Jung Sion, otherwise known by his alias “Sion,” first garnered significant attention as a participant in the talent television series The Voice of Germany. According to YTN, Sion’s parents, who had majored in vocal music, suggested that Sion, who always had an interest in music, audition for the program. During his airtime, Sion made his mark as he was the youngest contestant to go to the semi-finals, impressing viewers across the world. Now, with his album “love” released on July 23, Sion reaches another musical milestone with his high-profile debut.

Born to be a Musician

This talented young adult was heavily influenced by music from a young age. Thanks to his parents who were vocalists, musical instruments were never far from his reach. For instance, the piano that Sion eventually grew up to record on had a history within the household even before he was born. Now, Sion’s room is adorned as a home studio, with equipment always ready for composing and recording, as reported by YTN.

Sion reached out to music in the first place because of its role as a friend to him. Living in Germany, Sion had to endure constant racism. The best alleviation of the psychological pain and anxiety was when he immersed himself in music, rather than mental care or medication. The reason why he switched his musical genre from classics to hip-hop music is also related to this aspect, as hip-hop allowed him to be honest in his feelings and confess them in his music, just like an antidote. 

"love"

Sion’s EP “love” flaunts his versatile musical talent, ranging from intriguing lyricism to composition, with all four tracks of the EP being written, composed, and arranged by Sion himself. The four songs which are respectively named “cutlery collector,”, “lies,” “hypocrite,” and “comedy,” revolve around a distorted representation of love, where Sion attempts to deconstruct corny expressions of affection. The lyrics are all written in English, using common vernacular to convey a sense of everyday conversation where love seeps in the most. 

In particular, the title song “comedy” allows listeners to picture a nervous and unstable relationship between a couple, where a lover compares his broken love to a comedic television show. If one attends to the meticulously written lyrics, unparalleled imagery conveys the melancholic allure between a couple. For example, the singer is described as a "puppet” whom the significant other will sell to a comedy show. Kids will be will be oblivious to the fact that the  drawn to the puppet’s scent, but they smell is in fact a residue of love torn apart. Such distinctive metaphors characterize the album, as listeners encounter a fresh approach to discovering and dwelling upon ordinary emotions. 

As for the sound attributes, the simple guitar riffs in the background harmonize with vocals that go in and out of falsetto with ease. As the music nears the end, the components build up, most notably with strong vocals protruding from the soft guitar and piano backdrop. The finely tuned chorus that supports Sion’s vocals aid the music to take its listeners on a picturesque melodrama. 

Sion is no doubt the rookie to look out for in the Korean R&B and hip hop scene, already being scouted by a prominent Korean hip hop label “Beautiful Noise.” The fact that Sion enduringly pursues his unique music style distinct from the mainstream sound draws those looking for a piece of fresh music. It seems that Sion possesses a notable power to color multiple emotions into music, straying far from banal music. In that respect, “love” is definitely a musical sensation that will present a new experience to all of its listeners.