Suho Soothes Souls With Self-Portrait
Suho is no stranger to us, as the leader of EXO has always been one of our favorite vocalists to melt our hearts without fail. After years of serving as a leader and being part of one of the most powerful boy groups, Suho has finally made his debut as solo artist. On March 30, Suho made his entry into the industry with his debut title track, “Let’s Love” accompanied by the first mini album, Self-Portrait.
The Title Track: “Let’s Love”
As expected from the back-to-back aesthetic portraits and teaser images, the song is a sweet rock ballad emphasizing the artist’s honeyed vocals. “Let’s Love,” a classic rock track, urges the audience to fall in love again. The song is highly pleasing with its western rock instrumentals and mellow vocals, making the track a pure delight to the listeners. Suho also stated that he named the track with regard to the relationship between EXO and EXO-Ls, which makes the album even more personal to the fandom. The singer also makes sure to extend his arms to his new fans around the globe by directly addressing them as “My Love” to make them feel right at home. The new release marks a new beginning for the singer, as Suho gracefully requests his audience to accept him as all he wants is to love, “All you need to do is just open. Let’s love now, My love, my love.”
The Music Video
Complementing the gratifying audio, the music video reveals serene and aesthetic visuals of Suho. The music video is initially shot in a dark room emphasizing the singer’s angelic features and switches him to a worn-out museum kind of set up, where he sings before a single yellow portrait that is hung on the wall. The music video concept also blends well with the theme of the album, as the plot focuses on finding yourself. Without much dependence on flashy lights and settings, the video itself turns out to be simple and artistic, making it one of a kind. As an admirer of Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Suho gets to feature himself in a form of painting at the end, leaving the viewers at peace and feeling blissful.
The Album
The mini album, Self-Portrait, consists of a total of six tracks including the title. The album begins with gentle keyboard notes leading the listeners to the first track, “O2.” The name of the song is the chemical formula of oxygen, expressing the need of a lover being as important as oxygen. With Suho’s passionate verses and building up instrumentals, the track is sure to wrap the listeners with warmth. The lines sing, “Hold me close, kiss me hard. Show me where you wanna go,” which indeed serves as a best invite for the upcoming tracks in the list.
Following the title, “Let’s Love,” is the breezy and gentle track, “Made In You.” The track is set on a lighter note, as the protagonist confesses his feelings to a loved one. With figure snaps and soft beats, the song sets a brighter mood during the listen. The sweet sounding chorus also sets hearts aflutter, as Suho dearly sings, “So I’m made in you. Girl you make me one of a kind. I’m a star meant to shine only on you.”
“Starry Night” brings a sudden shift in the mood, as the song is more of a melancholic melody. The song sings about the regrets of break-up, as it was a starry night being in love. The regrets grow deeper as the verses reflect on the past memories and symbolizes love to be a satellite. The subtle music accompanying the desperate lyrics, make the listeners empathize along with the singer.
The fifth track with the same name as the album is a rock ballad reflecting on the lover’s positive influence on the protagonist’s life. As the name suggests, “Self-Portrait” deals with the importance of painting one’s own portrait while being in a relationship.
The sixth and final track of the album, “For You Now” is a collaborated piece of Suho and Younha. The melody is more of a song of gratitude to people whoever helped the artist in the past. With a little regret of not thanking earlier, the singer promises to be grateful and be the support they need today. The entire album gets to end with these heart-felt tear jerking words, “Thank you, it’s your turn now. I’ll return to you the feelings you gave to me. Forever, forever,” giving the listeners a sense of fulfillment and a forever promise.
Being a self portrayal product of Suho, the entire album is a rollercoaster ride binding us with various emotions. The strong emotions and passion can be felt through the album as the singer shows himself in the best form for his listeners. Perhaps it is the originality that brought the unique flavors in the album. Personally, I am so proud of what Suho has brought to the world and it makes me even more emotional to think and reflect on his journey as an artist in the industry. Apart from the fandom celebrating their leaders' work, the album can be a way of comfort to any listener.
“Let’s Love” Title Score: 9/10
“Let’s Love” Music Video Score: 8/10
Self-Portrait Album Score: 9/10
Did you enjoy listening to Self-Portrait? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!