hyejin Makes Theatrical Debut with WHAT A SHAME!
The lovesick season is out; being sick of love and its games is in. Rising Korean-American R&B singer-songwriter, hyejin, shared her brutally honest take on heartbreak with her debut EP WHAT A SHAME!. Released on March 3, the EP is the 19-year-old’s pragmatic take on disappointment, heartbreak, and attempting to move on. Styled as a comically tragic, b-film soundtrack about love, the album launched hyejin into the industry with a unique sound that sets her apart from the rest.
WHAT A SHAME! Or Is It?
The EP kicks off with the groovy, soul-influenced jam, “U GOOD?.” Inspired by live band recordings of 80s Japanese city-pop pioneers, such as CASIOPEA and ANRI, the song features renowned musicians from the New York City jazz scene. Star saxophonist Augie Bello, trumpeter Martin Shapiro, and pianist Sora Kim each lent their unique skills to give the album a classic cinematic opening. hyejin reminds listeners in this track that recovering from a breakup is not always so sorrowful as she confidently sings, “You see me, I’m doing so fine / You’re tryin’ to get me off your mind.”
Camaraderie is a powerful force to be reckoned with, and hyejin focuses on the strength that friends can give during hardships in “ALL MY FRIENDS HATE YOU!” Singer, rapper, and songwriter, My Friend Shawn, comes in fiercely in the second verse with this tongue-in-cheek letter to an ill-fated ex to lend his support to hyejin. With a pop spin on neo-soul, “ALL MY FRIENDS HATE YOU!” is playfully retributive. In the chorus, hyejin sings assuredly to her ex-lover, “Now I gotta slash tires / Fuck love / Fuck you / Hope we never speak again.”
Like the Movies
In the same heart-wrenching vein of Taylor Swift and Bon Iver’s song, “exile,” the third track off WHAT A SHAME! is an introspective reflection about a crumbling relationship. “I’VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE” is retro and dreamy with soft synths and a virtuosic guitar solo from Joe Cho, paying homage to the intimate, stripped-down nature of South Korean ballads.
The album nears its close with the melancholic track, “HOLD ME DOWN (INTERLUDE),” as hyejin opens up about her fear of failure. Somewhat hollow-sounding in the beginning, the song blossoms and gains more sonic textures as she recognizes she desires stability. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, hyejin sweetly asks her partner to stay by her side, “I don’t wanna lose it all / Baby, can you brace the fall?”
Ending on a darker note, “SABOTAGE” was described in a press release as hyejin’s most honest song to date as she discloses her fear of commitment after exiting from a toxic situationship. This track infuses the sounds of genres such as lo-fi, R&B, trap, and soul to create a musical blend that is unlike the rest of the album. She brings the EP to a close with an intimate finale as she confesses the drive behind her self-destructive nature by singing, “But you know I got my issues / …There’s nothing wrong about my pride / It’s protected me from your lies.”
Waiting for the Sequel
hyejin has made a one-of-a-kind debut with her first EP, WHAT A SHAME! With emotionally-charged lyrics and her sticky-sweet vocal tone, this album is well worth the listen.
To keep up with any future projects from hyejin, make sure to follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. You can listen to WHAT A SHAME! on Apple Music and Spotify now!
Looking for more new music? Check out our recap on FIFTY FIFTY’s latest single “Cupid” here!
