Like Botticelli's Venus, Tiffany Young emerges from the foamy ocean in the captivating visual for her newest single "Born Again." While this isn't her first release as a solo artist, it is her most honest. As the title suggests, it feels like we see who Young is for the first time.
The Korean-American singer first launched her career in Girls' Generation, one of the most successful k-pop girl groups in the world, when she was 15. After over a decade, she left SM Entertainment in 2017 to pursue a solo career in the U.S.
Since then, the 29-year-old has released four English-language tracks, including 2018's "Over My Skin" and "Teach You." But "Born Again" in particular marks a turning point for the singer as she shows facets to her that go beyond her unfalteringly sunny k-pop side. For the first time, fans get a glimpse of the more somber, insecure Young: "I used to feel so hollow, shallow, vacant, " she sings in a verse.
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Young is using the attention to speak candidly to her fans about the things that matter most to her: her fear as she left her home in the U.S. to start a career halfway across the world, her fraught relationship with her father, and the healing power that music has had in her life. "Your love is like a higher power," she belts over an anthemic chorus. "I'm born, I'm born, I’m born again, again."
Young revealed that "Born Again" describes the hardships she faced as a Korean idol singer, as well as dealing with the news that she was being harassed to pay a debt owed by her father. “This song and music video was a very emotional and personal journey inspired by all the tragedy and pain I’ve had to mask with a smile throughout my career," Young said in a press release. "'Born Again' is symbolic of my passion to always fight to grow from these experiences.”
In the video, a newly-blonde Young walks on a beach in a frothy white gown, at times sprawled out on sea-soaked rocks or in the water. Compared to the lavish production and intricate plot lines the videos of her previous singles, this visual is more stripped down, opting to let the song's message take center stage.
“The lyrics come from deep inside me as inspiration to others and to myself to be authentic and find strength in being vulnerable," Young said. "I hope that this song conveys my willingness to grow and to also show others that even through sad and heartbreaking times, you can not only survive but thrive.”
"Born Again" is the lead single off Young's forthcoming EP, Lips on Lips, which will be released on February 22. She'll then promote the EP during her stateside Lips On Lips North American Mini Showcase Tour.