Shalala (EP)

Last updated

Shalala
Taeyong - Shalal.jpeg
Digital cover
EP by
Taeyong
ReleasedJune 5, 2023 (2023-06-05)
StudioSM Studios
Length23:28
Language
Label
Producer
  • Royal Dive
  • Squar
  • Zayson
  • $UN
  • Saimon
  • Devine Channel
  • Park Young-kwang
  • Denzel World Peace
Taeyong chronology
Shalala
(2023)		 Tap
(2024)
Singles from Shalala
  1. "Shalala"
    Released: June 5, 2023

Shalala is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean rapper Taeyong. It was released on June 5, 2023, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment alongside the music video for its lead single of the same name. The EP contains seven tracks all co-written by Taeyong with several other songwriters, including long-time collaborators Royal Dive, Squar and Zayson. The EP was commercially successful, selling over 380,000 copies in its first week, and has sold over 500,000 copies.

Contents

Background and release

South Korean rapper Taeyong became known as a member of the K-pop boy group NCT after debuting with the group under SM Entertainment in 2016. [1] He wrote numerous songs for the group and its sub-units, including "The 7th Sense" (2016), "Cherry Bomb" (2017), and "Sticker" (2021), and later joined SM Entertainment's supergroup SuperM. [1] As a soloist, he collaborated with several artists and released some of his songs, including "Long Flight", through the SM Station project while still being active in NCT. [2] [3] In 2021, he started independently releasing self-composed tracks on SoundCloud. [4]

On May 15, 2023, SM Entertainment that Taeyong would release his first extended play (EP), Shalala, containing seven tracks including the lead single of the same name. [1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]

Carmen Chin of NME gave Shalala four out of five stars, saying it is an album that "demonstrates [Taeyong's] immense potential as an artist unafraid to forge personal connections with his audience, setting an indelible standard for future K-pop soloists." Chin noted that Shalala retains NCT's signature sound, while delving deeper in Taeyong's personal life presented through his "down-to-earth" songwriting. Chin also highlighted Taeyong's performance on the "emotional" half of the album, commenting that that's where the singer "really shines". [5]

Commercial performance

Shalala surpassed 500,000 pre-orders a day before the release. [6] As of July 6, the EP has sold more than 503,952 copies. [7] [8]

Promotion

Single

The music video for the hip hop lead single, "Shalala", was released on June 5, 2023. It shows Taeyong playing the role of a hacker who is capable of modifying reality and traveling among multiverses. [9] Han Seong-hyun of IZM gave the single two out of five stars, criticizing the chorus among other elements. [10]

Live performances

The same day of release, Taeyong presented the EP at his showcase, titled Code: Stage, where he performed several tracks, including the lead single. [3] The show was broadcast live through NCT's YouTube and TikTok channels. [3]

Track listing

Shalala track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Shalala" (샤랄라)
  • Chamane
  • Devine Channel
  • Omega Sapien
  • Park Young-kwang
  • Taeyong
  • Denzel World Peace
  • Devine Channel
  • Park Young-kwang
  • Denzel World Peace
3:21
2."Gwando" (관둬)Taeyong
  • Royal Dive
  • Saimon
  • Taeyong
  • Royal Dive
  • Saimon
3:37
3."Move Mood Mode" (featuring Wendy)Taeyong
  • Squar
  • Taeyong
Squar2:54
4."Virtual Insanity"Taeyong
  • Royal Dive
  • Taeyong
Royal Dive2:59
5."Ruby"Taeyong
  • $un
  • Saimon
  • Taeyong
  • $un
  • Saimon
3:18
6."404 File Not Found"Taeyong
  • Zayson
  • Taeyong
Zayson4:04
7."Back to the Past"Taeyong
  • Royal Dive
  • Taeyong
Royal Dive3:15
Total length:23:28

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Shalala
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
South Korea (KMCA) [18] Platinum250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for Shalala
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
VariousJune 5, 2023 [19]

Related Research Articles

SM Entertainment (Korean: SM엔터테인먼트) is a South Korean entertainment company established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is currently one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCT (group)</span> South Korean boy band

NCT is a South Korean boy band formed and managed by SM Entertainment. Introduced in January 2016, the group consists of 25 members divided into six different sub-units: NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT DoJaeJung, and NCT Wish. They are known for their versatility in music, vocal and rap abilities, and powerful performances, and have been cited as K-pop's "most experimental boy band" due to their concept of having limitless members. As of June 2024, NCT has recorded more than 40 million album sales in Korea across all sub-units, making them the best-selling act under SM Entertainment and one of the best-selling K-pop artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCT 127</span> South Korean boy band

NCT 127 is the first fixed and second overall sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed and managed by SM Entertainment. They originally debuted on July 7, 2016, with their debut extended play NCT#127, with an original lineup of seven members: Taeil, Taeyong, Yuta, Jaehyun, Winwin, Mark, and Haechan. Doyoung and Johnny joined the unit in December 2016, ahead of their second EP Limitless, while Jungwoo, the final member, was introduced in September 2018 ahead of their first studio album Regular-Irregular. They are known for their experimental hip hop-based music, which they refer to as "neo music", as well as their vocal and rap abilities, choreographies, and performances.

<i>NCT 127</i> (EP) 2016 EP by NCT 127

NCT #127 is the first extended play by NCT 127, the multi-national and Seoul-based sub unit of the unlimited boy band NCT. Following its announcement on July 1, SM Entertainment released it on July 10, 2016, with physical release on July 11, 2016. A heavily hip-hop and EDM influenced release, NCT #127 had the participation of the production team LDN Noise, Tay Jasper, Ylva Dimberg, Chris Wahle, Andreas Öberg, Timothy 'Bos' Bullock, Adrian McKinnon, MZMC, The Colleagues, Double Dragon, and others for both lyrics and production, while SM's founder, Lee Soo-man, was the EP's executive producer. With this release, NCT 127 became the first sub-unit to receive a major release. It was also the first and, currently, the only release of the group as a septet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCT Dream</span> South Korean boy band

NCT Dream is the third sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed by SM Entertainment in 2016. They were initially intended to be the teenaged unit of NCT with an admission-and-graduation system, in which members would leave after reaching age of majority, prior to re-branding in 2020. The sub-unit debuted on August 25, 2016, with the single "Chewing Gum" and a lineup of seven members—Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung—whose average age was 15.6 years old. In late 2018, the group's leader, Mark, graduated from NCT Dream but returned in 2020 when the group began promoting as a fixed seven-member group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten (singer)</span> Thai singer (born 1996)

Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, known professionally as Ten, is a Thai singer and dancer based in South Korea and China. He debuted with South Korean boy band NCT in 2016 as part of its first sub-unit, NCT U. Since 2019, he has been active mainly as a member of NCT's China-based unit WayV and the South Korean supergroup SuperM. Ten has also released several solo singles through the SM Station project: "Dream in a Dream" (2017), "New Heroes" (2018), "Paint Me Naked" (2021) and "Birthday" (2022). He made his solo debut in February 2024 with his eponymous extended play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SuperM</span> South Korean boy band

SuperM is a South Korean supergroup formed in 2019 by SM Entertainment and Capitol Music Group. The group consists of seven members from four SM Entertainment boy bands: Taemin from Shinee, Baekhyun and Kai from Exo, Taeyong and Mark from NCT 127, Ten from WayV, and Lucas, who is a former NCT and WayV member. The group debuted on October 4, 2019, with their self-titled EP, which entered the US Billboard 200 at number one, making SuperM the first Asian artist in history to top the chart with a debut release. Their debut single, "Jopping", was among Billboard's Critics' Picks for the "25 Best K-pop Songs" of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taeyong</span> South Korean rapper (born 1995)

Lee Tae-yong, known mononymously as Taeyong, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and dancer. He is a member and leader of South Korean boy band NCT under SM Entertainment, having debuted in the group's first sub-unit, NCT U, in 2016 and becoming the leader of its second sub-unit, NCT 127, later that year. In 2019, he debuted as a member of the South Korean supergroup SuperM, a joint project under SM Entertainment and Capitol Records. As a songwriter, Taeyong has participated in writing over 40 songs in four languages, released mostly by NCT's various units and himself as a soloist. He made his official solo debut in June 2023 with his EP Shalala, making him the first soloist from NCT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doyoung (singer)</span> South Korean singer (born 1996)

Kim Dong-young, known professionally as Doyoung (Korean: 도영), is a South Korean singer, actor, and host. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT through the sub-units NCT 127, and NCT DoJaeJung.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaehyun (singer)</span> South Korean singer and rapper (born 1997)

Jeong Yun-o, professionally known as Jaehyun, is a South Korean singer. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT and its sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung. He made his solo debut on August 26, 2024, with the studio album J.

<i>Gasoline</i> (Key album) 2022 studio album by Key

Gasoline is the second studio album by South Korean singer Key. It was released on August 30, 2022, through SM Entertainment. It consists of eleven tracks, including lead single "Gasoline". The album was commercially successful, debuting at number one on South Korea's Circle Album Chart, and received positive reviews from music critics. A reissue, titled Killer, was released on February 13, 2023. It features three new songs, including the lead single of the same name. Gasoline and Killer form the second and third parts of the "retro trilogy" Key started with his 2021 EP Bad Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 Baddies (song)</span> 2022 single by NCT 127

"2 Baddies" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band NCT 127. It was released as the lead single from their fourth studio album of the same name on September 16, 2022, by SM Entertainment. It was written by Sokodomo, Haeil, and Xinsayne, while production was handled by Aron Bergerwall, Louise Lindberg, Tony Ferrari, Parker James, Cazzi Opeia, Ellen Berg, and IMLAY. Described as an "intense hip-hop dance song", it features lyrics about achieving success by running towards one's goal regardless of the judgment of others. An accompanying music video was released a day prior.

<i>Candy</i> (EP) 2022 EP by NCT Dream

Candy is the fifth extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band NCT Dream. It was released digitally on December 16, 2022, and physically on December 19, 2022, by SM Entertainment through Dreamus. Marketed as a special winter mini-album, the EP consists of six Christmas-themed tracks, including its lead single of the same name, originally released by H.O.T. in 1996.

<i>Phantom</i> (EP) 2022 EP by WayV

Phantom is the fourth extended play (EP) by Chinese boy band WayV with The Phantom of the Opera-inspired lead single of the same name. It was released by Label V and SM Entertainment on December 28, 2022. Consisting of six new songs and two bonus tracks that fall mostly in R&B and hip hop with influences from trap and classical music, the album saw participation from frequent collaborators, namely Adrian McKinnon, LDN Noise, Mike Daley, Mitchell Owens, Ryan S. Jhun as well as first collaboration with the McDonough brothers of Before You Exit. Released almost two years from their previous EP, Phantom marks the group's first album release as a sextet, following suspension of Lucas in August 2021. WayV was set to embark on an eponymous global fanmeeting tour to support the album, with stops including Seoul, Manila, and Bangkok.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCT Wish</span> Japanese boy group

NCT Wish is a Japanese boy band and the final sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed and managed by SM Entertainment and Avex Trax with SM director and soloist BoA, in charge as the producer. The group consists of six members: Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo, Sakuya. They released the single "Hands Up" under their temporary name NCT New Team on 8 October 2023, ahead of their scheduled debut in 2024. They officially debuted on 28 February 2024, with the single "Wish" in both Japanese and Korean version.

<i>Perfume</i> (EP) 2023 EP by NCT DoJaeJung

Perfume is the debut extended play (EP) by the South Korean boy band NCT DoJaeJung. It was released on April 17, 2023, by SM Entertainment, alongside its lead single of the same name. It is NCT DoJaeJung's first release, following initial participation as members of NCT and its sub-unit NCT 127. Consisting of six romantic songs, it features participation from multiple songwriters and producers, including MZMC, Styalz Fuego, LDN Noise, and others.

<i>Get a Guitar</i> 2023 single album by Riize

Get a Guitar is the debut single album by South Korean boy group Riize. Released on September 4, 2023, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment, the single album consists of two tracks, "Memories" and the title track of the same name, which both were released to promote the single album on August 21 and September 4, respectively.

<i>Golden Age</i> (album) 2023 studio album by NCT

Golden Age is the fourth studio album by South Korean boy band NCT. It was released on August 28, 2023, by SM Entertainment. Similar to their previous releases NCT 2018 Empathy, NCT 2020 Resonance, and NCT 2021 Universe, Golden Age is part of "NCT 2023" project; which saw all current NCT members from several units collaborating on a full-length release. This time, the album features 20 members from three current units of NCT; NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV. The album consists of ten tracks with two singles released to support the album, the title track of the same name and "Baggy Jeans".

<i>Tap</i> (EP) 2024 EP by Taeyong

Tap is the second extended play by South Korean rapper Taeyong. It was released on February 26, 2024, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment.

<i>Dream()scape</i> 2024 EP by NCT Dream

Dream scape is the sixth EP by South Korean boy band NCT Dream. Released on March 25, 2024, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment, the album consists of 6 tracks, including the lead single, "Smoothie".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dong, Sun-hwa (May 15, 2023). "NCT's Taeyong to drop first solo album 'Shalala' on June 5". Korea Times . Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  2. ↑ Yeo, Gladys (June 7, 2021). "NCT's Taeyong and Red Velvet's Seulgi team up on new song 'Rose'". NME . Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Hong, Yoo (May 25, 2023). "Taeyong of NCT to hold fan showcase to celebrate solo debut". The Korea Herald . Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ Yeo, Gladys (March 15, 2021). "NCT's Taeyong opens SoundCloud account, releases new song". NME . Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Chin, Carmen (June 9, 2023). "Taeyong – 'Shalala' review: a pixelated dreamscape of intimate anecdotes". NME . Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ NCT 태용, '샤랄라' 선주문 50만장→아이튠즈 30개 지역 1위..솔로 데뷔 성공 [NCT Taeyong, 500,000 pre-orders for 'Sharala' → No. 1 on iTunes in 30 regions... Successful solo debut]. Herald Pop. June 6, 2023. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023– via Naver.
  7. ↑ Kang, Bo-ra (June 8, 2023). "NCT Taeyong's 'Shalala?, surpasses 400,00 in the first week... 380,00 in 3 days". Singles List. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Circle Album Chart – June 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  9. ↑ Bowenbank, Starr (June 5, 2023). "NCT 127's Taeyong Delivers Debut Solo Album, Music Video for Lead Single 'Shalala'". Billboard . Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ Han, Seong-hyun (June 2023). "샤랄라". IZM (in Korean). Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2023-06-26" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2023-06-26" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of June 21, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Circle Album Chart – Week 23, 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2023-06" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Circle Album Chart – June 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Album Chart 2023". Circle Chart . Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  18. ↑ "South Korean album certifications – Taeyong – Shalala" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  19. ↑ "앨범 정보 - Shalala - The 1st Mini Album" [Album Information - Shalala - The 1st Mini Album]. Melon (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.