Kim Yang 開燈 finally showcases her distinct sonic identity as she releases her debut album Turn On The Lights. She rides the wave of her genre blending musical sensibilities that lean heavily on indie-folk, weaving that distinct sound with the emotional richness and bilingual storytelling of each track.
Turn On The Lights is beyond just another record, but an exploration of feelings that come on a journey to self-love. Depicting themes such as identity, belonging, mental health, and human connection, the album captures each stage of personal growth. Taiwanese-Australian singer-songwriter created the album across several continents that each played their part in shaping the sonic atmosphere that it presents.
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Plunging into the layered emotions she tackles the complex experience of being an immigrant on the title track 'Turn On The Lights'. The name of the track is a direct reference to the darkness that comes with navigating an experience all on your own, feeling misguided and lost. The track also addresses the struggles of being a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman and embracing the warm embrace of mental wellness, hope and honesty.
The one shot music video is a powerful statement that says it's ok to be vulnerable. Yang lives and breathes that sentiment in the video as she fearlessly performs the song, barring her soul to strip back the persona of an artist and present herself as just another human being.
The 11 track album takes listeners along on the journey with the opening track 'All Good When I’m With You' with its warm and cheery melody uplifting listeners before winding down for the introspective track 'All Of You'. The rich emotion of 'Bottom Line' tells the story of friendship, heartbreak, and boundaries through the delicate guitar and lush vocals while 'Rain' acts as an ode to Yang's beginnings as a musician.
Keeping the wistful nature of the sentimental tracks going, 'What Can I Do' is a quiet eulogy to her late cat who grieves through each verse of the song. 'Sanctuary' and 'Battle' combat each other as former talks about finding peace among the chaos while the latter is inspired by the overwhelming conflict that life can bring. The last two tracks on the album include 'Different And I Like It' embraces individuality and the immigrant experience with its primarily Mandarin lyrics, while 'Forever This Way' closes the album with a soulful, gospel-tinged tribute to lasting love and companionship.
Following the release of the album, Yang will embark on a national tour with an album launch at The Street Theatre on 16 May in her hometown that takes her to cities such as Canberra, Melbourne, Nambour and Perth.
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With Turn On The Lights, Kim Yang 開燈 introduces herself as an artist unafraid to sit with vulnerability, complexity, and emotional honesty. Through its intimate storytelling, bilingual lyricism, and genre-blurring soundscapes, the album captures the beauty and discomfort of personal growth while carving out a deeply human listening experience.
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