What Do I Call You

Last updated

What Do I Call You
Taeyeon - What Do I Call You.png
EP by
ReleasedDecember 15, 2020 (2020-12-15)
Genre
Length15:22
Language Korean
Label
Producer Lee Soo-man (exec.)
Taeyeon chronology
#GirlsSpkOut
(2020)
What Do I Call You
(2020)
INVU
(2022)
Singles from What Do I Call You
  1. "What Do I Call You"
    Released: December 15, 2020

What Do I Call You is the fourth Korean-language extended play and the seventh overall by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The EP was released on December 15, 2020, by SM Entertainment and consists of six tracks, [1] including the title track of the same name and her previous digital single "Happy". [2]

Contents

Background and release

On November 20, 2020, SM Entertainment announced that Taeyeon was preparing to release a mini album the following month. [3] On November 30, Taeyeon teased her comeback on her social media with the message, "I'll be coming back soon." [4] On December 3, SM Entertainment announced that EP What Do I Call You would be released on December 15, 2020. [5] Preorders began the same day. [6] This marks Taeyeon's first domestic comeback in seven months since "Happy", released on May 4, 2020. [7]

Composition

The digital edition of What Do I Call You contains five songs, while the physical release contains six songs including the single "Happy", which was released as a digital single on May 4, 2020. There are two versions of the physical edition, with each featuring a different cover, CD-ROM design, booklet, poster, postcard, bookmark and photo card. [8]

The EP incorporates various genres, primarily R&B and pop. [9]

Commercial performance

Upon release, the title track "What Do I Call You" ranked first on major music charts such as Genie and Bugs. The other tracks in the album also ranked highly in the charts. [10] The album took over iTunes charts in 22 regions. [11] [12] It tied with her previous album Purpose and Hwasa's María for the third most national iTunes number ones for an album by a Korean female soloist, ranking behind her repackage edition of Purpose [13] and Wendy's Like Water . [14] [15] The album also ranked number one in China's largest music site QQ Music and KuGou Music digital album sales chart. [10]

In South Korea, What Do I Call You debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart with 99,065 copies sold. [16] The album became Taeyeon's seventh top ten album in the country, and broke the record for the largest sales for a female soloist in 2020 with 89,263 copies on Hanteo. [17] As of February 2021, it has sold over 124,442 units in South Korea, [18] [19] [20] becoming her fifth album sold over 100,000 copies, following her four previous albums: I (2015), Why (2016), My Voice (2017) and Purpose (2019). [21] [22] She's the first solo female artist to have five albums sold over 100,000 units on Gaon Album Chart. [21] [22]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
IZM Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [23]

Teen Vogue chose What Do I Call You as one of the "Best K-Pop Moments of 2020", with contributor Hannah Weiss writing: "With its chill soundscape and Taeyeon's airy vocals, What Do I Call You is the perfect soundtrack to close 2020. The album examines loneliness, desire and regret through a soft filter, sharing a touch of warmth to carry us through this winter". [24]

Lim Seon-hee from IZM compared the EP's concepts to those of American singer Taylor Swift and its musical styles to Ariana Grande: "What Do I Call You is a collaboration of seasoned-ness and sincerity, with a wider range of emotions despite the method of 'removing away' without embellishment and excess. Now, no matter what genre she try, she can easily build a flagpole with her name inscribed. Beyond it all, the album becomes alive just by the deep touch of the voice that blows warm breath in the season of the bitter wind." [23]

Track listing

What Do I Call You – Digital edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."What Do I Call You" David Pramik 2:47
2."Playlist"
  • Mike Daley
  • Mitchell Owens
  • Nicole "Kole" Cohen
Mike Daley2:43
3."To the Moon"
  • Taeyeon
  • Yorkie (Devine Channel)
  • SOLE (Devine Channel)
  • Devine Channel
  • Sakehands
2:42
4."Wildfire" (Korean : 들불)Blaq Tuxedo
  • Blaq Tuxedo
  • Michael Jiminez
  • IMLAY
3:24
5."Galaxy"Zaya (Joombas)
  • Mariella "Bambi" Garcia Balandina (Mr Radar)
  • Mimmi Gyltman
  • MooF (Joombas)
MooF (Joombas)3:46
Total length:15:22
What Do I Call You – CD & LP edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
6."Happy"
Chris Wahle3:41
Total length:19:03

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Melon. [25]

Charts

Sales

Sales for What Do I Call You
RegionSales
China (digital) [31] 59,961
South Korea (Gaon) [32] 126,703 [lower-alpha 2]

Accolades

YearAwardsCategoryNominated workResult
2020 12th Melon Music Awards Best R&B/Soul"Happy"Nominated
2021 10th Gaon Chart Music Awards Artist of the Year – Digital Music (May)Nominated
2022 11th Gaon Chart Music Awards Artist of the Year – Digital Music (December)"What Do I Call You"Won
Music program awards
SongProgramNetworkDateRef.
"What Do I Call You" Inkigayo SBS December 27, 2020 [33] [34]

Release history

Release history for What Do I Call You
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
South KoreaDecember 15, 2020 [35]
Various
  • Digital download
  • streaming
SM Entertainment [36] [37]
South KoreaFebruary 25, 2021
  • SM Entertainment
  • Dreamus
[38]

Notes

  1. LP
  2. Sales combined with LP version (Original – 106,712, LP – 19,991)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taeyeon</span> South Korean singer (born 1989)

Kim Tae-yeon, known mononymously as Taeyeon, is a South Korean singer. She debuted as a member of girl group Girls' Generation in August 2007, which went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea and one of the most popular K-pop groups worldwide. She has since participated in other SM Entertainment projects, including Girls' Generation-TTS, SM the Ballad, Girls' Generation-Oh!GG, and the supergroup Got the Beat.

<i>I</i> (Taeyeon EP) 2015 EP by Taeyeon

I is the debut extended play by South Korean singer Taeyeon, released on October 7, 2015, by SM Entertainment. The EP was recorded at SM Studios in Seoul, South Korea, and was produced by Lee Soo-man.

<i>Why</i> (Taeyeon EP) 2016 EP by Taeyeon

Why is the second extended play (EP) by South Korean singer Taeyeon, released by SM Entertainment on June 28, 2016. Lee Soo-man, founder of SM Entertainment, served as the producer of the album. The EP saw the contributions of alternative R&B singer Dean and Taeyeon's fellow Girls' Generation member Hyoyeon. Musically, Why incorporates various genres including EDM, R&B, and Pop.

"Starlight" is a song recorded by South Korean singers Taeyeon and Dean for Taeyeon's second extended play Why (2016). The song was released on June 25, 2016, by SM Entertainment as the EP's lead single. The song's lyrics were penned by Jam Factory's Lee Seu-ran, while its music was composed by Jamil "Digi" Chammas, Taylor Mckall, Tay Jasper, Adrian McKinnon, Leven Kali, Sara Forsberg, and MZMC. "Starlight" is a pop and R&B song that features synthesizers in its instrumentation. Its lyrics detail a romantic relationship.

"I Got Love" is a single recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon for her first studio album My Voice (2017). The song's lyrics were written by Kenzie, who also composed its music with Thomas Troelsen and Eyelar. "I Got Love" was described as a pop and R&B song with elements of trap. A music video for the song was released on February 17, 2017, as a promotional tool for My Voice, while the song itself was released digitally in conjunction with the release of the album on February 28. "I Got Love" received positive reviews from music critics, who noted its styles for being experimental and showcasing Taeyeon's unique vocals. The song peaked at number 20 on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart and accumulated over one million streams within its first week of release. It additionally charted at number 9 on the Billboard World Digital Songs.

<i>My Voice</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Taeyeon

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"Fine" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon for her first studio album My Voice (2017). It was released on February 28, 2017, as the album's single by SM Entertainment. The song's lyrics were penned by Jin Ri, while its music was composed by Michael Woods, Kevin White, Andrew Bazzi, Shaylen Carroll, and MZMC. Musically, "Fine" is an alternative pop song that highlights Taeyeon's vocals.

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<i>Something New</i> (EP) 2018 EP by Taeyeon

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<i>Purpose</i> (Taeyeon album) 2019 studio album by Taeyeon

Purpose is the second studio album by South Korean singer Taeyeon. It was released through SM Entertainment on October 28, 2019. It features 12 tracks, including the Gaon number-one single "Four Seasons" and its B-side "Blue" alongside ten new tracks, including the title track "Spark". On January 15, 2020, a repackage edition of Purpose was released including three new songs, including title track "Dear Me". Musically, it is a pop record that contains influences of ballad, R&B, blues and jazz. The album was originally set to be released on October 22, 2019, but was postponed until October 28 due to the passing of Sulli.

"Spark" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon for her second studio album Purpose. It was released on October 28, 2019, as the album's lead single by SM Entertainment on October 28, 2019. The song was written by Kenzie, and composed by Kenzie, Anne Judith Wik and Ronny Svendsen. It was described as an alternative soul pop song incorporating intense melody with emotions and Taeyeon's overwhelming vocals and the lyrics contains various metaphors that expresses her identity.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy (Taeyeon song)</span> 2020 single by Taeyeon

"Happy" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon, released as a digital single originally on March 9, 2020 but postponed to May 4, 2020, by SM Entertainment. It is a pop song that reinterprets old school doo-wop and R&B with a modern sound, being described as a special gift for fans with lyrics about emotion and happiness found in the time spent with loved ones. The song was later included in the CD & LP version of Taeyeon's fourth EP What Do I Call You as bonus track.

"What Do I Call You" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon. It was released on December 15, 2020, by SM Entertainment. The song's lyrics were penned by Kenzie while its music was composed by Linnea Södahl, Caroline Pennell, David Pramik and arranged by David Pramik. It is the title track of Taeyeon's fourth EP with the same name What Do I Call You.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weekend (Taeyeon song)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hate That...</span> 2021 single by Key featuring Taeyeon

"Hate That..." is a song by South Korean singer Key featuring Taeyeon. It was released digitally on August 30, 2021, by SM Entertainment as the first single from Key's extended play Bad Love. The song is written by Hwang Yu-bin and composed by Stephen Puth, Lauren Mandel, and Eric Potapenko.

<i>INVU</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Taeyeon

INVU is the third studio album by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The album was released by SM Entertainment on February 14, 2022, and contains thirteen tracks, including the 2021 standalone single "Weekend", the pre-release single "Can't Control Myself", and the lead single of the same name, the former duo charted at top 10 and the latter debuted atop the Gaon Digital Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INVU (song)</span> 2022 single by Taeyeon

"INVU" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon for her third studio album of the same name. It was released as the lead single by SM Entertainment on February 14, 2022. "INVU" was written by Jinli (Full8loom), composed by Peter Wallevik, Daniel Davidsen, Rachel Furner, and Jess Morgan, and arranged by PhD.

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