Variety Wrap-up: Immortal Songs 248

Spring is in the air at the Immortal Songs 2 set, as seasoned soloists and indie bands give viewers something to cheer about in episode 248.

Episode 248 featured a “Spring is on it’s way” theme, where there were both refreshing and sentimental performances.

This episode bolstered of Kim Jung Min, Bae Da Hae, Annyeong Bada, Nam Sang Il, Lyn, No Brain and ALi.

Performance by performance recap

First: Annyeong Bada

Three-member modern rock band Annyeong Bada made their first appearance on Immortal Songs. The trio covered Cocktail Love by Maroine – a reggae track from the ‘90s. A fresh, acoustic tune played at the start to accompany main vocalist Namoo’s honeyed vocals. The chorus became quicker in tempo, which made the song into a jam. Namoo continued to use his airy and nasal voice throughout the song. Suddenly, a female vocalist entered the stage and things became more exciting. Namoo did a few little belts and sustained head voice moments while his partner sung in falsetto. Namoo ended the song with a big “woo~”.

Second: ALi

Viewer’s favourite ALi made a comeback on the IS2 stage with a cover of Park In Soo’s Spring Rain. She sang about reminiscing past, sad memories during breezy spring days. ALi delivered a long low note, used her head voice and played with dynamics in the first verse. Her vocals alone captured the crowd’s attention. As the saddening tune of a violin grew in volume, ALi also added more emotion. She turned up the power in the second verse, where she resonated at times but strained too. Some moments were throatier for effect. To end the song, she kept on belting out her vocal chords to repeat Spring Rain.

Third: Bae Da Hae

Musical Bae Da Hae returned to Immortal Songs again after the succumbing to all-kill champion Kyung Ho in the previous episode. Da Hae sung a rendition of Rose by April and May, which was originally released in 1979. From the get go, Da Hae graced the stage with her beautiful head voice. She continued to use a light and bright approach in the first verse. In the choruses, she prettily executed some mid range belts, which gave the song a bit more oomph. The bridge was where she reached new heights, impressing with her vocal runs in her comfortable head register. She finished the cover on a soft note.

Fourth: Nam Sang Il

In episode 248, traditional folk singer Sang Il showed the audience what grassroots Korean music was all about. Sang Il’s song choice was a ’70s track, Like a Swallow by Yoon Seung Hee. The intial instrumental was sentimental yet harsh sounding due to the traditional flute. A female back-up singer actually started singing first, as Sang Il delivered a nice poem. The poem was followed by a lift in momentum from mellow to giddy. Trumpets were blasting, the lights were shining and Sang Il finally started singing. In a lively chorus, Sang Il snuck in a few short sustained notes. Dancers popped out of nowhere which made the stage even more glamourous. He wrapped up the song with an vibrato-filled high note.

Fifth: Kim Jung Min

Kim Jung Min has been in the industry for decades. Jung Min sung Spring Rain, a ballad track. The first verse featured his slightly rock-y tone. After a mellow chorus, the second verse continued to show off his chest register. The second verse was where the vocals elevated a notch, as he sustained a few little belts. But he still sounded strained and nasal, perhaps to make the song more emotional. In the bridge, he repeated “yeah~” in tensed adlibs. He finished the song with one last manly message.

Sixth: LYn

OST queen LYn came back to Immortal Songs 2 after her successful release, With You for the Descendants of the Sun OST album. This time, she performed The Wild Rose by Jang Sa Ik with the accompanient of pianoist Yoon Han, a former WGM cast member. Yoon Han blitzed the opening through playing a quick yet beautiful tune. LYn phrased every word with life and heart in the first verse. Her gentle vocals became slightly more full and powerful in the chorus. Yoon Han’s chilled piano tune was accompanied by a sentimental guitar instrumental. A choir then joined her on stage. The bridge featured the choir harmonising with LYn’s high notes. She ended the song on a mid range belt.

Seventh: No Brain

Rock band No Brain took the stage with their cover of Choi Sung Su’s Love Grass, which was released back in 1987. The keyboard captured the initial longing feel to the song at the start. The main vocalist’s rough, rocky voice was heard immediately. He sounded chilled, ignoring the usual throatiness and strain. If it were not for the relaxing, slow instrumental at the start, his screaming would make the song unbearable. As the song changed into an up-beat, head banging number, the stage became No Brain’s concert. The vocalist seemed more like a showman than a truly legit vocalist. He kept on screaming “I love you, we love you” for fun. The band ended the high energy performance with fist-pumps in the air.

Result:

Four-member No Brain caused an upset win over power vocalist LYn with a score of 439.

1. No Brain
2. LYn
3. Kim Jung Min
4. Nam Sang Il
5. ALi
6. Bae Da Hae
7. Annyeong Bada