Yeri and Sam Kim Are in Perfect Harmony for “Nap Fairy”
On August 25, YERI of the K-pop girl group Red Velvet teamed up with singer, songwriter, and producer Sam Kim for the latest SM STATION project. The two artists lent their vocals to the soothing love song “Nap Fairy” and portrayed the sweet message in the accompanying music video. The track is a new venture for both artists due to it being of the country genre. First announced on August 22, the collaboration quickly raised anticipation from the fans of both YERI and Sam Kim.
A Great Match
Sam Kim debuted as a solo artist in April 2016 under Antenna Music. He has a diverse musical catalog ranging from dance tracks like “Smile” to R&B songs like “Make Up.” He is also regarded as the “OST Prince” due to his viral OST “Love Me Like That” for the popular drama, Nevertheless and most recently, his OST “For You” for CLEANING UP, released on June 18.
Red Velvet’s youngest member, YERI, released her first OST in 2021 titled “It’s You” for Blue Birthday, the web series in which she also portrayed the female lead. In 2022, Red Velvet released their 7th Korean mini album, The ReVe Festival 2022- Feel My Rhythm, and their first full-length Japanese album, Bloom. “Nap Fairy” marks YERI’s third SM station following the single “Hair in the Air,” a collaboration with NCT Dream’s Renjun, Jeno, and Jaemin. YERI released her first solo station in 2019 titled “Dear Diary,” a self-written track that showcased her soft vocals.
YERI has been a long admirer of Sam Kim, stating in 2017 on Old School Radio that she wanted to collaborate with him. In 2021, on KBS Cool FM, the duo showed that their vocals can effortlessly blend in an acoustic cover of Justin Bieber’s song “Off My Face.” They also revealed during the show that they were in the process of working on a song together.
“Nap Fairy”
Opening with signature country guitar phrases, “Nap Fairy” creates a comforting atmosphere. The mellow nature of the instrumental allows listeners to focus on the soft vocals. Sam’s lower register perfectly complements YERI’s higher tone as they harmonize during the chorus. The lyrics, “If you come by to see me / such beautiful dreams you’ll have” perfectly encapsulate the song’s overall message, which compares a love confession to a sweet dream whilst taking a nap.
Aesthetic-wise, the video is just as sweet as the song with YERI portraying an author who is writing a love story with herself and Sam Kim as the main characters. The two artists act in the video as office workers, reminiscent of a romantic drama. They look longingly at each other across the room, wanting to confess their true feelings to each other as author YERI continues to write their story. True to the meaning of the song, YERI writes in the video “as a nap on a spring day.” The line is also fitting for the soothing nature of the track which would make for the perfect listen during a springtime drive.
What’s Next?
“Nap Fairy” allowed YERI and Sam Kim to showcase their vocal range as they adapted to the country genre. Due to their vocals creating the perfect harmony, listeners are hoping that the duo can collaborate again in the future.
Sam Kim and YERI both performed in London earlier in the Summer for HallyuPopFest and MIK festival respectively. 2022 will continue to be filled with live performances from both artists as Red Velvet is set to perform in Tokyo Dome for SMTOWN LIVE from the 27th to the 29th of August. Sam Kim was recently revealed as a performer for Thailand’s River Fest on the 12th and 13th of November.
You can listen to “Nap Fairy” on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube.
Want to read more about Sam Kim? Check out our interview with the singer, songwriter, and producer here.
