If there’s one thing that K-pop fans both old and new can agree upon, it’s the impact that Girls’ Generation has had in the Korean pop music and entertainment industry. With such an accomplished group, it can’t be an easy task to break out and make a name for yourself. But for Tiffany Young, it seems like it was a piece of cake. After dabbling with some tracks on her own while simultaneously promoting with the group, the singer finally made her U.S. debut as a soloist last year. Rather than as Tiffany of Girls’ Generation, Tiffany Young, the newly minted solo artist, made a comeback with her first project titled Lips on Lips. So for many fans, especially longtime fans of the singer and the group, it was a real treat when she performed a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall.
With there being no opener, the focus was on Young from start to finish. The singer opened with “The Flower” from Lips on Lips followed by an R&B version of her first solo single from her 2016 Korean EP, “I Just Wanna Dance.” The concert being a showcase for her latest EP, Young mainly showed off her tracks from Lips on Lips. However, the singer also highlighted bits of her older discography, including her solo songs among others released while she was promoting with Girls’ Generation.
When announcing that she was taking a break from the group's activities back in 2017, Young stated that she planned to focus on acting as well as on pursuing a U.S. solo venture. Her setlist reflected that sentiment by featuring both her past work with Girls' Generation and also her current solo endeavors through a carefully curated list of tracks.
Recurring themes in Young’s showcase included womanhood, self-love and acceptance, individuality, and rebirth. Her lyrics encouraged positivity and strength in overcoming one’s struggles. Young practiced what she preached in a standout moment during her show when she performed “Not Barbie.” With two lucky fans she invited to sing with her onstage, the singer shared that she hopes that everyone will come to accept their imperfections and uplift one another.
Young’s set was a mixture of her original songs and covers where she paid tribute to artists and eras that have clearly influenced her style of music. Her list of covers ranged from an empowering cover of Madonna’s “Express Yourself” to a heart-wrenching rendition of *NSYNC’s “Gone.” Lastly, the singer paid homage to George Michael with his hit “Freedom! 90” which she covered then smoothly transitioned to her song “Born Again.”
Following the showcase of her songs, Young came back onstage for an intimate Q&A session with her fans. The singer spent about half an hour answering questions that were sent in via social media. From questions about her time with Girls’ Generation to ones about her struggle to complete her first solo EP and even some about her political views, the singer answered everything candidly, never shying away from answers that may seem too blunt.
Between answering questions, the singer also sprinkled in acapella snippets of Girls’ Generation songs. The singer teased songs including “Into the New World,” “Holiday,” and “Baby Steps,” much to the excitement of her nostalgic, OG fans.
Throughout it all, two things were clear - Young was incredibly grateful to her fans and undeniably happy to be there. Though she was primarily known as a member of South Korea’s biggest girl group, Tiffany Young the solo artist has cemented herself as an accomplished musician with her one of a kind charm, wit, and talented vocal ability.
Check out Tiffany's latest music video for her single "Lips On Lips" below and see what the buzz is all about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th7IXezLbYU
