BIGBANG’s Taeyang is officially back with his first full-length album in about nine years — and he just spilled on his packed schedule and the artistic soul-searching behind it.
On the 18th, Taeyang hosted a listening session in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul to celebrate the release of his fourth studio album ‘Quintessence’ (QUINTESSENCE), sharing a wide range of stories about the new record. It’s his first full album since 2017’s ‘White Night’ (WHITE NIGHT), capturing the musical direction of Taeyang as he marks his 20th debut anniversary.
“I was preparing for the Coachella stage while working on the album at the same time,” Taeyang revealed. “Even after Coachella, I barely had a single day to rest — it’s been nonstop.”
The title track ‘Live Fast Die Slow’ (LIVE FAST DIE SLOW) reflects the time he has spent holding on to his center in a rapidly changing world. “This album embodies the idea of essence and quintessence,” he explained. “I built it around a word that came to me a year ago and focused on what sounds the most ‘me.’”
He also surprised fans with a bold approach to the production process. “In the past, I would make the B-sides first and then pick the title track. This time, I worked with the mindset that every song should be title-track worthy,” he said. “Ironically, that made choosing the actual title track even harder.” He added, “I believe the current title track shows who I am right now the best. Drawing on the energy I felt while touring, I wanted the fastest, most hard-hitting song.”
Taeyang teased fresh changes to his performance as well. “I included choreography styles I had never tried before,” he said, emphasizing, “But the most important thing on stage is the energy shared with the audience.”
Wrapping up, he shared, “Today is my birthday, and I’m happy I can give fans a great gift,” adding, “I feel relieved to finally release an album I’ve prepared for a year.”
Taeyang’s fourth studio album ‘Quintessence’ drops today at 6 p.m. KST on major music platforms.