Damn Idol - Chapter 18

From their debut until now, Way From Flower has achieved great success without any ups and downs, but their debut song was just so-so.

 

It did not fail, but its performance was slightly below average.

 

Their rise to stardom was not thanks to that debut track but rather their follow-up banger, <WATCH> from their first full-length album.

 

It was a brilliant move by the company to quickly change its promotional track to the follow-up song when the debut song’s performance was ambiguous.

 

So Han Si-On’s song choice was also ambiguous.

 

It’s possible for him to sing a girl group’s song to show his own color.

 

But wasn’t “Flowers Bloom” too ambiguous?

 

In terms of both performance and the song’s characteristics?

 

Lee Chang-Jun, the composer, was the first to pipe up with his curiosity.

 

“Han Si-On, did you rearrange this song yourself?”

 

“No, I didn’t. The mentor advised that it would be better for me to sing the original song without any arrangement this time.”

 

“So you’re singing the original song as is?”

 

“Yes. I just dropped the key a notch.”

 

Dropped the key a notch? That was even stranger.

 

It did not seem like he was trying to show off his high notes boldly. 

 

It would have been rustic if he did, but still.

 

Lee Chang-Jun would have made a negative comment already if it were any other participant.

 

However, Han Si-On’s performance was too intense for that.

 

The other judges were impressed, but Lee Chang-Jun was not sold.

 

He had been living off as a composer, and he knew what Han Si-On did seemed nearly impossible.

 

Did he arrange the original song’s boring chord progressions with his vocals?

 

That’s ridiculous.

 

Even if he’s got the skills, pulling it off with just his voice is next-level.

 

“I’m curious, but I’m expecting big things.”

 

Lee Chang-Jun had no choice but to say that.

 

Surprisingly, it was CEO Choi Dae-Ho who dropped the harsh comments.

 

“I won’t comment on the song. I’ve got high hopes for Han Si-On’s talent, but I’m not expecting much from the performance.”

 

Some of the other contestants nodded in agreement. Choi Dae-Ho elaborated as if explaining to the viewers.

 

“As the name Flowers Bloom suggests, there are many point choreographies that resemble flowers blooming.”

 

Even in the intro, the members start off huddled together like flower buds and disperse as if they were blooming.

 

“It’s a choreo that’s hard to pull off solo. Just because one petal’s swaying doesn’t mean the whole flower’s blooming.”

 

BLUE chimed in.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to see it on stage instead of hearing about it here?”

 

“Ah, you got a point there. Guess I jumped the gun a bit before seeing the performance.”

 

With Choi Dae-Ho admitting it neatly, trainer Yoo Seon-Hwa held back her comments.

 

As the atmosphere settled down, Han Si-On, who was standing on the stage, took a step back.

 

Standing at the center of the stage, Han Si-On smiled faintly.

 

It was not an intentional smile.

 

He smiled without realizing it himself. Because the stage seemed like it would be fun.

 

Seeing that smile, Choi Dae-Ho had a special feeling.

 

Han Si-On usually gave off a vaguely gloomy vibe for some reason.

 

Despite his actions and words not reflecting it at all, there were times when he looked depressed, and he also emanated an obsessive scent.

 

But in this moment of being on stage, he was different.

 

He shed the outer shell surrounding himself to show his true self.

 

Only on stage.

 

‘That’s what drives people crazy.’

 

At that moment, the MR for the competition song kicked in.

 

***

 

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a genius.

 

I wanted folks to say, ‘Damn, you’re a genius,’ whenever they mentioned Han Si-On.

 

But let’s be real, I’mno genius.

 

Sure, I had enough talent to fake being one.

 

Frankly speaking, I believe I put on a bit of a genius act during the initial stages of regression, which were fraught with dark moments.

 

I was young, naive, and the regression wasn’t as much of a burden back then.

 

I even thought it was a game where I was given unlimited coins.

 

But as time passed, my musical skills got sharper, and the regression weighed heavier on me. I figured something out.

 

Being a genius isn’t about doing special things in a special way.

 

It’s about doing ordinary things in an ordinary way.

 

Instead of conjuring up sounds that don’t exist with an instrument I barely know, the real genius me is the one who can use all the tricks I learned like it’s no big deal.

 

All those folks who called me a genius for just going through the motions were either paying me lip service, or they were just morons who didn’t know squat about what’s genius.

 

So from that moment on, I became a true genius.

 

If I bury all the trial and error that others don’t know about in my past life, only the ordinary remains.

 

Especially when it came to composing.

 

I’m not out here composing with a flashing inspiration or improvisational genius.

 

I’m just picking the best from what I’ve already laid out.

 

It’s just that the crops in my composition farm are dozens of times more numerous than others.

 

That’s why.

 

♬♪♪♩~

 

It hit me the second I heard Way From Flower’s debut song <Flowers Bloom>.

 

‘This is…….’

 

It’s a man’s song.

 

The elements that make up the main melody and the chord progression of the entire song are like that.

 

<Flowers Bloom> was clearly made for male vocals.

 

But for some reason, they jacked up the pitch during production and turned it into a girl group song.

 

The problem was that the difference in quality between the male and female versions was enormous.

 

If the female version’s worth 40 points, the male version’s easily over 80.

 

Can raising the pitch really make that big of a difference?

 

It is entirely possible.

 

Stacking notes is a very delicate task.

 

Major chords bring sunshine and rainbows.

 

Minor chords give a dark and sad feeling.

 

But a C major chord’s C-E-G, while a C minor’s C-E flat-G.

 

Just one flat note difference, but a whole different vibe.

 

So, raising the pitch of the whole song was just plain dumb.

 

Sure, they tried to tweak some parts to fit the female vocals, but let’s be real, it didn’t do much.

 

I don’t know why they messed up such a solid song, but honestly, I couldn’t care less.

 

The composer must have acted self-destructively because he was upset, or there must have been some money-related circumstances.

 

What’s important to me here is that the male version of <Flowers Bloom> is a gem.

 

So that’s what I’m going to belt out.

 

Way From Flower might’ve been all about ‘blooming’ with this song, but…….

 

I’m going to flip the script.

 

***

 

The intro of <Flowers Bloom> was a cold-feeling, solemn flute melody.

 

It represents the winter before a flower blooms.

 

But winter does not last forever, and spring eventually comes.

 

The moment a kick drum signaled the end of the intro, a warm main melody burst forth, blossoming like a flower.

 

The choreography was no different.

 

In sync with the cold intro, the members huddle up like flower buds before gracefully blooming.

 

When fully bloomed, the spring-themed choreography begins with the kick drum hitting on the first beat.

 

But this was the original choreography.

 

“……?”

 

Han Si-On did not make any moves during the intro.

 

He was just standing there, nodding his head to the music and leaning to the side.

 

‘What’s his deal? Is this some DIY choreo?’

 

‘Is he out of his mind?’

 

Bringing a different choreography while covering a senior’s performance could be interpreted as saying the original choreography was not good enough.

 

Even if that were not the intention, it would be perceived that way by the fans of Way From Flower.

 

It would be impossible not to get roasted.

 

Just as the contestants were wrapping their heads around that, the kick drum hit to signal the end of the intro.

 

And Han Si-On started belting out the lyrics while busting moves.

 

길었던 밤에 마침표를 찍어

 

마침내 세상에 인사를 Hi

 

(Putting an end to the long night

 

Finally greeting the world, Hi)

 

Dudu- Deh, Deh

 

A few thoughts ran through the minds of those watching the stage.

 

The first thought was that he danced well.

 

It was not that he showcased any spectacular dance moves.

 

The song just started, so there would not be any elaborate choreography yet, would there?

 

Still, his dancing skills were evident at first glance precisely because it was a solo performance.

 

There were no distracting elements. Despite the simplicity, his movements looked natural.

 

Moreover, the fact that he could maintain stable live vocals while dancing showed he had practiced.

 

꿈도 안 꿨던 Yesterday

 

기대한 오늘 Yes For Day

 

두 팔을 뻗어

 

(Yesterday, I never dreamed of

 

Today, I look forward to, Yes For Day

 

Stretching out my arms

 

Dudu- Deh, Deh)

 

However, what was more intense than Han Si-On’s dancing was his singing.

 

The singing was good.

 

Admittedly, the first verse sounded a bit awkward.

 

There was a sense of incongruity because the low notes that were very different from the original song were inserted.

 

However, that soon disappeared, and the melody began to catch the ear.

 

The sound is captivating.

 

Much more so than the original.

 

Like this was how it was meant to be sung.

 

‘What?’

 

It was different from <Under the Streetlight>.

 

Back then, the MR was the same, but the song was sung differently.

 

But now, both the song and MR are unchanged.

 

He simply lowered the octave, and the feeling of the vocal was different according to that.

 

<Flowers Bloom> was supposed to be an all-bright and cheery song, like a blossoming flower.

 

But Han Si-On’s version was dull and blue.

 

Though completely different genres, the feeling was similar to post-Britpop.

 

Can a mere octave change really give off such a vibe?

 

Did he do something else?

 

날 둘러싼, 따뜻한 온도

 

살갗을 스치는 너의 손도

 

(The warm temperature surrounding me

 

Your hand touching my skin)

 

But he did not.

 

This time, he really only changed the pitch.

 

However, he did not lower every part evenly.

 

The intro with the flute stayed the same as the original.

 

The first two bars dropped a full octave.

 

The next two bars dropped by 11 semitones.

 

Two bars after that dropped by 7 semitones.

 

Then back to the original, the two bars that came after.

 

포근하게 감싸는 옷도

 

채우는 포근한, 포근함

 

(The clothes that wrap me warmly

 

Filling up the warm, warmth)

 

In fact, BLUE was a bit thrown off by Han Si-On’s moves.

 

He told him to keep it original and not mess with the score, but how was this any different from making an arrangement?

 

To which Han Si-On shot back, how was it an arrangement if he did not touch the music score?

 

전부, 오늘을 위했나 봐

 

위했나봐, 그랬나 봐

 

(It all seems to be for today

 

It seems to be, it seems to be)

 

In the meantime, the song moved into the chorus.

 

One of the main reasons Way From Flower did not achieve meaningful success with <Flowers Bloom> was its ordinary chorus.

 

To be frank, it was a bit rustic.

 

They simply broke down the beat and repeated plausible-sounding words.

 

But Han Si-On did not play that game.

 

피어나!

 

Bloom!

 

(Bloom!

 

Bloom!)

 

“……!”

 

The chorus was straight from the original.

 

The lowered pitches returned to normal, soaring high.

 

The auditory pleasure from Han Si-On’s powerful high notes hitting the female range was incredible.

 

Surprisingly, this also was not an arrangement.

 

Originally, the six members were supposed to sing “Bloom, bloom, bloom” in an echoing manner while trading off lines.

 

Along with the choreography of six flower petals unfolding.

 

But Han Si-On was flying solo.

 

So he sang it only once by lengthening the sound.

 

But it was so spot-on.

 

But that was not the end.

 

An even more shocking second hook awaited.

 

Was it even more elaborate?

 

No.

 

Did he belt out even higher notes?

 

No, not at all.

 

Always wait, Blossom

 

Always wait, flower

 

A chillingly deep voice came in like ice water being poured over everyone.

 

He dropped a full 16 semitones, two complete octaves.

 

Yet his voice remained full and resonant, which was astounding.

 

The low notes flipped the mood of the song.

 

They dispelled the atmosphere as if the previous high notes were just a last struggle.

 

Thanks to this, the judges and some participants realized:

 

Han Si-On was not singing from the perspective of a blooming flower.

 

He was crying out as one unable to accept its end, wanting to bloom again.

 

Just before falling away.

 

A fading flower. – 낙화- 落花