WENDY Takes Comfort to a Whole New Level With First Mini-Album
Red Velvet’s WENDY curates a comforting playlist with her first solo album. Fostering an inimitable sense of warmth and ambiance, the singer proves her successful debut as a solo artist.
Double Title Tracks: “When This Rain Stops” & “Like Water”
One of the artist’s title tracks, “When This Rain Stops,” is a song that will embrace and hold you tight when you’re having a bad day. In this ballad track in which the sound of the piano creates the song’s central foundation, WENDY showcases her smooth, yet powerful vocals that add emotional weight to the lyrics. Effortlessly hitting high notes, the artist pours her emotions, genuinely singing “That often it is okay to stop for a moment / and rest” and “When this rain stops / Just breathe once again.” The singer’s voice is more than captivating; leaving an unerasable presence of comfort in the place of the sentiment of sadness, WENDY gifts listeners a hug and words of encouragement.
“Like Water” is a truly beautiful song that shines a light on WENDY’s angelic voice. Accompanied by acoustic guitar strumming, “Like Water” evokes nostalgic, yet incredibly comforting vibes as the artist expresses her gratitude for her loved ones staying by her, singing the hopeful message of the journey ahead. Surely, the artist’s extreme fluidity as a talented vocalist stands out as a striking feature not only in this track, but the whole album. The vocal range and controllability that WENDY exhibits in this song encompasses a unique strength that touches the heart of many listeners. Delivered in WENDY's naturally powerful voice, the lyrics play a crucial role in establishing and intensifying the emotional presence that “Like Water” presents. The opening lyrics––“Lean on my shoulder / You can close your eyes”––serves as the starting point where the story unfolds, and the last set of lyrics––“By the time you open your eyes / Everything will be alright”––strengthens the core meaning of the title track, emitting an unforgettable moment of radiant warmth. Ultimately, the parallel between the two phrases acts as a catalyst that adds a sense of completeness to the title track and enhances its sentiment.
The music video for “Like Water” is simply shocking––in a good way, of course. It’s like there is no other way to describe it except that it is a work of art. First and foremost, WENDY’s stunning beauty is definitively expressed throughout the video, generating a mystical aura. The cinematography flows in perfect correspondence with the highs and lows of the track “Like Water,” accentuating certain moments through techniques such as slow-motion and utilizing variations in composition. Placing a variety of transitional scenes individually featuring a cassette tape, a fish, and trees waving with the wind behind the colored glass windows, the music video builds up the visual aesthetics that the retro vintage filter functions to amplify even further. The recurring color palette is another element to look out for; from the matching tones of red paired with minimal black and white, to the white color scheme with hints of blue, the colors manifest the calm, yet hopeful mood of the track, emitting a wave of nostalgia in the air. Overall, the film––presenting a minimalistic take without the external clutter of extravagant features––manifests the artistic nature of WENDY and denotes the singer’s aesthetic in the language of a visual medium.
Like Water––The 1st Mini-Album
WENDY’s first mini-album consists of five tracks total and three tracks aside from the double title tracks, presenting the vocalist’s diverse charms.
The contemporary R&B track “Why Can’t You Love Me?” exhibits the romantic air of the spring season, as if it illustrates the image of a pair of lovers walking alongside cherry blossom trees in the midst of falling flower petals. The combination of the rhythmic tune of the guitar harmonizing with the bright sound of the piano forms a flawless match with WENDY’s sweet voice. The heart fluttering sentiments emanating from this track will definitely bring a smile to your face.
“초행길 (The Road)” incorporates a minimalistic sound set that multiplies into a complex mixture of sounds to accompany the dramatic progression of the song. WENDY communicates the melancholy sentiment that arises from the sudden return of a memory with her previous lover at a road that seems new, yet familiar. With the track experiencing a dynamic development, the singer adds a depth of emotion that encapsulates the listeners’ full attention.
Transitioning from an emotional atmosphere to a lively one, “Best Friend (with Seulgi)” wraps up Like Water––The 1st Mini Album. A lighthearted ballad with a hint of jazz, the track portrays the notion of gratitude for loved ones staying by their side and making the promise to maintain this precious friendship. Seulgi’s mellow voice comes to harmonize with WENDY’s sweet vocal, naturally blending with the melodic background instruments to amplify the lovely harmony of the two singers.
Offering a spectrum of genres across five different tracks, Like Water––The 1st Mini Album is an assorted pack that surely presents WENDY’s stylistic vocals and marks a notable advancement in her music journey. With a powerful voice that pulls at the heartstrings of listeners in a multitude of ways, the soloist epitomizes the ideal character of versatility, something that every artist strives to achieve.