CHEN
Soaring, emotional ballads led by a powerhouse vocal range. Lush orchestral arrangements and intimate piano melodies for moments of quiet reflection and heartbreak.
Soaring, emotional ballads led by a powerhouse vocal range. Lush orchestral arrangements and intimate piano melodies for moments of quiet reflection and heartbreak.
Chen’s music is a masterclass in the traditional Korean ballad, elevated by a vocal technique that is both technically flawless and deeply empathetic. His solo work strips away the high-octane artifice of group pop, favoring organic textures like grand pianos, sweeping string sections, and gentle acoustic guitars. The sound is warm, expansive, and inherently cinematic, often feeling like the emotional climax of a high-stakes drama.
What distinguishes Chen from his contemporaries is his incredible dynamic control. He can transition from a fragile, whispered verse to a thunderous, high-register belt without losing the emotional thread of the song. His R&B roots peek through in his phrasing and subtle melisma, giving his ballads a modern soulfulness that prevents them from feeling dated or overly theatrical.
Start with the EP 'April, and a Flower' to experience his transition into a solo artist. It captures his ability to hold a room with just his voice and a piano, setting the gold standard for the 'vocalist-first' aesthetic that has defined his career outside of his group activities.
Kim Jong-dae (Korean: 김종대; born September 21, 1992), known professionally as Chen (Korean: 첸), is a South Korean singer and songwriter. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Exo, its subgroup Exo-M and its subunit Exo-CBX, and participated in SM's projects SM the Ballad. He is predominantly known for his role as the vocalist of Exo. Apart from his group's activities, Chen has also recorded songs for various television dramas, most notably "Best Luck" for It's Okay, That's Love (2014) and "Everytime" for Descendants of the Sun (2016). In 2019, Chen debuted as a solo singer with the extended play (EP) April, and a Flower, which peaked at number two on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart and spawned the hit single "Beautiful Goodbye". Continuing the success, his second EP, Dear My Dear, accompanied by the single "Shall We?" was released later that same year.
Shares orchestral arrangement, studio polished, analog warmth (production style); melancholic, tender, wistful (moods)
Shares contemporary r&b, chamber pop, soul (subgenres); studio polished, orchestral arrangement, hi fi (production style)
Shares orchestral arrangement, studio polished, analog warmth (production style); contemporary r&b, soul (subgenres)
Shares contemporary r&b, chamber pop, soul (subgenres); orchestral arrangement, studio polished, analog warmth (production style)
Shares studio polished, orchestral arrangement, hi fi (production style); melancholic, tender, wistful (moods)
Shares orchestral arrangement, studio polished, analog warmth (production style); melancholic, tender, wistful (moods)
Shares melancholic, tender, wistful (moods); orchestral arrangement, studio polished, hi fi (production style)
Shares orchestral arrangement, studio polished, analog warmth (production style); contemporary r&b, soul (subgenres)
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