EXO’s KAI makes hotly anticipated comeback with “Wait On Me”
Okay-pop famous person’s first launch in two years is an intoxicating mix of worldwide rhythmic pop – an ideal prelude to summer season
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WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE
Photograph Credit score: SM Leisure
“A grasp of want, seduction and vulnerability… his work goes past the labels of simply singing or dancing – he’s a performer” – NME
EXO’s KAI makes his hotly anticipated return at present together with his fourth mini album “Wait On Me” – out at present by way of SM Leisure. Hear HERE. The seven-track assortment opens with ‘Wait On Me’, an alluring pop tune influenced by Afrobeats rhythms, with restrained percussion grooves layered with escalating synths. Produced by British producer Jacob Aaron (ATEEZ, ENHYPEN), the monitor builds slowly right into a rumble of rigidity that captures the payoff of an extended wait. KAI’s gentle vocals add to the fragile unfolding of feelings, celebrating the ability and style of endurance. Watch the music video for ‘Wait On Me’ HERE.
That very same sense of endurance – and the feelings that include it – resonates deeply with KAI’s personal expertise. Reflecting on his return and the followers who waited for him, the singer shared, “With this comeback taking place after a while, I’ve gone by means of a variety of feelings — pleasure and pleasure, after all, but in addition a little bit of nervousness and stress. Over time, I’ve come to see my albums as a solution to construct recollections along with EXO-Ls.”
He continued, “If this album can convey pleasure to those that’ve been ready for me, in addition to to new listeners discovering my music for the primary time, then I consider that alone provides it objective. I’m actually trying ahead to having fun with each second of this journey with my followers.”
The album continues with ‘Partitions Don’t Discuss’, introducing a reggaeton-inflused aptitude to the album with a vibrant mid-tempo pop monitor that portrays the alluring moments of red-hot chemistry between two folks. It’s adopted by ‘Strain’, which merges 808 bass and Latin entice rhythms with the light calm of a flute, sonically and lyrically reflecting on inside resilience and the quiet power present in staying grounded even whereas underneath stress. The monitor is co-written by British DJ and “Afrowave” pioneer Afro B, alongside GRAMMY-nominated hitmakers who’ve labored with Selena Gomez and Wande Coal.
“Ridin’” – co-written by alt-rap star Duckwrth – continues the album’s exploration of moods and types by tapping into techno and hip-hop drum beats to convey a fierce resolve to push previous limits and chase goals with out hesitation. There’s a clean transition into ‘Off and Away’, with rhythmic percussion rooted in Amapiano influences. The lyrics painting the turmoil of wanting to carry onto a misplaced connection however struggling to let go.
The penultimate monitor is the dreamy but irresistible pre-release single ‘Grownup Swim’, which formally put KAI again on the map following his two years away from the highlight. The album involves a detailed with ‘Flight to Paris’, utilizing Jersey Membership beats and gentle synths beneath KAI’s affirming vocals to depict a journey of breaking away from the acquainted and confronting an unfamiliar model of oneself, very similar to boarding a aircraft and taking off to a brand new vacation spot.
The seven tracks type a stage for KAI to showcase his matured and refined musical id, formed by the passage of time, significantly that of the final two years in between “Wait On Me” and his prior album launch “Rover”, which led to a viral dance problem on TikTok and earned a spot on DAZED’s checklist of 50 finest Okay-pop tracks of 2023. From the beginning of his solo profession, the all-rounder has made an affect on the Korean and world music scenes – his debut solo single ‘Mmmh’ is approaching 200 million streams on Spotify, whereas his sophomore effort “Peaches” topped iTunes Album Charts in 58 areas upon launch. All three of his earlier mini albums have been licensed Platinum in Korea.
KAI debuted in 2012 as a member of multi-award-winning Okay-pop group EXO, who’ve bought over 35 million album equivalents, making them one of the crucial profitable Okay-pop teams of all time. The soloist and magnificence icon has additionally been hailed by British GQ as “the world’s best-dressed Okay-pop star”, and in 2019 he turned the primary Korean to be appointed a world model ambassador for Gucci.
Alongside his new album, KAI will take his imaginative and prescient to the stage with a 10-city solo tour, ‘2025 KAI SOLO CONCERT TOUR
“Wait On Me” tracklisting
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Wait On Me
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Partitions Don’t Discuss
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Strain
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Ridin’
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Off and Away
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Grownup Swim
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Flight to Paris
ABOUT EXO:
Since their debut in 2012, EXO has been a driving pressure within the world Okay-pop phenomenon, paving the way in which for numerous acts that adopted. With hits like ‘Growl’, ‘Overdose’, ‘Monster’, and ‘Love Shot’, every of their albums has achieved huge success each domestically and internationally, incomes them quite a few accolades and the excellence of being seven-time million-sellers. Along with dominating the music scene, EXO has additionally made a mark in performing, selection reveals, and different fields, additional cementing their world reputation. The group has headlined 5 excursions and launched seven studio albums, with their newest, 2023’s “Exist”, changing into their seventh million-seller. In 2025, EXO surpassed 35 million equal album gross sales worldwide – a testomony to their longstanding success greater than a decade after debut. The group’s members are XIUMIN, SUHO, BAEKHYUN, CHEN, CHANYEOL, D.O., KAI, and SEHUN.
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