Monsta X’s Kihyun Talks “Voyager,” Solo Debut, and Figuring Himself Out | Teen Vogue

Teen Vogue: Congrats on your solo debut! Can you tell us more about how you came up with the concept of Voyager?

Kihyun: A voyager means a person who is traveling to somewhere unknown, and I wanted to [embark on] this as my first story on my own, finding my true self. I think my journey will proceed for a long time, so this is meaningful in that it’s a new start for me. It’s the first step of my travel into my own music.

TV: And why did you decide to start this solo journey now?

Kihyun: Before, there was no time to make my solo album because of my team schedules — literally, there was no time. But when I heard “Voyager,” I thought, “Oh, this song. Maybe this song.” It just came into my mind that this was the song, this was the best way to mark the start of my own story.

TV: How did the members of Monsta X support you on this new path?

Kihyun: When I was shooting the music video, every member, including Shownu, came to the set. They prepared a lot of coffee and food to feed the staff, and they sat in front of the monitor as if they were the directors, giving lots of comments and memos. Up until now they have been giving me a lot of support.

Photo credit: Starship Entertainment

TV: What are some of the differences that you’ve experienced recording solo, as opposed to recording with Monsta X?

Kihyun: Actually, recording solo was easier. Because it’s my album, it’s my color, so it was easier. I’ve done these songs in… One hour? Yeah. And since I recorded them so fast, I was able to think a lot about the harmony and adlibs.

TV: So, why only three songs?

Kihyun: To be honest, I have a really tight schedule, so adding more than three was hard for me. I also had a lot of demos, but I thought that three was enough to reveal my colors as an artist.

TV: Do you ever feel this need to be a voyager, to escape your own routine?

Kihyun: Yeah, sometimes, whenever I want to do something, but because of my schedule I’m not able to. In those times, I try to escape by creating and involving myself in music.

TV: Do you think that your solo album worked as a way to escape from your routine into your own world then?

Kihyun: It’s true that it has become a medium for me to express the things that I really wanted, but couldn’t accomplish as a group. And also, in the music video, you can see that I’m kinda escaping this reality too.

TV: You were involved in the MV too? So, basically, in every part of this album?

Kihyun: I chose the songs, the outfits, my hair. I wrote “, (Comma).” Everything. Even the promotions. It’s very me.