Kang Daniel Shares On How His Music Has Taught Him Valuable Life Lessons

In an in-depth interview with Rolling Stone India, Kang Daniel discussed his new album, The Story, reflecting upon his musical journey and the messages he wants to convey with his music.

You can think of music albums as just one of the processes that artists or musicians do in their lifetime, but I think that they have so much to teach and you have so much to learn from that as well.

— Kang Daniel | Rolling Stone India

Kang Daniel pondered over his journey as a musician before summarizing his thoughts on what music means to him and what it has done for him. As much as he pours his heart into his music, his music gives back to him, allowing him to grow as an artist and connect to all who listen to his songs.

For the Color Trilogy, with Cyan, it was more of a teenage pop vibe. For Magenta, it was songs that provide energy and exude energy. For Yellow, it was music about inner sanctity. So, for The Story, it was literally about stories [I wanted to tell] – it was more of a feeling that if a story fits, it went into that album.

— Kang Daniel | Rolling Stone India

From his first EP, Kang Daniel learned to pour his time and effort into his craft, both as a songwriter and a performer. He channeled this growth as a solo artist into the first of the Color Trilogy, Cyan. For the next album of the series, Magenta, Kang Daniel went out of his comfort zone and explored new sounds and concepts. Magenta taught him to be brave, to go into the unknown, which overflowed into the last album of the trilogy, Yellow. Famous for its courageous honesty about Kang Daniel’s struggles with his emotions and mental health, Yellow taught him that vulnerability is an invitation to healing.

After Yellow, I said, ‘Okay, now that I’ve talked about what I have inside, I now have to listen to others. I have to turn it the other way around. Turn the focus to other people and learn to now listen carefully to what others have to say.’

— Kang Daniel | Rolling Stone India

This is the mindset behind Kang Daniel’s first full album, The Story, and it speaks volumes about the growth and maturity the singer has gained over the years. For The Story, Kang Daniel’s role is as the narrator, not the main protagonist. Each song tells a different story and perspective that is still connected in a way all humans are: we all have different backgrounds and experiences, yet within the differences, we find similarity and community.

I think that I always had a takeaway message for all my fans or anyone who had listened to my albums or my music. For Yellow, I wanted people to listen to the song and open up and talk about what they felt inside. But this time around, for The Story, I wanted them to listen and feel as if they were reading a book. I want them to listen, see, read and feel in the most comfortable and relaxed way possible, without any kind of burden whatsoever.

— Kang Daniel | Rolling Stone India

With such a touching message for DANITYs to draw from this album, Kang Daniel continues to inspire with his words and his music.

Source: Rolling Stone India