Summer is here, and so is Taeyeon! Seven months after releasing her fourth EP What Do I Call You, the Girl’s Generation member-turned-solo artist returned to the music scene on July 6 with the funky summer song, “Weekend.” Abandoning her monotonous work place, Taeyeon postulates the possibilities of how she will spend the weekend in her new single.

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A Sweet Summer Song

“Weekend” is composed by RoseInPeace, Saimon, Willemijn Van Der Neut, and Marcia Sondeijker, and written by Hwang Yoo Bin. The song has a retro feel to it that is exemplified by the funky guitar and synth sounds. The song has a steady, upbeat rhythm, making it a perfect song to play while relaxing at home or chilling at the beach. The song does not feature any of Taeyeon’s powerful vocals; however, she keeps listeners engaged by riding the rhythm of the song with breathy, pop vocals and a surprise rap. 

Complimenting the upbeat music of “Weekend,” Taeyeon shares how to spend the perfect weekend through her lyrics. Taeyeon reminds listeners that it is okay to rest and enjoy life without worrying about their workload. She sings her chorus “When the weekend comes, I can do whatever I want” in a dreamy tone, making the words stand out as both relatable and catchy, effectively conveying the meaning of the song. 

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A Nod to the Past 

To match the retro vibes of the song, Taeyeon’s music video has many trendy yet nostalgic visuals that nod to the past. The video opens with a mundane office scene, everyone behind chunky Macintosh PCs that match the vivid color palette of the entire video. While Taeyeon is counting down the start of her weekend, time seems to stop as soon as the weekend comes. 

In the next scene, Taeyeon wakes up in a luxurious purple room that becomes the interior of an airplane. To further establish the travel atmosphere, Taeyeon’s dancers sport uniforms that are inspired by French airline uniforms. 

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From sunbathing in a sea of cotton-candy clouds to taking a scooter to the nearest coffee shop, Taeyeon shows viewers how to erase their worries and enjoy their leisure. The video comes full circle, ending with Taeyeon dancing freely with her coworkers in the office.

 

Barbie-Inspired Visuals and Throwback Fashion

The music video’s pretty, picture-esque visuals highlight Taeyeon’s looks throughout the video. Her first look suits the shrilling, professional vibes of any office. She adorns a chic orange suit with a sock-heel combination for shoes, matched with a small box purse and straight, strawberry blond hair. 

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The work suit is completely contrasted with her next look: a pink tracksuit with shorts, a tube top, and a pink bandana. Unique from the rest of the video, Taeyeon has blonde hair and front bangs for this look. Overall, Taeyeon’s all-pink outfit seems to come straight out of an early 2000s music video, achieving that old school feel the song has. 

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Taeyeon shows a new side with her sporty yet sophisticated all-white collared top and pleated skirt that is reminiscent of a tennis uniform. Keeping with the look’s classy but athletic theme, she sports a white headband and neatly sculpted bun. Taeyeon completes the ensemble with chunky white heels in true vintage style.

The final outfit of the video takes on a more doll-like atmosphere. Taeyeon dons spiral curls with a cream dress and tan boots. The combination successfully creates a playful take on an antique doll-inspired look.

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Throughout the video, Taeyeon effortlessly switches between a trendy office uniform, a sweet pink sweatsuit, an all-white sporty skirt look, and a vintage curls and cream dress combo. Taeyeon’s ability to model an array of looks inspired by old fashion trends helps embody the overarching retro theme of the song and music video. 

 

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Taeyeon, A Chart Topping Queen

“Weekend” not only successfully took on the old school concept, but the song has been met with commercial success, as well. Taeyeon’s song has topped global charts, earning 7 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs Sales Char, 4 on Worldwide iTunes Song Chart, and number 1 for iTunes’ Song Charts in 14 different countries. Taeyeon’s track has also reached number 1 on China’s QQ Music Video Chart and 2 on QQ Music’s Korean Music Chart, and sold over 129,000 copies, earning a gold certification on QQ Music. The music video currently has 10 millions views on YouTube, and Taeyeon’s Spotify has peaked at nearly 3 million monthly listeners!

On domestic South Korean charts, Taeyeon has been doing just as well! In the week that the song has been out, Taeyeon has managed to maintain a top ten spot on the four major Korean charts: Genie, FLO, Bugs, and MelOn 24Hits, peaking in the top three spots for Genie, FLO, and Bugs. She has also hit number four on Spotify Korea’s Top 200 Chart. Although topping charts is no new feat for Taeyeon, this milestone solidifies her musical reach across the globe, maintaining her spot as one of South Korea’s “digital monsters!” 

 

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What’s In Store For the Future?

It has been 14 years since Taeyeon’s music debut in the K-pop girl group Girl’s Generation and six years since her debut as a solo artist, and Taeyeon is still creating hit after hit and killing the charts. Taeyeon may be greeting the “Weekend” with this single, but she is certainly not going anywhere. Staying toe-to-toe with new artists and remaining trendy is something only a top-tier artist can do, both of which Taeyeon has accomplished in terms of music quality and popularity. 

Be sure to listen to Taeyeon’s “Weekend” on Apple Music and Spotify, and watch the music video on YouTube!

Want more music news? Check out our piece on Day6’s new mini album here! 

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Thumbnail courtesy of SM Entertainment. 

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