K-Pop band NCT member Ten launches solo career

SEOUL — Member of K-pop group NCT Ten is stepping into his solo career with the release of his first solo EP, eight years since his debut.

“I feel very nervous and burdened, because this is the moment I have waited for a long time,” Ten said during a press conference held in Seoul, reports Yonhap.

“But I enjoyed the process of preparing for the album, whether recording it or filming the music videos, and it was also fun to discuss the album’s concept with company staff.”

Debuting as the sole Thai member of the 26-member boy group managed by SM Entertainment in 2016, Ten has also participated in various subunit activities within the group, including NCT U and WayV, as well as in SuperM, a project group comprised of seven members from four SM-managed boy bands.

He showcased his potential as a soloist by releasing several solo singles, including ‘Dream in a Dream’, ‘Paint Me Naked’ and ‘Birthday’.

His first EP, christented ‘Ten’ features six tracks, all sung in English, according to the website.

Having released several singles, all with flashy concepts, deciding on the concept for his first solo album was the most challenging, he said.

“I discussed the fashion concept extensively with company staff, suggesting it be flashy yet simple,” he said.

“I wanted people to see me first and the costume later.”

Leading the album is ‘Nightwalker’, a rhythmic and addictive pop-dance song with a mysterious atmosphere and lyrics about the feeling of being drawn to an irresistible presence.

The album also carries five other tracks of different genres, ‘Water’, Dangerous’, ‘On Ten’, ‘Shadow’ and ‘Lie With You’.

“I’ve shown a lot of powerful and flashy sides of me so far. Tracks like ‘Lie With You’ represent a side that hasn’t been shown before,” he noted, describing it as a “simple easy-listening song.”

Ten expressed his bend towards “alternative music.”

“I enjoy alternative music. I also like it when hip-hop and pop blend together,” he said.

“Since I haven’t explored many music genres alone yet, I believe I can show even more diverse sides of myself in the future.”