Nine days before her twentieth birthday, PURPLE K!SS’ Swan released her solo debut single album, Twenty (Prod. JungKey). Swan, the youngest member and one of their main vocalists, became the first to release solo music since PURPLE K!SS’ debut in 2021. This single includes the tracks “Twenty,” “Be my everything,” and English versions of both songs. Though the single only includes two original tracks, if “Twenty” is anything to go by, Swan’s career can only rise in its potential.

“Twenty”  

The “Twenty” music video features different aspects of what it means to reach 20. When viewed at higher resolutions, the intentionally grainy video quality establishes the nostalgic perspective. The opening shot shows Swan as a high school student, still in her adolescence but soon reaching the end of it. This coincides with the first verse, which reflects on a young girl finally grown up and afraid to face the next stage in life. According to Swan, the other outfits signify these traits:

• The pink outfit portrays the fear that underlies the excitement of becoming an adult. 

• The white outfit includes pearls and feathers to show the imagery of a swan, her namesake.

• The blue outfit stars Swan as a pilot, marked by the goggles, used to signify the great heights she will achieve in her twenties.

• The flower outfit showcases her “blooming adult life.”

Swan worked with composer JungKey and Korean British singer-songwriter Sam Carter on Twenty (Prod. JungKey). JungKey composed both songs, he and Swan co-wrote the Korean versions of “Twenty” and “Be my everything,” and Carter helped with the English lyrics. The “Twenty” lyrics convey hope among the fears and anxieties of the unknown. It’s a representation of self at that age, where adulthood presents itself as exciting, terrifying, and entirely new all at once. That young girl who was once there still exists within the present self; Swan can still enjoy herself and explore the potential that lies ahead. Though she is navigating new territory, this period of growth allows people to achieve greater possibilities. 

“Be my everything”  

In “Be my everything,” the speaker wants their love interest to notice the romantic feelings conveyed towards them. “Be my everything” starts confidently, but ends doubtful. The beautiful, mellow feeling of the song contrasts with its sad, emotionally charged lyrics: “You’re in front of me in the opposite direction / Even accidentally, maybe you could look here” and “Could someone like you know someone like me? / The deeper that it gets, the more painful you are,” strike as some of the more devastating lines. The warm feeling at the beginning, having one’s heart swell while looking at someone, ends in heartbreak at the lack of reciprocation.

Edited by Omani