[TF Focus] Onew Delivers Unfamiliar Emotions with a Familiar Voice

On November 20, he released the single 'Illusion'... featuring 3 tracksDemonstrating stronger creative capabilities and breaking away from familiar imagesOnew released his first single album, 'Illusion,' on November 20. The single maintains his strengths as a vocalist while expanding the range of emotions and musical colors conveyed through his voice. /Griffin Entertainment[THE FACT | Reporter Jung Byung-geun] Singer Onew's most powerful weapon is his voice. His smooth, warm tone with a distinct texture makes him recognizable within just a few bars. However, a warm and gentle voice doesn't always mean the emotions conveyed must be warm. His new single, 'Illusion,' delivers unfamiliar emotions with a familiar voice.Onew's first single album, 'Illusion,' released on November 20, maintains his strengths as a vocalist while expanding the range of emotions and musical colors conveyed through his voice. Furthermore, it shows that he is moving beyond simply delivering songs with a good voice to becoming an artist who creates his own stories and designs expressions that suit them.Onew has put forward all three tracks as title songs: the main title track of the same name, 'Tic Tac Toe,' and 'Mind Games.' Although the genres and moods differ, they share a common sentiment: that people perceive the same situation differently, and these differences in interpretation create different emotions.'Illusion' depicts the process of assigning meaning to a partner's trivial actions, ultimately becoming convinced that what one wants to believe is the truth. It combines a comfortable and smooth flow with the dynamic rhythm characteristic of UK garage. The combination of these seemingly incompatible elements aligns with the emotions the song aims to express. It coexists with the excitement of building one's own certainty amidst an unstable situation.Here, Onew's voice is a crucial element that enhances the song's charm. The fundamental emotions in Onew's vocals are tenderness and comfort. However, in 'Illusion,' this tenderness is not a means to understand and comfort the other person's feelings but rather a device to make his own fabricated beliefs more plausible. It's as if his familiar tone has been given a different role than before.In 'Tic Tac Toe,' featuring Zico, another facet of Onew's charm can be discovered. This R&B hip-hop track likens the subtle emotions between men and women to a game, with a bouncy 808 bass rhythm and a cheerful trap sound at its core. Like a game of deciphering intentions and hiding one's own cards, it wittily expresses the emotional tug-of-war that occurs in a "situationship."The intriguing aspect of this song is the combination of Onew and Zico. Onew's smooth and gentle vocals and Zico's rhythmic and distinctive rap have different ways of speaking. This contrast is effective not only in differentiating musical colors but also in expressing opposing perspectives on the same relationship. It demonstrates Onew's ability to utilize his voice in combination with various genres.'Illusion,' which confirms the other person's feelings in one's own way; 'Tic Tac Toe,' which playfully engages in a battle of wits while exploring each other's inner thoughts; and 'Mind Games,' which clashes between love and pride, all deal with the emotional discord that arises in relationships. /Griffin Entertainment'Mind Games,' featuring Yuju, has a distinctly different atmosphere. It portrays the precarious relationship of a couple where pride takes precedence over love, and they hurt each other yet cannot easily let go. The minimalist arrangement, centered on vocals and acoustic guitar, is a key feature. Instead of dressing up emotions with elaborate sounds, it focuses on the two voices and the tension flowing between them.In 'Mind Games,' Onew's delicate emotional expression becomes even more crucial. The contradictory emotions of still having affection but being unable to approach due to pride, and wanting the other person while uttering hurtful words, create a peculiar contrast when combined with his signature soft tone. The fact that the two people's emotions flow in different directions rather than merging into one also aligns with the song's theme.Placing the three songs side by side further clarifies the album's concept, 'Illusion.' 'Illusion,' which confirms the other person's feelings in one's own way; 'Tic Tac Toe,' which playfully engages in a battle of wits while exploring each other's inner thoughts; and 'Mind Games,' which clashes between love and pride, all deal with the emotional discord that arises in relationships.What's noteworthy here is that Onew participated in the lyrics for all three songs and was also credited for the composition of 'Illusion' and 'Tic Tac Toe.' This means he connected music of different genres under a single theme and infused his thoughts within them. It shows that Onew is expanding his creative control based on the vocal prowess and expressive ability he has built over a long time.Onew has long strived to incorporate more of himself into his music. Debuting in 2008 with the group SHINee, ONEW participated in the lyrics for SHINee's 'Your Name' in 2010 and solely wrote the lyrics for 'So Amazing' and 'One Word' in 2016. In 2018, he also expressed his own stories through lyrics on his solo debut album 'VOICE.'Accurately understanding the strengths of one's own voice and finding the emotions and stories that voice can convey most persuasively is also a sign of musical growth. Onew is moving in that direction. /Griffin EntertainmentIn particular, a clear shift became apparent starting with 'FLOW' in 2024. He began to directly set the album's direction by participating in the lyrics and production of all tracks, and in 2025's 'MAD,' he was also credited for composition. Subsequently, through 'PERCENT' and 'TOUGH LOVE' in March of this year, he further broadened his creative scope.Thus, Onew has evolved from a singer who simply sings well to a singer-songwriter who contemplates and implements what and how to sing. In 'Illusion,' an extension of this journey, Onew has revealed more solid capabilities as a creator by discussing the subjective and complex nature of love through its different faces: excitement, playfulness, and conflict.Above all, this single is significant as an attempt by Onew to step away from the image he was accustomed to.Upon releasing the single, Onew stated through his agency, "I've often heard that I have a 'good voice,' so I've thought that slow-tempo songs like ballads suit me well. However, when I pick the songs I can do best, dance songs have always been among them. To correct my own 'illusion' about myself as singer Onew, I prepared the main title track 'Illusion' as a dance song."'Illusion' is simultaneously the story of the song's narrator and a reflection of Onew's process of re-examining himself. Accurately understanding the strengths of one's own voice and finding the emotions and stories that voice can convey most persuasively is also a sign of musical growth. Onew is moving in that direction.A good voice draws the listener into the song. However, a voice that creates its own story makes that song memorable. Onew is now striving to possess both. 'Illusion' is another step forward in the musical world Onew is painting.kafka@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]