[SINGAPORE] Taeyeon solidifies her place as K-pop legend at ‘The ODD Of LOVE’ concert

Since her debut as Girls’ Generation’s leader and main vocalist in 2007, Taeyeon has enjoyed immense success and popularity for her strong vocals and wit. She officially debuted as a soloist in 2015 with the EP I, and has since released other hit songs such as Rain, Spark, INVU. 

Taeyeon performed two sold-out shows for The ODD Of LOVE tour in Singapore on August 19 and 20, 2023 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. This marks the first time a female K-pop soloist has headlined a show at the stadium, and the last stop of the tour.  

The Seoul Story had the chance to watch the show on its first day, and Taeyeon blew us away with her voice, versatility, and visuals. 

Opening the concert with INVU, Taeyeon looked alluring in a long black gown, exemplifying the strong rockstar sound the first part of the show had. 

She was accompanied on stage with a six-piece band consisting of drummers, keyboardists, a guitarist and a bassist. Having a live band lent greater musical depth to the vocal performances, especially to songs of the rock genre like Can’t Control Myself, and helped Taeyeon’s vocals stand out even more. 

The light production and stage projections also created an atmosphere that matched each song. The Girls’ Generation lightstick, known among fans as the ‘Molar Bong’ for its resemblance to a tooth, turned orange for Set Myself on Fire, and the stadium resembled flames, burning brightly for Taeyeon at the centre. This was amplified by the song’s crescendo, with the wailing instruments that added a haunting quality to the song. 

She soon transformed from her dark, vengeful persona into an enchanting all-white outfit, and the concert took a groovier  sound with songs like Toddler and Cold As Hell, alongside her team of dancers. 

Taeyeon was last in Singapore in 2019 for her …’s concert, and SONEs cheered how much they missed her when she greeted the crowd. 

“It’s been a long time since I came to Singapore, nice to see you guys again!” Taeyeon said, waving to SONEs. “Singapore is the last stop of my tour, so it’s a more meaningful place.”

In a Y2K-esque outfit, Taeyeon then livened up the concert with her city-pop hit Weekend and the synth-heavy dance pop No Love Again. She pulled off the carefree vibe with light, airy vocals, looking young as ever. 

Taeyeon also performed a new rendition of the fan-favourite song Stress from her first EP, giving SONEs a big throwback moment. With a bright accompaniment added on the keys, Taeyeon did her iconic girl crush cigarette throwing move, perfect for the themes of the song. 

Although Stress is a vocally demanding track, Taeyeon gave it her all, belting with the chorus. Her vocal agility has rightly received industry-wide recognition, as she smoothly transitioned from genre to genre. 

This was also in part due to the skills of the instrumentalists, who were given their own time to shine. From Taeyeon’s music director Hong So-jin’s keyboard solo in Some Nights, to the groovy bass line in Toddler and the stripped down guitar opening in Playlist – Taeyeon shares the spotlight, and it paid off in creating a more cohesive concert. The dancers also got their moment on stage, with individual dance breaks during Wildfire. 

Taeyeon also got to showcase her wit when interacting with the audience. Three passionate SONEs came dressed as bananas, a fandom inside joke stemming from an anecdote Taeyeon had shared during the tour. 

“During the concert preparation, I started to eat bananas to build my stamina but I didn’t know it’d become the signature fruit of the tour,” Taeyeon said holding up a banana that she had on stage. “I started to like bananas more because of that, and I heard Singapore’s bananas are even tastier.” 

Before the concert ended, Taeyeon also took a moment to connect with fans. She shared her heartfelt experience through the pandemic: “Through the three years of the Coronavirus, I couldn’t perform and that affected my self esteem a lot. But through this time, you guys [SONEs] taught me what my job really is.”

She added, “I love you guys in ways that can’t be expressed through words. Your presence makes me feel alive every second that I’m with you guys.

“Never forget me, okay?”

SONEs let her know how much they love her by chanting “We love you Kim Taeyeon” before the encore, and even preparing a special banner that read “Even if it rains or snows, we’ll always be with Taeyeon”. 

With her stunning voice and skills that have only sharpened with time, we won’t be able to forget Taeyeon either. All we can do is relive the concert with recorded tracks – but we know that they simply don’t do justice to the real deal.

The Seoul Story would like to thank CK Star Entertainment for the media invite. See you at the next show! 💛

Written by: Nicole
Photos by: CK Star Entertainment

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The Seoul Story – Connecting K-Pop Fans Since 2011
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