(The Black Label)

Zion. T’s new single might come as a surprise to longtime fans, as it is way more “polished” and “familiar” than past works.

The seven-track EP, titled “ZZZ,” features lead track “Hello Tutorial,” and the musician explained the song as “a well-made romantic comedy that is likely to premier during the holidays.”

“Many will realize that the song is quite different from my previous songs. It’s an easy song to listen to, and I hope the song’s lovely and bright vibe are conveyed well to listeners,” said Zion. T during a media showcase for his new album in Seoul on Monday.

(The Black Label)

(Yonhap)

Featuring Seulgi of Red Velvet, one of K-pop’s most popular idols, “Hello Tutorial” is definitely a feel-good track light on heavy synths and flamboyant vocal techniques. While many would consider the two musicians’ collaboration unexpected, Zion. T commented he chose the Red Velvet vocalist due to her wide range of vocals, adding with a laugh that he was a huge fan of Red Velvet himself.

“I just did what I had to do as a Red Velvet fan. Actually, I thought her breathy vocals would fit well with the song. At first, I wondered whether she would follow my way of working, as I tend to get very strict and pushy when recording. But I was surprised that she was more arduous than me. We recorded the song 800 times over five hours,” he said.

Well known for his unique rhythm and blues and jazzy sonic style, he went on to share he did not care much about catering to the public’s taste in the beginning. What he wanted most was to be recognized by other fellow musicians.

(Yonhap)

But as he gained followers and saw many of his songs yielding success on the charts, such as “No Makeup,” “Yanghwa Brdg” and “$ponsor,” he realized he has unintentionally been making “easy” music -- he explained that the term can be interpreted in various ways -- and that he started feeling proud of it.

“I feel happy making songs people like, and I hope more people could like my song,” he added.

The album also includes songs “Sleep Talk,” featuring Oh Hyuk, and “Malla Gang,” featuring rapper E. Sens, as well as “Ideal,” “Uh Huh” and “Untold Story.”

(lotus@heraldcorp.com)