My Voice (album)

My Voice is the debut studio album by South Korean singer Taeyeon. It was released on February 28, 2017, by SM Entertainment and distributed by KT Music. There are two physical editions of the album with similar tracklist but separate covers and booklets. Musically, songs on My Voice are based on Taeyeon's vocals and incorporate various genres including pop, pop rock, and PBR&B. Prior to the release of the album, a music video for "I Got Love" was released on February 18, 2017 as a promotional tool.

My Voice
Digital and Fine version cover.
Studio album by
Taeyeon
ReleasedFebruary 28, 2017
Recorded2016–2017
Genre
Length41:15
LanguageKorean
LabelSM
ProducerLee Soo-man
Taeyeon chronology
Why
(2016)		 My Voice
(2017)		 This Christmas - Winter Is Coming
(2017)
Singles from My Voice
  1. "11:11"
    Released: November 1, 2016
  2. "Fine"
    Released: February 28, 2017
  3. "Make Me Love You"
    Released: April 5, 2017
Alternative cover
Digital and Sky version cover of Deluxe edition artwork.

The title track and lead single "Fine" was released simultaneously with the album on February 28. To promote My Voice, Taeyeon performed "Fine" on three music programs–Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo from March 3 to 5. The album was well received commercially, peaking atop South Korea's Gaon Album Chart with first-week sales of 109,275 physical copies. On April 5, 2017, a Deluxe edition of My Voice was released. Apart from the original tracks, this edition adds Taeyeon's past hit single "11:11", and three new songs including the single "Make Me Love You".

Background and release

Since debuting as a soloist in October 2015 with the successful extended plays I and Why as well as chart-topping digital singles "Rain" and "11:11", South Korean singer Kim Tae-yeon (known by her mononym Taeyeon) has risen to prominence and established herself as the country's most popular individual celebrity of 2016.[1] On February 14, 2017, Taeyeon's agency SM Entertainment announced that her first full-length studio album would be released in the end of February.[2] A day later, the agency released promotional photos and a short trailer of the music video for a new song titled "I Got Love", which was set to be the album's pre-released track.[3][4] On February 20, 2017, the album's title was revealed to be My Voice, with the title track being "Fine".[5]

Promotion

Prior to the release of the album, a series of "highlight videos" featuring snippets of the album's tracks were released by SM Entertainment through several channels including Naver and YouTube.[6] Promotion schedule for the album started on March 3, 2017 with a performance on Music Bank, followed by performances on Show! Music Core and Inkigayo.[7]

On March 29, 2017, it was announced that a deluxe edition of the album would be released on April 5, 2017. The tracklist incorporates three newly recorded songs and Taeyeon's previous digital single "11:11". The title track and lead single off the deluxe edition was titled "Make Me Love You".[8]

To further promote the album, Taeyeon embarked on a concert tour titled "Persona", kicking off on May 12, 2017 at the Seoul Olympic Park. The tour subsequently visited Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok.[9]

Composition

The digital edition of My Voice contains 12 songs, while the physical release includes 13 tracks with a bonus titled "Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (기억을 걷는 시간), which is a cover of South Korean indie rock band Nell. There are two versions of the physical edition–"Fine" and "I Got Love" versions with different covers and booklets.[10]

The album incorporates various genres that are "based on Taeyeon's unique vocals", including pop, R&B, and PBR&B.[11] Tamar Herman from Billboard detailed the album as an emphasis on pop rock and R&B.[12] The title track "Fine" was revealed to be an alternative pop song.[13] Meanwhile, "Sweet Love" is a pop and R&B song and "I'm OK" draws influences from jazz.[7] "Cover Up" is a tropical house number instrumented by musical keyboard and string instruments, while "Love in Color" is an acoustic piano ballad that highlights Taeyeon's vocals.[14]

Three new original songs featured on the deluxe edition are "Make Me Love You", "I Blame on You" and "Curtain Call". "Make Me Love You" is a soulful pop and R&B song, while "I Blame on You" is a pop ballad, and "Curtain Call" is a pop rock number.[15]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
IZM[16]
The Star[17]8/10

Upon reviewing My Voice for South Korean music portal IZM, Hyun Min-young was impressed towards the album's "Westernized" and experimental musical styles including tropical house, R&B, and swing. He additionally lauded Taeyeon's "impressive" vocals on the album, which was exemplified by the refrain of the track "Sweet Love". However, he did not favor the album's songwriting, commenting that "the music by overseas producers [...] are not compatible with the lyrics of the songs, [...] causing disproportion between the melody and the lyrics".[16] The Star's Chester Chin also praised Taeyeon's "impressive" vocal performance, deeming it as "the star of the show". While considering the album's musical styles as a lack of "cohesiveness" due to its incorporation of multiple genres, Chin argued that My Voice was a "monumental record" as it focused more on Taeyeon's artistry rather than K-pop's common emphasis on "slick boot-camp choreography, powerful visuals and a highly manufactured sound".[17]

My Voice was an instant commercial success in South Korea; prior to its release, the album's pre-order sales exceeded 114,000 physical copies, which set a record for a female soloist in terms of highest pre-order album sales.[18] It debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart and was the third best-selling album of February 2017 in South Korea with sales of 109,275 copies.[19][20] As of April 2017, it has sold over 142,894 units in South Korea.[21] In Japan, the album debuted at number thirty-nine on the Oricon Albums Chart and has sold over 5,000 copies as of April 2017.[22] My Voice debuted at number two the Billboard World Albums, becoming Taeyeon's second number-two entry on the chart following Why (2016).[23] It additionally charted at number 19 on the Top Heatseekers. In conjunction with the commercial performance of the album in the United States, Taeyeon was subject to increasing interest on social platforms, appearing at number 31 of the Social 50 chart for the week of March 8, 2017.[24]

On June 27, Fuse released its list of “The 20 Best Albums of 2017 So Far,” and Taeyeon's “My Voice” came in No. 17. It is the only Korean release to make the list.[25] Later, Billboard listed the album at number 15 in "20 Best K-Pop Albums 2017", praising the album's reflective, nostalgia-tinged pop album that explores the singer's titular voice through a variety of genres. Plus, they wrote "My Voice is playful at times and evocative at others as it flits through musical styles, but throughout the listening experience, it is Taeyeon’s crisp vocals that are front and center."[26]

Accolades
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Billboard The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2017: Critics' Picks 15 [27]
FuseTV The 20 Best Albums of 2017 So Far 17 [28]
Pitchfork: Sheldon Pearce's Choice Best Kpop, 2010-19: Best Albums 1 [29][30][31]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Nominated work Category Result
2017 9th Melon Music Awards Fine Best Ballad Nominated
2018 32nd Golden Disc Awards Digital Bonsang Nominated
My Voice Disc Bonsang Won
7th Gaon Chart Music Awards Album of the Year – 1st Quarter Nominated
Fine Song of the Year – February Nominated
15th Korean Music Awards My Voice Best Pop Album Nominated

Track listing

Credits adapted from Naver

My Voice – Digital standard edition[32]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Fine"
  • Jinli (Full8loom)
  • Rice n' Peas
3:29
2."Cover Up"
  • Realmeee
3:26
3."Feel So Fine" (Korean: 날개; RR: Nalgae; lit. Wings)
  • Courtney Woolsey
  • Daniel Durn Jørgensen (Cynosure Music)
  • Katrine Neya Klith Jørgensen (Cynosure Music)
  • Johan Gustafsson (Trinity Music)
  • Sebastian Lundberg (Trinity Music)
  • Fredrik Häggstam (Trinity Music)
3:39
4."I Got Love"
3:10
5."I'm OK"
  • Yorkie (Devine Channel)
  • Ryu Woo
  • Im Kwang-wook (Devine Channel)
  • Tyler Sharny
  • Diana Salvatore
  • Fabio BOI Angelini
  • Fabio BOI Angelini
3:34
6."Time Lapse"
4:14
7."Sweet Love"
3:04
8."When I Was Young"
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
3:52
9."Lonely Night"
3:43
10."Love in Color" (Korean: 수채화; RR: Suchaehwa; lit. Watercolor)
2:57
11."Fire"
3:07
12."Eraser"
  • Dillon Pace
2:54
Total length:41:15
My Voice – Physical standard edition (bonus track)[32]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
13."Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (Korean: 기억을 걷는 시간; RR: Gieog-eul Geonneun Sigan)
  • Hong So-jin
3:53
Total length:45:19
My Voice – Deluxe edition[33]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Make Me Love You"
3:33
2."Fine"
  • Jinli (Full8loom)
  • Rice n' Peas
3:29
3."Cover Up"
  • Realmeee
3:26
4."Feel So Fine" (Korean: 날개; RR: Nalgae; lit. Wings)
  • Courtney Woolsey
  • Daniel Durn Jørgensen (Cynosure Music)
  • Katrine Neya Klith Jørgensen (Cynosure Music)
  • Johan Gustafsson (Trinity Music)
  • Sebastian Lundberg (Trinity Music)
  • Fredrik Häggstam (Trinity Music)
3:39
5."I Got Love"
3:10
6."I'm OK"
  • Yorkie (Devine Channel)
  • Ryu Woo
  • Im Kwang-wook (Devine Channel)
  • Tyler Sharny
  • Diana Salvatore
  • Fabio BOI Angelini
  • Fabio BOI Angelini
3:34
7."Time Lapse"
4:14
8."Sweet Love"
3:04
9."When I Was Young"
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (MonoTree)
3:52
10."I Blame on You"
  • Yorkie (Devine Channel)
3:23
11."Lonely Night"
3:43
12."11:11"
3:43
13."Love in Color" (Korean: 수채화; RR: Suchaehwa; lit. Watercolor)
2:57
14."Fire"
3:07
15."Eraser"
  • Dillon Pace
2:54
16."Curtain Call"
3:52
17."Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (CD bonus track)
(Korean: 기억을 걷는 시간; RR: Gieogeul Geonneun Sigan)
  • Hong So-jin
3:53
Total length:59:50

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of My Voice.[34]

Charts

Sales
Country Sales
South Korean (Gaon)[21] 141,200
78,869 (Deluxe)
Japan (Oricon)[22] 5,605

Release history
Region Date Format Edition Label Ref.
South Korea February 28, 2017
Standard SM Entertainment [39]
Various Digital download [40]
South Korea April 5, 2017
  • CD
  • digital download
 Deluxe [41]
Various Digital download [42]
Taiwan May 9, 2017 CD Universal Music Taiwan [43]

References
  1. 2016년 올해를 빛낸 가수와 가요 [Report on the country's music celebrities of 2016] (in Korean). Gallup. November 25, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  2. Kim Woong-yum (February 14, 2017). 2017 ‘소시’ 릴레이…4번째 주자는 태연 [2017 'Soshi' relay...the 4th runner is Taeyeon] (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  3. '진짜, 센 언니가 온다'…태연, 솔로 컴백티저 ['The real ssen unni is coming', Taeyeon's new teaser]. Korean Dispatch – via Naver.
  4. 태연, 첫 정규 컴백 앞두고 ‘I Got Love’ 티저 깜짝 공개 [Taeyeon's surprise comeback with 'I Got Love' release]. Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). February 16, 2017. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  5. '음원 퀸' 태연, 첫 정규 앨범 '마이 보이스' 28일 발매 ['Sound source queen' Taeyeon, first full-length album 'My Voice' released on the 28th]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  6. D-5 태연, 3일 ‘뮤직뱅크’ 통해 신곡 무대 최초 공개 [D-5 Taeyeon, three new songs revealed]. Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean).
  7. Han Ye-jin (February 24, 2017). 소녀시대, 솔로도 막강…서현→태연 '바통 터치' [Girls' Generation solo, Seohyun to Taeyeon]. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  8. 태연, 4월 5일 정규 1집 디럭스 에디션 발매…4곡 추가 [Taeyeon's Vol. 1 Deluxe Edition released on April 5... 4 additional songs] (in Korean). Naver. March 29, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  9. Yoon Min-sik (April 7, 2017). "Taeyeon of Girls' Generation to hold solo concert in May". The Korea Herald. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  10. "Taeyeon – Vol. 1 'My Voice'" (in Korean). Synnara. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  11. Moon Wang-shik (February 20, 2017). 태연, 첫 정규 앨범 '마이 보이스' 28일 발매 확정 [Taeyeon's first full-length album 'My Voice' confirmed to be released on the 28th] (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  12. Herman, Tamar (March 1, 2017). "Taeyeon Is 'Fine' With First Solo LP 'My Voice'". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  13. 태연, 예쁜지는 알았는데 섹시하기도 하네 [Taeyeon, thought it was pretty, but sexy]. Star News. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017 – via The Korea Times.
  14. Hwang Ji-young (February 22, 2017). 태연, 첫 정규앨범 28일 정오 공개 확정 [Taeyeon's first studio album released on the 28th] (in Korean). JTBC. Retrieved February 24, 2017 – via JoongAng Ilbo.
  15. ‘음원 퀸’태연, 신곡 ‘Make Me Love You’ 공개…뮤직비디오도 동시 오픈 ['Sound source queen' Taeyeon, new song 'Make Me Love You' released, music video available] (press release). Gaon Music Chart. April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  16. Hyun Min-young. "Album Review: 'My Voice'". IZM (in Korean). Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  17. Chin, Chester (March 20, 2017). "Review: My Voice by Taeyeon". The Star. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  18. Yoon Sang-geun (February 28, 2017). 태연 첫 정규앨범 '마이 보이스' 선주문량 11만장 기록 [Taeyeon's debut album 'My Voice' surpasses 110,000 preorder sales] (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved March 8, 2017 – via Naver.
  19. "Gaon Album Chart - Week 9, 2017" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
  22. "Oricon Ranking Service 'You Big Tree'" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  23. "Taeyeon's 'My Voice' ranks 2nd on Billboard chart". The Korea Herald. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  24. Benjamin, Jeff (March 8, 2017). "Taeyeon Rings Into World, Heatseekers Albums Charts With 'My Voice'". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  25. Staff, Fuse (June 27, 2017). "The 20 Best Album of 2017 So Far". Fuse. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  26. Tamar, Herman (December 14, 2017). "The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  27. Tamar, Herman (December 14, 2017). "The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  28. Staff, Fuse (June 27, 2017). "The 20 Best Album of 2017 So Far". Fuse. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  29. Sheldon, Pearce (December 31, 2019). "Best Kpop, 2010-19: Best Albums". Tumblr. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  30. "Sheldon Pearce Tumblr Account". Tumblr. December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  31. "Sheldon Pearce Contributing Writer". Pitchfork. December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  32. "My Voice – The 1st Album" (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  33. "My Voice – The 1st Album Deluxe Edition" (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  34. My Voice (Deluxe edition) (CD liner notes) (in Korean). Kim Tae-yeon. S.M. Entertainment. 2017. pp. 84–85.CS1 maint: others (link)
  35. "Oricion Album Charts - "My Voice"". Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  36. "Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. March 18, 2017.
  37. "US World Albums". Billboard. March 18, 2017.
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  40. "My Voice – The 1st Album". iTunes Store. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
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  42. "My Voice – The 1st Album (Deluxe Edition)". iTunes Store. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  43. "Taeyeon 'My Voice' Deluxe Edition (Taiwan Special Edition CD+DVD)" (in Chinese). Universal Music Taiwan. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
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