Shalala is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean rapper Taeyong. It was released on June 5, 2023, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment alongside the music video for its lead single of the same name. The EP contains seven tracks all co-written by Taeyong with several other songwriters, including long-time collaborators Royal Dive, Squar and Zayson. The EP was commercially successful, selling over 380,000 copies in its first week, and has sold over 500,000 copies.
Background and release
South Korean rapper Taeyong became known as a member of the K-pop boy group NCT after debuting with the group under SM Entertainment in 2016.[1] He wrote numerous songs for the group and its sub-units, including "The 7th Sense" (2016), "Cherry Bomb" (2017), and "Sticker" (2021), and later joined SM Entertainment's supergroupSuperM.[1] As a soloist, he collaborated with several artists and released some of his songs, including "Long Flight", through the SM Station project while still being active in NCT.[2][3] In 2021, he started independently releasing self-composed tracks on SoundCloud.[4]
On May 15, 2023, SM Entertainment that Taeyong would release his first extended play (EP), Shalala, containing seven tracks including the lead single of the same name.[1]
Carmen Chin of NME gave Shalala four out of five stars, saying it is an album that "demonstrates [Taeyong's] immense potential as an artist unafraid to forge personal connections with his audience, setting an indelible standard for future K-pop soloists." Chin noted that Shalala retains NCT's signature sound, while delving deeper in Taeyong's personal life presented through his "down-to-earth" songwriting. Chin also highlighted Taeyong's performance on the "emotional" half of the album, commenting that that's where the singer "really shines".[5]
Commercial performance
Shalala surpassed 500,000 pre-orders a day before the release.[6] As of July 6, the EP has sold more than 503,952 copies.[7][8]
Promotion
Single
The music video for the hip hop lead single, "Shalala", was released on June 5, 2023. It shows Taeyong playing the role of a hacker who is capable of modifying reality and traveling among multiverses.[9] Han Seong-hyun of IZM gave the single two out of five stars, criticizing the chorus among other elements.[10]
Live performances
The same day of release, Taeyong presented the EP at his showcase, titled Code: Stage, where he performed several tracks, including the lead single.[3] The show was broadcast live through NCT's YouTube and TikTok channels.[3]
^NCT 태용, '샤랄라' 선주문 50만장→아이튠즈 30개 지역 1위..솔로 데뷔 성공 [NCT Taeyong, 500,000 pre-orders for 'Sharala' → No. 1 on iTunes in 30 regions... Successful solo debut]. Herald Pop. June 6, 2023. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023 – via Naver.
