Jonghyun was an extremely talented member of the South Korean boy group SHINee since its debut in 2008. For nearly 10 years fans had the privilege of hearing his absolutely amazing vocals, being wowed by his skills and for many, growing up with him and this group.
Following his death, his songs topped music charts as fans consoled themselves by remembering his accomplishments and why they fell in love with him in the first place.
In an effort to keep Jonghyun in my and our hearts, I wanted to write about some of my favorite songs he released as a solo artist.
'Lonely' (feat. Taeyeon)
This soft, relaxing ballad released earlier this year on the album JONGHYUN The Collection "Story Op. 2" features lyrics regarding a couple telling each other how they feel lonely despite having each other; how they are good at hiding it out of fear of saddening the other even though they long to tell each other. I like this song because the story can apply to anyone. Many people go through feelings of loneliness even though they can be surrounded by people, family, friends. Many who are struggling want to share this hardship but are scared to do so. This is something that affects friends, family members, colleagues, anyone. So share your problems guys, everyone has felt this to some degree at some point. You are not alone.
'She Is'
A feel good track on the album of the same name released May 2016. You can feel his passion not only as a vocalist but as a songwriter as well considering he wrote and composed every track on the album. The dance track features funky synth beats and a strong baseline that gives it a R&B feel. It definitely makes you want to move and the MV makes you smile as you can see he is just feeling himself and enjoying his time doing something he loves. Plus, all that yellow can't help but brighten your mood.
'멍하니 있어 (Just Chill)'
As stated in its name featured on the same album as 'Lonely', this song is super chill. It is an easy listening track with funky but subdued guitar, underlying violin and Jonghyun's smooth voice adds some slight R&B, but that's just his style. The song starts out with him stating he is just chilling. He goes on to say that he sometimes wants to be alone in his room, lay down and not think about the things that suffocate him. He just wants chill in his bed, watch TV and old dramas, read comics and disconnect from SNS and the world. He just wants a day where he can just relax and be Jonghyun. Don't we all need days like that? Make sure to take sometime to disconnect and spend time with yourself.
'NEON'
From his first mini album as a solo artist, The 1st Mini Album 'Base', Neon is definitely a groovy track that has its hip hop-esque moments. It, of course has his strong vocals and adlibs to die for, but there is alot going instrumentally as well. It features a funky brass line, upbeat synth beats, a sprinkling of harp in there that I always live for, subtle strings and a nice base line that holds it all together. It's a lively bop that keeps the listener engaged and showcases Jonghyun's strengths and talent as a solo artist.
So these are some of my favorite Jonghyun singles. Honestly, all of his work is extremely well done and fantastic and you should definitely check them out. There are some great gems!
But on a serious note,
A friend shared something regarding his death that really resonated with me, "The hardest part is realizing that your idols can save your life but you can't save theirs." I just had to stop and think about this because there were many times when an idols music helped me in ways they would never know but I've never thought about if my love of them was enough to help them.
I really hope his passing calls attention to SM and other entertainment companies and just to people to take better care of their artists and themselves in mind, body and soul. It's deeply saddening that he felt this way and was suffering for so long. It is upsetting that in Korea, a country with one of the highest suicide rates worldwide, it is taboo to share your struggles. It is seen as a weakness and you're expected to just get over it. But as we see time and time again and unfortunately now with Jonghyun, that you cannot just ignore it. It is not something you will just get over. So, if any of you or someone you know is having a hard time, please get help. Help them get help. Please talk to them, talk to anyone, talk to me and don't be afraid to! Listen to them, sometimes all someone needs is to feel heard. Remind them and yourselves that you are some of the strongest people ever because it takes great strength to live like this. Take care of yourselves and make use of the resources around you. Life is too precious and it's unfair to suffer through it like this.
Rest in peace Kim Jonghyun. I hope you found the relief you were so desperately looking for. We will always love you, and you will never be forgotten.
As always, thank you so much for reading. I hope this post helped someone out there.
Jen :)
