#wings.audio

⟡ To be honest, I am not sure what I can say about Kihyun's artistry that isn't abundantly clear from his studio and live performances. If I say that I believe he is one of the most competent vocalists in the genre, it may sound like an understatement — although it is not something I say lightly, and I mean it with my whole heart. His level of musicality is built on a strong foundation of fundamental skills and would not be possible without it. Minhyuk once described him as a stone that does not shake in the wind, and to me this also embodies his steadiness and reliability in the recording booth and on the stage no matter how challenging the primary and secondary (e.g., ad lib) lines are asked of him and no matter how deep they are into a rigorous concert set. Kihyun excels at singing high and singing loud (genuinely), but he also has a wide and well-supported range, and I appreciate the opportunities to enjoy his lower/mid end and lighter moments just as much as his robust belting. I understand why Hyungwon loves composing for his voice (who wouldn't?). Kihyun has been a strong singer since the beginning of his career and makes many of his parts seem effortless, yet most of all I respect his commitment to growth despite how much effort it takes to improve when you are already among the best of the best. He was honest with himself about when he felt his abilities plateauing, and he sought a way forward by resuming vocal lessons. We are fortunate as fans that he is also open enough to share that with us. I didn't think I could love and respect him more, but for that personal strength and dedication to his craft, I did. I do.

Postscript, to listeners. This was a challenging set of excerpts to compile (and even more to order) because Kihyun has many, many parts throughout the MX discography that showcase his abilities. As with my other compilations, it strives to capture a breadth of his output while also being very much biased toward my own favorites (Crescendo/Lost in the Dream/AND occur successively because they carry the most gut-punching, emotional weight to me). But I expect to revisit these in the future and would love to hear about your favorite moments in the tags. ♡

Postscript, to Kihyun. I miss you. Kpop is not the same without you. At the same time, I am so proud and happy for you that you are continuing to make music, as it is such a core part of your being and (if it is not presumptuous to say) brings you fulfillment and joy. I am absolutely tickled that you play the trombone. I hope you are having the best possible time playing in the band (and that your low brass section is delightfully weird, as tends to be the case — with lots of love to low brass players, from a percussionist who overheard all your shenanigans), and I can't wait to see how this musical experience contributes to your transformation and growth as an artist.

.⟡.

While contemplating what a feat it will be to pare down all my favorite Changkyun musical moments in his eventual full (rap + vocal) compilation, I decided to console myself with a separate post dedicated to his vocal (melodic) introductions in songs. In other words, any time he is the first main voice heard, and he is singing rather than rapping. To the best of my knowledge, this is every MX song that met those parameters to me. I didn’t expect it to be 19 songs, and I didn’t expect this to be over 6 minutes long (although I did consciously make the choice to include the entire instrumental beginnings).

I will save the full ramble rant reflection for that future, full compilation, but I just have to say here (as if it is not obvious every time the #wings bari agenda possesses my keyboard) that I LOVE his vocal timbre. His is actually the voice in mx most likely and with little effort to make me want to swallow a bucket of glass or eat a wall. Changkyun may not be a “main vocalist” by the kpop genre’s standards and preferences, but he is my beloved gentle baritone, he is irreplaceable, he is one of a kind.

(No one asked, but my absolute favorites from this list are Beautiful Liar, all the ones from Shape of Love, If with U, One Day... Blow Your Mind... ok it's hard to pick favorites beyond that because I love them all.)

I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from the king himself.

⟡ Back after too long with the second entry in this little audio compilation series for my not-so-secret fifth beloved of Monsta X, the one and only Jooheon. Where do I even begin? I should provide some context for my general music tastes, which do not include a keen interest in rapping. It takes someone special to sink their hooks in me in that arena — and Jooheon is unequivocally someone special. He is an immensely skilled and versatile composer, writer, producer, rapper, and singer. I do not say this lightly: he is in a tier of musicians that fully lives, breathes, and embodies music. You can hear and feel the intention behind his musical decisions in every single note and syllable. His abilities as a rapper and singer clearly feed into and support one another, from breath support to tone control. He has, in my humble opinion, some of the greatest diction in the business. His performances are explosive and captivating, whether he is barreling through a rap verse with both speed and clarity (대동단결), building to a literal roar of emotion (too many to list here), or drawing you to the edge of your seat, air leaving your own lungs, as he deliberately ends a phrase with no breath left to give (Mercy). I respect him so much as a musician — as a creator and performer always challenging himself to reach new heights. I realize this compilation is heavily skewed toward my favorites (and the arbitrary limit I'm giving myself is only 1 true solo song per comp), but I hope it captures the intensity of his range as both a rapper and singer.

⟡ Kicking off a little audio series of some of my favorite Monsta X vocal moments with Minhyuk, a versatile tenor with a unique timbre that has swept me away the more I’ve gotten to know it!  This compilation may seem to favor Reason, but in my (brainrot’s) defense, he sings over two octaves on their latest mini-album and one of my goals is to highlight as much of each individual’s range as possible. I included many of my favorite moments, phrasing and context permitting, and veryyy roughly presented them in ascending order (with some exceptions to alleviate some of the abrupt shifts in mood).

I am very partial to Minhyuk’s range in approximately F4 to C5. He can sound incredibly sweet there (If With U) yet also really dig in when the moment calls for it (Got Me in Chains, Rush Hour). Also his range, as already mentioned and showcased especially on Reason, is just... phew, breathtaking. I love the contrast between his low, nasally Gambler opening or the moodier The Dreaming against how magically floaty and nimble he can be in passages like the bridge of Got Me in Chains. If you’ve been on my blog for five minutes, you probably know that tenors have to work a little harder for my undivided attention, but he has captured it with his unique tone and musicality, and I’m always delighted to hear him tackle new challenges (looking at you, Crescendo!).