No standard sadness would satisfy the queen of melancholy. Famous for her heart-breaking ballads, she reaches deeper with each track she releases. And what's more touching than a song titled 'Dear Me'? Hearing this, I realised there's only so painful a break-up can be; you know the hurt from losing a lover will heal eventually. The pain of not believing in yourself will stay with you for life. The song includes the intimate acoustic riffs of '11:11', hits the lofty heights of ballads like 'U R' and even hints of 'Voice''s angsty rock. You would think such a collage of genres would end up a mess, but this track slides from line to line as smoothly as Taeyeon's silky voice. With 'Spark's refined counterpart, the queen of Kpop has struck again.
In My Tragedy, Taeyeon gives us the only thing the title was missing. Darkness. The accordion-mimmicking first few chords give it an unmistakable touch of tragic humour, true to the song's name. The song itself rolls slowly forward, snowballing with intensity as time goes on. She releases such immense pain and strength in the chorus that it feels like she's unable to go on. When it gets too much, she's followed by growling electric guitars showing what she couldn't say through their stormy melodies. This track is surprising to say the least, but a fast favourite.
Drawing our moments feels like two songs in one. At its start, the tender guitar and sweet piano create exactly the comfortable atmosphere she sings about. It feels refined, grown up, like she doesn't have to be dramatic, but can still hold the depth of emotion. At times, the flute in the background makes it seem like a meditation soundtrack. Then, it changes. The song soars into glittering heights with the power to give you goosebumps - but it's no longer anything new. She belts out her deepest emotions in a way that would bring you to tears, but it still feels like she's stepped back into her comfort zone. Though it's a stunning track, after the crazy 'My Tragedy' and the unforgettable 'My Voice' some months ago, this song seems like a step back.
Nonetheless, this mature and beautiful single cut deeper than ever before.
Kpop Review Café's Overall Ranking: 6.5/10
Written by Krystal