{"id":10330,"date":"2026-04-19T01:43:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/taemin-coachella-debut-interview-1236226096\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T01:43:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:43:42","slug":"taemin-coachella-debut-interview-1236226096","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/taemin-coachella-debut-interview-1236226096\/","title":{"rendered":"TAEMIN on His Historic Coachella Debut and Why Second-Gen K-Pop is the \u2018Generation of Dreams Coming\u00a0True\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
\n

\n\tIn Coachella\u2019s humid Mojave tent, TAEMIN<\/a> emerges for his Saturday (April 11) evening performance from a fleshy, spherical cage. It\u2019s more than just aesthetic set dressing \u2014 speaking later with Billboard<\/em>, the singer explains that the prop represents a poignant line from Herman Hesse\u2019s Demian<\/em> about a bird that cracks free from its egg: before you can really live, you first have to deconstruct the only world you\u2019ve ever known.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\n

\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

\n
\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Taemin\"<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

\n

\t\t\t\t\tTaemin Talks Long Road to First U.S. Tour, Control In His Career and Why He\u2019s No Longer \u2018A Frog in a\u00a0Well\u2019\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Ice<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

\n

\t\t\t\t\tIce Spice Jokes That Her McDonald’s Fight ‘Wouldn’t Happen at Wendy’s’\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lil<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

\n

\t\t\t\t\tLil Wayne Calls It a ‘Humbling Experience’ Not Being Invited to Coachella or Grammy Awards\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tThe 32-year-old knows a little something about that kind of leap of faith. Introduced in 2008 as part of K-pop five-piece SHINee<\/a>, TAEMIN\u2019s (then still developing) voice barely appeared on their debut single, \u201cReplay,\u201d yet through a potent combination of unrivaled dance skills and trailblazing creative vision, he grew to become one of K-pop\u2019s most sought-after soloists. After 16 years operating under the tutelage of legacy management company SM Entertainment, the singer opted not to renew<\/a> his solo contract in 2024, instead signing with smaller label BPM Entertainment. (He moved again to Galaxy Corporation, home to fellow K-pop veteran and 2026 Coachella performer G-Dragon<\/a>, just one month ago.)<\/p>\n

\n\tGiven the recency of that label shift, it seems like a miracle TAEMIN\u2019s festival set came together at all, let alone nearly as well as it did. As always, the perfectionist has a few notes ahead of weekend two. But from an outside perspective, the show convincingly asserted his status as an artist among idols, from the elaborate staging and lighting cues to how he throws himself into every move with full-bodied commitment to the craft.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn addition to old favorites \u201cWANT,\u201d \u201cAdvice,\u201d \u201cIDEA\u201d and \u201cMOVE\u201d \u2014 the choreographed restraint for which was so innovative that it unleashed a rash of imitators<\/a> upon release in 2017 \u2014 TAEMIN debuted six tracks from an upcoming project: \u201cPermission,\u201d \u201cParasite,\u201d \u201cFrankenstein,\u201d \u201cLet Me Be the One,\u201d \u201cSober\u201d and \u201c1004.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tEven within a stifling industry, TAEMIN has long defined himself and his trajectory on his own terms. Now, following his historic stint as the first Korean male K-pop soloist to perform at Coachella \u2014 and first K-pop soloist with a dedicated display at the Grammy Museum<\/a> \u2014 the \u201cidol\u2019s idol\u201d is ready to take the next step.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAlthough I\u2019m not caught up in results, I want my team and I to accomplish something tangible together,\u201d he tells Billboard<\/em>, pointing to future tours and awards as his more immediate goals. But there\u2019s one lofty aspiration the singer has set his sights on for further down the line: \u201cI want to be someone who\u2019s mentioned when people think about art.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHe breaks down the creative behind his 50-minute Coachella set \u2014 and what it meant to be one of two second-generation K-pop acts performing over the weekend \u2014 below.<\/p>\n

\n\tBillboard<\/em>: How are you feeling after your Coachella debut?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tTaemin:<\/strong> I was very nervous, but now that weekend one is done and the videos people took are showing up on my feed, I\u2019m less anxious. For this second weekend, I think I will have more fun and hopefully make up for my shortcomings.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat was the preparation process like? When did you start making the setlist?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI started planning the setlist last year, but the details were filled in around January, mostly February. Truthfully, I was set to perform at Coachella early on. So, any time I was running or exercising since then, I would listen to my music and envision a good way to perform each song.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Taemin<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArturo Holmes\/Getty Images for Coachella<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tTell me the story of the set design, especially the beginning, where you emerge from that egg-like structure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tThere\u2019s a verse in Demian<\/em>: \u201cThe bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world.\u201d I was really inspired by that, so I made it part of the concept for the performance and for my album. Something about always pushing and breaking the mold, despite it being an unknown world, resonated with me.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe staging for \u201cParasite\u201d was also really amazing.<\/strong> What inspired that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI feel like when I was younger, I was more at peace. But now, there\u2019s a lot of pressure and there are more times when I am facing hatred and negativity. I wanted to portray this artistically through my music. I\u2019m pained that there is so much hate in the world. It makes me sad, and I made this song to portray my genuine feelings. I took a lot of time to think about this, so it\u2019s nice to hear that the song is being enjoyed.<\/p>\n

\n\tOne of the biggest reactions from the crowd was for \u201cMOVE.\u201d How do you feel about the response to that song, now that it\u2019s been almost a decade since its release?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tHonestly, it\u2019s an iconic song and one that people think of when they think of me. So I thought I should definitely perform it \u2014 but since it\u2019s an older song, I\u2019ve performed it a lot. [This time], I was thinking I should redevelop it in some way. There\u2019s this sexiness that comes from the restraint in the motions, so I hoped to upgrade the song while preserving that vibe.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe live arrangement of \u201cIDEA\u201d<\/a> is also a fan favorite. Would you ever consider recording that version?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI never thought about it. I\u2019ve always heard people say that if the music is too much, it\u2019s tiring for the ears. Personally, I like being a bit more extreme. So the tempered version is the one that gets recorded, while the performance is more reflective of the style I want.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut hearing you say this, if the opportunity arises, I think it\u2019d be a good idea to record the live version of this song and some of the other ones.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat made you want to play the piano during this set?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI performed a lot of new tracks this time. The recorded version will be calmer \u2014 again, I wanted to go all out for the live performance.<\/p>\n

\n\tGoing from \u201cFrankenstein\u201d to \u201cAdvice\u201d to \u201cIdea\u201d\u2026 I am someone who thinks that developing an emotional journey is really important \u2014 not just across the entire performance but within each section. I wondered how to show something people hadn\u2019t seen before, which is how the piano came to be. I wanted to start in a smaller moment, so as the show went on, things would escalate and then explode at the finale.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tTell me about \u201c1004,\u201d the set\u2019s closer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAs a date, it\u2019s October 4th [the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi]. In Korean, 1,004 also sounds like angel.<\/p>\n

\n\tI am Catholic, and my baptismal name is Francesco, so there\u2019s a personal element to this. I wanted to imagine fans seeing me, how they see me from their perspective, and that\u2019s where the song came from.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tI thought it was a nice note to end on \u2014 there\u2019s some choreography, but it puts more emphasis on your vocals and how much you\u2019ve grown as a singer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI actually just wanted to start the overall performance really strong. It wasn\u2019t necessarily so that I could feature more vocals at the end.<\/p>\n

\n\tAt the beginning of the performance, I thought that everyone \u2014 including the audience \u2014 might be a bit anxious. So with the beginning of the set, I wanted to release that tension and change it to a more enjoyable mood.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut it\u2019s nice to hear you say that about my vocals. [Laughs<\/em>]\n

\n\tHow did you feel the performance went? I saw you rated yourself<\/a> a 5\/10.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI wasn\u2019t able to fully rehearse because I didn\u2019t have time. There were some technical defects with the lighting \u2014 with \u201cParasite,\u201d for example, it wasn\u2019t the performance I had pictured, so I felt regretful.<\/p>\n

\n\tThat\u2019s why I gave it a 5, and I want to try to get as close to a 10 as possible. Since I\u2019m less nervous this weekend, I think I will do better.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat would you change about \u201cParasite\u201d for next weekend?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The performance features projections of philosophical words and quotes that I felt inspired by. But because the audience couldn\u2019t see them, I wasn\u2019t able to get the full message across.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe words come down while there is also thunder, lightning and rain effects. I wanted the words to portray hatred coming down and lifting back up at the end of the song, but I am sad that people weren\u2019t able to see that.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArturo Holmes\/Getty Images for Coachella<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tWho were the quotes from?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know the names very well. [To his team<\/em>] Can I check my phone?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt doesn\u2019t say who the speaker is, but there are things like \u201ccapitalism makes people into props\u201d and \u201cwe are in jail performing freedom.\u201d \u201cThe moment we stop thinking, evil slowly begins to grow,\u201d and \u201cpeople are born free, but wherever we go, we are still in shackles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhy is that a message you wanted to convey?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s different depending on the culture, but in Korea, it\u2019s hard for singers and idols to speak their truth. Everything needs to be packaged and delivered carefully \u2014 that\u2019s how to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations. I thought that using these quotes would be a more approachable way to portray my thoughts. So I borrowed the words.<\/p>\n

\n\tI saw you watched<\/a> Justin Bieber\u2019s headlining set, which, to me, seemed like a reflection on growing up in the spotlight and having all these online artifacts to look back on. Since you\u2019re the same age as him, and similarly became famous in your early teens, did that resonate with you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAs I watched [the performance], I felt like I would be reacting to it differently than anyone else. I really saw myself reflected. Of course, the language and the country are different, but I also look back at my younger self through videos. I can\u2019t say anything, but I watch on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

\n\tI think Justin Bieber likely felt those similar emotions and portrayed them on stage. I just really want to root for him. I thought that it must\u2019ve been so hard. All that attention, as grateful as you are for it, was probably really difficult for one person to shoulder. And despite this, through good music, he has continued to inspire. I want to thank him for that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tBIGBANG<\/a> also performed over the weekend. How did it feel to see second-generation K-pop so well represented at Coachella?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tIt feels good. There\u2019s so much that we can relate to each other about. There aren\u2019t many people \u2014 even around me \u2014 who can really understand and sympathize with this experience and those times. We survived, and steadily, we made it here.<\/p>\n

\n\tBack in 2008, the American market felt so distant. We\u2019re the generation of dreams coming true. I\u2019m grateful that we can celebrate these joys and successes together.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter your set, I saw people make comparisons between your performance style and Michael Jackson\u2019s. And, coincidentally, your Grammy Museum exhibit is right next to his.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI dreamed of becoming a musician like him. I was very influenced by him \u2014 you follow what you like, and it becomes part of you. There are times when I [deliberately] pay homage to Michael Jackson, but even at times when I don\u2019t intend to, there are similarities because he\u2019s a part of me.<\/p>\n

\n\tAs a fan, it\u2019s really touching to hear people say that I\u2019m like him or to even be in such close proximity at the museum exhibit. What fan is as successful as me? To have our stage outfits be displayed together feels like a dream.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe exhibit is called \u201cTAEMIN: Performer. Artist. Icon.\u201d What do each of those titles mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tIt feels like one thing. Music is expression. I try to convey my emotions through music and, visually, through performance. It\u2019s one of the fundamentals that I strive to achieve, and a characteristic of the artists that I admire.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat are you trying to express now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019ve done a lot of abstract and ambiguous concepts, using my music to build them out and share them as a story or fiction. Now, I am trying to convey who I am and what I feel more tangibly through my music.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat do you hope your legacy as an artist will be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tWhether it\u2019s an artist like David Bowie or with fashion, art is something you experience with all five senses. I want to be someone who\u2019s mentioned when people think about art. Even when they taste something, I want people to think about me \u2014 to say this, this feeling, is like Taemin. I want to be that kind of sensational and iconic artist while I\u2019m alive.<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditional translation provided by Gene Kim.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Coachella\u2019s humid Mojave tent, TAEMIN emerges for his Saturday (April 11) evening performance from a fleshy, spherical cage. It\u2019s more than just aesthetic set dressing \u2014 speaking later with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[552,1396,760,96,94,6,582],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-genre-kpop","category-global","category-interview","category-music","category-music-news","category-news","category-pop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}