For NCT's Doyoung, music, life and fashion have always been intrinsically intertwined. In the nine years since his debut with the K-pop powerhouse group, the singer has made music the avenue through which he explores his feelings and desires, and vice versa. In our new interview with the K-pop star, Doyoung opened up about his return with his second solo album Soar.
Related article: STAYC Redefines K-Pop with [S]: A Bold Fusion of High Fashion & Sonic Innovation
During his tenure at Seoul-based unit NCT 127, Doyoung has released his fair share of experimental, high-octane hits, blending the genres of hip-hop, R&B and EDM. More recently, the multi-faceted star also became a part of the trio NCT DoJaeJung with bandmates Jaehyun and Jungwoo, which took a more orthodox, polished approach to R&B.
While he’s proven himself quite the musical chameleon over the years, fans of the 29-year-old vocalist will know that he has a penchant for evocative, lyrical soft rock and pop. And true enough, as he shared exclusively with ELLE Singapore, it’s on the foundations of human emotion—and the power behind them—that has informed Doyoung’s solo music since his debut album Youth last year.
Related article: KATSEYE: How HYBE And Geffen’s First Global Girl Group Is Redefining K-pop With Their Debut And Netflix’s Popstar Academy
In his interview with ELLE Singapore, the singer discussed the inspiration behind his hopeful new album Soar, which arrives a little over a year after his solo debut. Though the latter was built upon a message of comfort and encouragement, Doyoung shared that he hoped to deliver a more transcendent and profound body of work this time, tied together by its themes of having the desire to begin, and the power to dream. While his last record was a warm, tender hug, Soar sees Doyoung offering a hand to his listeners, and fearlessly leaping together into the unknown.
Following its release, the singer has kicked off his “Doors” tour in Asia with sold-out shows across three days in Seoul—a celebratory first step into the K-pop star’s blossoming new chapter of self-realisation. In the vein of conquering new territory, the upcoming tour will also see Doyoung performing his first solo show in Singapore on 16 July 2025 at The Star Theatre. In the exclusive interview below, he shares a message to his Singaporean fans.