Amber - Beautiful

Hello

안녕하세요 

(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

So back on the 8th of March 2016, over 2 years ago I posted about a South Korean girl group F(x) and their 4th full length album 4 Walls, now it's time to post about member Amber and her debut solo mini album Beautiful.

On the 30th of November 2014, SM Entertainment announced that Amber would be making her solo debut in February 2015. Then on the 9th of February 2015, track Beautiful was pre-released digitally along with a lyric video for the track.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

On the 10th of February 2015, "Shake That Brass" M/V teaser #1 was released.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

On the 11th of February 2015, "Shake That Brass" M/V teaser #2 with Taeyeon was released.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

On the 12th of February 2015. "Shake That Brass" M/V teaser #3 with friends was released.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

On the 13th of February 2015, the "Shake That Brass" M/V was released along with the digital and physical release of Amber's debut solo mini album Beautiful.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

On the 17th of September 2015, a special video was released for Beautiful.

Owned by SM Entertainment

SMTOWN

The music video for Shake That Brass gained attention for the number of celebrities that were featured. Besides Taeyeon, fellow Girls Generation member Hyoyeon appeared, as well as Jackson from GOT7, Park Joon-hyung from g.o.d, Jia and Min from MISS A, Ellin from Crayon Pop, Brad from Busker Busker, Woori from Rainbow, Aron from N'UEST, Rome from C-Clown, model Irene Kim and comedian Ahn Young-mi.

On the 12th of February, during the broadcast of SBS Power FM's 'Cultwo Show', Amber revealed that she had personally asked Taeyeon if she wanted to feature on her debut solo track.

Track 'Beautiful' was written by Amber 3 years prior to the mini albums release,  Beautifuls lyrics tell the story of her hardships, that she had to face as she achieved her dreams of becoming an entertainer. While track 'I Just Wanna' is the English version of F(x)'s song 'Goodbye Summer', Amber used her original lyrics on the track, while singer Eric Nam featured as guest vocals.

Amber began promotions on the 13th of February 2015,  on Music Bank, performing Beautiful and Shake That Brass. During promotions Red Velvet's Wendy and Amber's fellow F(x) member Luna performed during Shake That Brass filling in for Taeyeon's parts.

Amber participated on the lyric writing, composing and arrangement on all the tracks on her mini album, apart from the arrangement of track 'I Just Wanna'.

Beautiful peaked at No.2 on the Gaon Albums Chart, No.19 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and No.2 on the Billboard World Albums Chart.

Gaon Sales:

15,620+

*YouTube views correct at the time of writing post*

The M/V for Shake That Brass has so far gained 25,441,113 million views, with the views continuing to increase.

Beautiful is set out in a hardback book style case, the album follows a bright and colourful concept as well as the Shake That Brass M/V concept, the album also comes with a photo card.

Track List:

Beautiful

Shake That Brass ft. Taeyeon

Love Run

Heights

I Just Wanna ft. Eric Nam

While I wasn't a massive fan of Shake That Brass when it was originally released, it's one of those songs that after a few listens, grows on you and you come to love. When I heard Taeyeon would be featuring on the track, I checked out the M/V teasers and decided to check out the M/V and song on release, which in turned made me more interested in Amber and F(x), Amber is still a member of F(x) that I continue to follow the most as she's an inspiration to to everyone, she's one of the K-pop idols I use as a role model, not only for my daughter but also for myself. I've even shared the lyrics for Beautiful in the past to an ex work colleague of mine when her daughter was having a hard time at school. Amber is an idol, entertainer and artist that reminds anyone and everyone that no matter what they should be true to who they are. On the first listen of Amber's solo mini album, I was in love, from start to finish the album is amazing, each track is different, and it showcases something not many fans, especially myself, knew about; Amber's singing ability. I love listening to Amber sing, personally for me when she sings she has the ability to wash away in woes or worries I may have.

Beautiful

Platypizz2

Shake That Brass

ACE_Records With SHINee.

Love Run

Jenirus

Heights

Alanyane

I Just Wanna

Mnet K-POP

A lot of fans are pretty mad (putting it politely), with how SM seem to be treating Amber, even she has shown her frustration with the company as there has been no physical solo releases from Amber since Beautiful, she's done the odd digital release for SM's station, the same also goes for F(x), they've not made  group comeback since the release of 4 Walls. I wouldn't be surprised that once her contract is up that she leaves SM and heads elsewhere. I hope we get another physical solo album from Amber as well as F(x) and I hope Amber continues to push boundaries and borders in K-pop and society.

Are you a fan of Amber?

Has she inspired you in anyway?

What's your favourite track from Beautiful?

Let me know in the comments below.

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye

F(x) - 4 Walls

Hello

An nyeoung

Konnichiwa

Ni hao

This week I'm going to introduce you to another group that I've recently got into, they are a group that I knew of but never really listened or paid much attention to them not until their comeback last year.

F(x) debuted in 2009 as a 5 member girl group, they were said to be the sister group to the male group SHINee, which SM has done before with Girls Generation being the sister group of Super Junior. F(x) contains members Amber, Luna, Victoria, Krystal and Sulli. Last me fast forward to July 17th 2015 when SM Entertainment announced that Sulli was taking a hiatus from the entertainment industry because of malicious comments and false rumours, in just a short time SM then announced on August 7th that Sulli was leaving the group to focus on her acting career and also confirmed news that F(x) were preparing to make a comeback with a brand new full length album as a 4 member group.

SM released different teasers in the run up to the comeback including the teaser for the MV for their comeback single 4 Walls on October 25th 2015.

Owned by SM Entertainment.

On October 26th SM released the 4 Walls MV, showing F(x) to be as strong as ever, the MV gives of an Alice in Wonderland feel to it, this was the first F(x) MV I'd sat through and I was hooked soon as the track started.

Owned by SM Entertainment.

The next day on October 27th the album was released going in at No.1 in both South Korea's Gaon Weekly Album Chart and America's US Billboard World Albums, the album also peaked at No.39 in Japan's Oricon Album Chart and No.7 in America's US Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart. The album sales stand as Gaon: 75,625+; Hanteo: 80,800+ and Oricon: 2,887+ the Korean sales together come in at 156,425+ copies sold. The track 4 Walls also won 5 music show awards.

The album is set out in a book style case like SHINee's Hello repackaged album with a slip in the back cover that holds the CD, the album comes in a choice of two colours red or white front covers and there are 4 different back covers for each of the members, I have the white front cover with member Luna on the back cover. The pictures throughout the booklet are colourful as well as showing each members individuality as well as their individuality as a group, I always thought that Krystal would be my favourite members of the group with me being able to recognise her from the start with even being able to tell her voice from other members because she sounds really similar to sister Jessica Jung(Girls Generation), but in fact my favourite member is to me personally the prettiest member Victoria and close to her is Amber. I always feel bad for amber because she is always put down because of her appearance and was/is often mistaken for a guy, because she is often seen and hear rapping for F(x) it came as a surprise when Amber released her solo mini album and had a stunning ballad called Beautiful proving she has a sweet and feminine voice, I highly recommend you check out that track.

Track List:

4 WALLS

GLITTER

DEJA VU

X

RUDE LOVE

DIAMOND

TRAVELER / feat.Zico

PAPI

CASH ME OUT

WHEN I'M ALONE

Track Cash Me out was originally going to be used as the title track for their Pink Tape album but saw track Rum Pum Pum Pum used instead. Track when I'm alone is a song written and co-composed by singer Carly Rae Jepsen during sessions for her 3rd album but when it wasn't used SM purchased the rights to the track. Now let me share with you my personal favourite tracks from the album which I think are also tracks to check out from this F(x) album.

4 Walls Live

KBS WORLD TV

Rude Love Lyrics

By rexolyrics

X Lyrics

By Jenirus

When I'm Alone Lyrics

By Jenirus

Cash Me Out Lyrics

By rexolyrics

For my first album with F(x) I love this album from start to finish and proud to say I've joined the fandom, now just to finish their album collection, in the past few months I've recently got into a few male groups so I'd love to introduce you to them some point in the future, I'm excited to share with you two groups especially because not only are they involved with things within the group like lyrics, music and concepts, they are also always on point when it comes to their vocals and choreography, so keep an eye out in the next few weeks.

See you soon!

An nyeoung

Sayonara

Zai Jian

Bye