Im Nayeon, or simply just Nayeon, has always been one of the more popular members of TWICE, one of the biggest K–Pop girl groups ever. Known as the “face of the group,” Nayeon cemented herself as a standout vocalist and dancer from the third generation through her regular contributions to writing a part of TWICE’s discography and her cool, bunny–like swagger.
In 2022, Nayeon became the first TWICE member to release a solo project with Im Nayeon, a play on her romanized name from Hangul and the declaration “I’m Nayeon.” The debut project features one of K–Pop’s most recognizable solo singles in recent memory, “POP!” which features a bright, cheerful, brass–backed melody and an instantly catchy onomatopoeia–filled hook. The rest of the project held strong on its own, including carefully strewn R&B–backed melodies found in songs like “SUNSET” and “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.” Once again, the project features Nayeon’s dedicated penmanship. “ALL OR NOTHING” and “LOVE COUNTDOWN” featured mature and candid lyricism, where Nayeon tells a lover that it’s “not a game for you” and that she’s “tired of feeling dumb and stupid” from them not being honest about their feelings. All this meant that expectations were high for her second release.
While Im Nayeon solidly introduced a solo Nayeon, the album still retained a large part of TWICE’s musical identity; if repackaged correctly, the project could’ve easily passed as a new TWICE record. The writers and producers knew that going full old–school R&B was Nayeon’s next logical step, and in the freshly minted second mini album, Na, Nayeon is finally given the room to grow. She sounds as confident as ever; backed by fuller, quirkier production, Na almost perfectly transforms the singer from “Nayeon from TWICE” to Nayeon, the artist.
The project starts with a massive bang that is “ABCD,” which is at least in part inspired by Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love”, but done in a way that feels authentic and pays homage to the iconic song. The inspiration is so on the nose that Twitter even dubbed her “Nayeoncé”; but not one soul would say this is copying or done with malice. Rather, “ABCD”’s clever wordplay—“[A]yy you’re gonna [B]e my babe / every time you [C]see me, fall [D]eeper, deeper, babe”—and confident vocals drive this performance from beginning to the end. There are peaks and valleys throughout the song (and in the music video, a full–choreographed dance break), making each section feel exciting and innovative.
It appears that the JYP team has full confidence in Nayeon, as there are arguably no filler tracks in the remaining B–sides. The R&B sound is woven throughout the fabric of the album. “Butterflies” is sung completely in English, and her airy vocals shine when she describes love as “that kind of magic [that] sent a chill right down my spine”. All the ad–libs and harmonies in the final chorus showcase her musicality and sense of melodic style. “Count It,” which features prolific K–Pop R&B producer SOLE in its production, has a dynamic soundscape that doesn’t overshadow Nayeon’s soft tone as she sings “Count it, one, two, three, tell me, babe (yeah) / Everything about you, from start to finish,” as if she’s setting the pace of a dizzying relationship.
In fact, the album’s collaborations only enhance Nayeon’s artistry, none of the featured artists overshadowing her commanding presence. “Heaven” is co–headlined by one of Korea’s well–known OST artists, Sam Kim, whose own dreamy voice perfectly complements and harmonizes the shuffling beat of the chorus. “Magic,” a funky, groovy throwback track, has KISS OF LIFE's Julie rapping interspersed between the verses and chorus, making sure every moment of the song is exciting. “HalliGalli” features production from Lee Chanhyuk of AKMU, but the pop-funk production with the iconic Korean card game–themed lyrics makes the song feel tongue-in-cheek, fitting Nayeon’s bubbly personality.
With all these strengths for this relatively long “mini album,” it misses one thing that could’ve easily put this project to the next level: Nayeon’s own lyrics. Granted, it’s important to remember that K–Pop idols having contributions to their music is an anomaly, not the standard that is found in modern Western music. Many of your favorite K–Pop groups don't produce their own music, and that’s okay—if you're not Nayeon.
For Nayeon, who has clearly demonstrated songwriting capabilities through TWICE tracks and her own solo songs, not including any contributions from the singer herself loses some of the shine this album worked so hard to achieve. Na is meant to transform Nayeon into a fully–fledged solo artist with a clear–cut identity. But no songwriting from Nayeon means the project is just short of achieving its greatnest potential.
But if there’s one thing this project does accomplish, it is to show that Nayeon is more than capable of succeeding outside of her group. For a group that went so long presenting itself as one cohesive unit, Nayeon has shown to the K–Pop world that she’s strong both with her fellow TWICE members and by herself. The world is Nayeon’s, and we’re all just living in it.
