EXO’s Baekhyun Reflects On His 12-Year Career And New Beginnings With ‘Hello, World’: “I felt more at ease than ever before.”

In putting out music, one must not only consider the quality of performance instilled in the album but also the raw emotions conveyed in the artist’s voice felt throughout the record that would make the listeners deeply connected to it, and this is what exactly EXO’s Baekhyun did — a thing that he genuinely has been wanting to do. 

With over 12 years of experience, Baekhyun has since made sure to step forward with every release. These steps he’s taken — from focusing on vocals to showing different facets — lead up to the release of his latest and long-awaited album, Hello, World. Coming three and a half years after Bambi, Hello, World is a culmination of Baekhyun’s charms and artistic journey, and his first project under his new company, INB100.

Through years of relentlessly working on growth, Baekhyun believes that this album perfectly curates and captures his essence as an artist. “I’ve now discovered my true charm,” he tells Billboard Philippines. However, BAEKHYUN confesses that achieving success depends not only on his efforts but also on the feedback of his fans. “I’ve put in a lot of effort to overcome these challenges, but I believe that only the listeners and fans can judge whether I succeeded,” he says.

As an artist, Baekhyun places a high value on connecting with the listeners through his music, making him not only a technically skilled singer with such top-notch vocal prowess on stage that everyone knows but also a storyteller through his voice.

In his 5th year as a solo artist, Baekhyun has demonstrated both a more mature approach to challenges and improved vocal abilities, as evident in his R&B tracks “Good Morning,” “Pineapple Slice,” “Rendez-Vous,” “Cold Heart,” “Woo,” and “Truth Be Told.” Ahead of his comeback, Billboard Philippines sat down to speak with Baekhyun to dive deeper into Hello, World, recently concluded Lonsdaleite tour and show in Manila, growth as an artist, and how he is destined to not follow the trend but to make it.

Billboard Philippines: First of all, congratulations on your comeback! This is your first album under a new company and your first one after three and a half years. What kind of development do you feel, and how different do you think it is in terms of the creative process? How do you feel about the changes you’ve experienced in this new environment?

Baekhyun: Thank you! This album comes after three and a half years, and during that time, I’ve made significant improvements. Being involved in the early production stages at the new company allowed me to learn how an album is created and understand the entire process of bringing it to life. Because of this, many of my ideas were incorporated, making me feel very connected to this project. 

Initially, I was unsure about what direction to take. I thought, “What should I do? What do I want to do? And what’s trendy these days?” I looked for these things, and I think the bottom line is that it’s not about following the trends. I eventually realized that instead of just following them, I should focus on what I genuinely want to create and the kind of music I want to share with my fans and listeners. Once I embraced this mindset, everything fell into place, and I am very satisfied with the results. 

In the past, I tried to follow the flow as an artist, but now I feel the desire to create my own path. I’ve changed to a person who says, “Let me make the flow.” With this change comes a sense of responsibility and pressure, but I’ve also gained confidence in myself. I am excited about my future as an artist, and I believe it’s going to be a fun and exciting journey.

You have had a lot of successful solo releases before this. And speaking of pressure, how different is your mindset now in handling the pressure compared to when you were new in the industry? How do your past experiences — from debuting in a group, in a unit, and as a solo artist — help you along the way, and how evident are those takeaways in this album? How can we see the artist Baekhyun’s maturity and growth through this album?

Based on my experiences so far, I prepared this album with a theme that brings out the characteristics of a movie genre. Throughout my career, I’ve tried so many different concepts and transformed into numerous characters. Because of that, even when it involved a bit of acting during shoots, I was able to handle it smoothly and comfortably. Without those experiences, I probably would have felt a lot of pressure during every moment of shooting and preparing the music video, concept films, and trailers. But because I prepared this album like a complete package based on everything I’ve done up until now, I can confidently say this album showcases all of my charms.

It’s been 12 years since I debuted, and I’ve matured a lot during that time, reflecting on myself quite a bit. As a result, I’ve been able to clearly distinguish what I’m good at and what I’m not, and I’ve now discovered my true charm. Through this album, you’ll be able to see a more mature and grown-up version of Baekhyun.

Tell us more about the album and how it reflects your greetings that end the long break. What message do you want to convey with Hello, World and what was the preparation like, especially since this came three and a half years after your last album?

Since this album is being released after a long time, I included a message in Hello, World to greet EXO-Ls around the world who have been waiting for me. Hello, World expresses my ambition to deliver great performances and present my best self without long gaps like this in the future. It also conveys my promise to be more active, so the waiting time feels shorter.

Since I used to release an album every year, I was worried about what kind of album to prepare and which songs to choose. As times have changed so much, I felt the burden of whether I could adapt well without going against the current trends. But I decided to prepare with the mindset of doing what I’m best at, choosing the songs that I can perform well and that I genuinely want to do. Because I was involved from the early stages of the album production, I do feel a sense of responsibility and pressure, but I’m also more attached to it. Thus, I sincerely hope many people will love it.

In your first EP City Lights, you focused on your vocals; in your second EP Delight, you focused on showing a different side of yourself; and then in your third EP Bambi, there was this transition between a boy and a young man where you got to do a 180-degree shift from “Candy.” So, what’s your main goal and focus for your fourth EP? Was there a question in your mind that helped you get in the direction you needed to go as you prepared for Hello, World? 

I felt it was necessary to suggest my direction for the future in the fourth EP. In addition to the genres I’ve worked with before, I tried something new by incorporating rap. I had always thought it would be great if I could add this color to my music, so this new challenge allowed me to blend the original Baekhyun and the future Baekhyun evenly. As I promised to minimize long breaks between releases, I’m planning to show new attempts as well. It seems I will be showing a lot more of this new direction going forward.

While preparing this album, I felt more at ease than ever before. Based on my career thus far, I realized that in this fourth EP, I want to show not only a hardworking and dedicated side but also a side that genuinely enjoys the stage, exudes confidence, has wit, and has calmness. This album will present a new side of Baekhyun. I’m already looking forward to seeing what new phrases or labels will be associated with my fifth EP when it comes out next.

You also said that in an interview three years ago: “In my 30s, I want to do more relaxed music that’s comfortable to listen to. That’s the most difficult thing to do.” What does the first step of that journey look like, you doing that with Hello, World? What was so difficult about it, and how did you approach and overcome that kind of challenge in particular?

I still have the desire to create relaxed, easy-listening music, and I think it’s safe to say that I’ve taken the first step in that direction. But honestly, music always seems challenging. As I mentioned in a previous interview, I feel like music is the one thing I can never fully conquer. It’s such a vast field, and while the performer sings with a certain intention, listeners can interpret it in so many different ways, which is the biggest challenge for me. In Hello, World, I tried to reflect these aspects as much as possible.

As a result, recordings that used to take two hours now take four to five hours, making me more cautious and meticulous. I’ve put in a lot of effort to overcome these challenges, but I believe that only the listeners and fans can judge whether I succeeded. That’s why I’m eagerly awaiting the reactions once the album is released. Moving forward, I aim to keep building my experience to create a unique genre and singing style that is truly my own.

This album is your first one in your 30s. Did that change anything, or is the feeling still the same? How has preparing an album in your 30s influenced or changed your perspective or approach to life and music?

I wanted to show a more upgraded version of myself, especially since it’s been a while since my last album. I have put a lot of effort into selecting the music and even finding the right look was quite challenging. Being in your 30s seems like an awkward age. It’s always tough to find balance without leaning too much in one direction, and maintaining that balance is especially difficult in your thirties. While brainstorming ideas with the staff, even my suggestions were sometimes rejected, and we went through a lot of back-and-forth, agreeing and disagreeing, to create this album. I think that made the process more enjoyable. I’m not sure how I’ll be perceived, but I’ve tried my best to be seen as someone energetic and stable. I hope I’ve managed to convey that, though I can’t be sure how it will turn out.

You’ve already heard a lot of compliments on your vocal skills, but what are one or two things you’ve been wanting to hear from your fans in particular?

Wow… Compliments? Wow, I’m not sure. Really… Wow. What do I want to hear praise for? I don’t know what kind of praise I’d like to hear. Rather than just compliments, what I really want to hear is that my fans are happy. I want to hear that they’re happy and that they enjoyed this album and promotion. This album was made with the intention of bringing joy to all the fans who have always waited for me, so my strongest hope is that everyone who listens to my music feels happy. I hope those who like me feel that they’ve enjoyed it and are happy.

You recently concluded your first offline Asia solo tour, and you performed in Manila last April! What were the memorable moments from the tour, and what have you learned from it? How was the experience of touring for the first time as a solo artist?

Every moment has been memorable, and each city touched me by showing a final day event video, always encouraging me. But what stands out the most is that, no matter which country I visited, I was always met with the same loving gaze. Everyone was cheering me on and showing me just how much they truly loved me. Their eyes reflect a genuine affection and encouragement that deeply touches me and is definitely a core memory from the tour.

Although my first solo tour was physically challenging, meeting so many fans and going through this experience has been incredibly significant for me. Watching their happiness made me realize that I too am gaining happiness through this. I realized that my tour could become a once-in-a-lifetime memory for someone, and if moving my body a little more could create even a single precious memory for them, then it’s worth it. Seeing the joy it brought to the audience made me genuinely happy. This tour was a great source of strength for me, and I felt that even during tough moments, it was the fans who lifted me up. It was a time when our fans became even more precious to me.

The performance in Manila was incredible, and it was such a joy to meet all our EXO-Ls there. Now, I’m reaching out with this album, and I hope our fans in the Philippines will love it as well. With my first Asia tour now complete, I’m looking forward to visiting again for the second and third tours. I hope we can create even more happy memories together, just like we did last April. Also, please show “Pineapple Slice” lots of love!