness grew a little sweeter, while sometimes her tone was annoyingly cocky, making Seo-yoon wonder if she had perhaps said too much.
“Thinking about it makes me angry again. Should I just smack her while sleeping?”
Still, sitting in the audience, waiting for Do-hee to take the stage, Seo-yoon felt restless.
They had always been side by side on stage.
So perhaps that’s why she had unnecessarily squeezed Do-hee’s shoulder earlier.
For some reason, the younger one’s stage felt even more nerve-wracking…
“I don’t know. She’ll figure it out.”
So with that thought, she focused on the stage.
Under the dimmed lights, in the sunset and blue spotlight, was an old piano.
What on earth were they thinking when they set that up for a performance?
─Kyaaah!
─Fighting!
And with the buzzing sounds and the fan’s voice cheering amidst the unspoken quietude, Do-hee walked in, not even glancing at the camera, her expression blank.
Towards the piano.
Only sounds could be heard from the audience.
There was not a sound on stage.
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