Including the title track ‘LIVE FAST DIE SLOW’, the album features 10 songs and officially drops on May 18 at 6 PM!
Taeyang officially kicked off his promotions on the 18th by hosting a media listening session for his fourth full-length album, ‘QUINTESSENCE’, at the Cube Convention Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
‘QUINTESSENCE’ marks Taeyang’s first full album in about nine years since ‘WHITE NIGHT’ was released in August 2017. The title refers to the “essence” or “quintessence” of something, and Taeyang aims to bring a fresh vibe to global K-pop fans through music and style that capture his true essence.
Taeyang explained, “When I started working on the album a year ago, the words ‘essence’ and ‘quintessence’ really stuck with me. That’s why I titled it ‘QUINTESSENCE’ and used those words as inspiration for my work. This album is the result of contemplating the process of finding one’s essence, what that true essence is, and how to translate that into music.”
He added, “Even though it’s been nine years since my last full album, I always feel the same way before a release. A mix of many different emotions and thoughts. Still, I prepared this with more joy than ever before. I’m so happy to be able to give a wonderful gift to my fans.”
The album is packed with 10 tracks, including the title song ‘LIVE FAST DIE SLOW’, along with ‘BAD’, ‘WOULD YOU’ (feat. TARZZAN, WOOCHAN), ‘MOVIE’, ‘OPEN UP’ (feat. The Kid LAROI), ‘LOVE LIKE THIS’, ‘YES’, ‘NOW’, ‘G.O.A.T’, and ‘4U’.
While the core message of ‘QUINTESSENCE’ is about “essence,” the musical feeling Taeyang wants to deliver is “newness.”
He emphasized, “I focused on creating something that is most ‘me’ yet feels new. I needed a producer who understood my last 20 years but could still push me toward a new sound, and Paul Blanco was the perfect fit. Honestly, because I’ve explored so many genres over the past two decades, challenging myself with something truly new was difficult. However, the newness I can show now and the thoughts behind it are all captured in this album.”
As Taeyang mentioned, there are some exciting highlights throughout the album. Track 7, ‘YES’, samples the 2009 hit ‘Lollipop’ by BIGBANG and 2NE1, while track 5, ‘OPEN UP’, features a collaboration with famous Australian rapper The Kid LAROI.
Plus, the title track ‘LIVE FAST DIE SLOW’ is, by Taeyang’s own admission, “the fastest song I’ve ever released.”
Taeyang shared, “It’s a song about keeping your center in a fast-paced world and continuing to move forward even on an unknown path. I felt this track best describes both the album and who I am right now. While touring two years ago, I really wanted to create a fast and exciting song, and I believe this was the right choice.”
He also teased, “I’ve tried many new things with the performance. It includes a wide variety of choreography and movements, but the most important part is the energy. I’m focusing on the energy of breathing and connecting with the fans.”
The ultimate goal Taeyang wanted to capture in ‘QUINTESSENCE’ isn’t a final answer to what “essence” is, but rather the process of searching for it.
He added, “This project involved a lot of self-reflection and asking myself many questions. Once the album is released, the music leaves my hands and belongs to the listeners. I just hope fans can share in my contemplations and the answers I found. I hope you all enjoy it!”
Since this album celebrates his 20th anniversary and embodies new challenges, Taeyang promised to be more active than ever.
“I think I’ll be even busier after today. I plan to do everything I can and everything I want to do. I’ll promote to the fullest so there are no regrets,” Taeyang promised. “I also plan to show you many different sides of myself this year. I’ll be appearing in various ways with my BIGBANG members, so please look forward to it!”
‘QUINTESSENCE’ will be available on all music platforms on the 18th at 6 PM.
