Ten of NCT debuts solo with first EP ‘Ten’

Ten of NCT made his debut as a solo artist with his first EP “Ten.” Image: SM Entertainment via The Korea Herald

From Latin pop to hip-hop, Ten of NCT challenged himself with diverse music genres for his first official solo album, “Ten,” released on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

“I’ve waited for this moment for so long. I put my own ideas, including the album concept, into this album after thorough and continuous discussion with the staff of my agency. So, I was able to enjoy every process of coming up with this solo album,” said Ten when introducing his first EP during a press conference in Seoul.

The EP, led by the title track “Nightwalker,” carries six English tracks of diverse genres including Latin pop, pop punk, hip-hop, and pop.

“The lead track is an addictive pop song. It has a mystic yet charming melody and it’s about a seductive character who has the power to hypnotize people. That’s why the highlight dance move involves swaying my hand as if hypnotizing someone,” said Ten. “I tried to sing like acting when recording because, in the music video, you can see that I am a researcher working at a lab who turns into a monster when the clock hits midnight.”

Ten began working on the album a year ago, meticulously choosing the songs he wanted to work with as well as the visual concept.

“I tried to show different facets of myself by including songs of diverse genres in this album. Also, unlike Ten of NCT who has only done fancy and powerful performances, I wanted to present a simple but attractive performance as a soloist,” said Ten.

Ten added that other solo artists including Yunho of TVXQ and Taeyong of NCT gave him useful advice when he was preparing for his solo debut.

“They said that I should do what I want. They told me to focus on making an album about myself. They did not tell me what to do but rather told me that I would be able to present a good album when I do what I want to do,” added Ten.

Following his solo debut, Ten embarks on his first solo fan concert tour of four cities in Asia including Bangkok, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Seoul in South Korea.

The fan concert tour kicks off in Seoul on Feb. 16-17 during which the artist will perform all six tracks in his latest album.