[Misc] Best Of Voices

Being busy and some creativity block has prevented me from going through the K.A.R.D review and something else planned to couple with it (sort of). So today I'm going to talk about my favorite voices in Kpop. As I strive for some more balance between boy and girl groups, I've selected ten members with quality voices (and not all of them are girl group members or the like). Now this isn't people with the strongest voice, or the best rapping voice - that would just be relegated for Power Ranking writing. These are the voices that I simply love listening to, for one reason or another. Usually the "Best Of" series is tagged under bonus material but I felt this was more in line with the miscellaneous stuff than anything else. Anyway let's dive in.

I.M
Deep voices are too cliche. But at the same time, they can be that charming. I didn't want to just go with someone like Yongguk or T.O.P. Instead I turned my attention to a relative unknown but one that made good first impressions from debut. Monsta X's I.M has a strong voice that's easily reflected in his rapping. He and Jooheon make a good 1-2 rapping punch for their group, though I think he needs to be utilized more. Even in repetitive lyrics like "Feedback," he was / sounded good. Not many people can do that.

Junsu
This is a throwback selection. I've not paid close attention to Junsu and 2PM for a long time, but Junsu is a spectacular vocalist that probably deserves more credit. They were one of the pioneer groups for me, and since debut Junsu has shown a propensity for great performances. Whether working within the group or by himself, he's got a unique sound that sounds perfect in R&B music. Come to think of it, I believe he had some new solo material recently. It's probably high time I check that out.

Narae
Surprisingly, this member is not the powerhouse vocalist or the unique voice of her group. What she does provide, however, is a consistent and balanced voice in SPICA and I really like that. Narae isn't particularly outstanding and certainly is outshone by members like Bohyung and Boa but that doesn't stop me from liking her voice all the same. She can be just as versatile as the rest of them and that's been proven across SPICA's career. Unfortunately with the disbandment I doubt we'll be seeing more of her anytime soon.

Younha
Alright, the bias can't be ignored. Younha is one of my favorite voices and singers to listen to on any day on any occasion. Her voice is simply too versatile. From ballads to rock, from pop to rap (okay maybe not that last one), Younha can do it all and do it wonderfully. Her extensive resume speaks for itself and chances are anyone new to her as an artist will be able to find something from her discography that they can really enjoy.

Chorong
While I'm not particularly fond of sweets, Apink's Chorong is a rare exception. Her voice rings out crystal clear in Apink's music, and based off her voice alone I would ignore objectivity and place her high up the support vocalist rankings (if they existed). The fact that I can't really explain why else I like her voice is but a testament to her magic. Even her talking voice I find very attractive, too. Chorong is charming~

Jooyoung
Jooyoung is one of the best male vocalists to begin with, but furthermore he's the voice I would take on if I had some Ditto-esque powers of acquiring someone else's voice. It's so smooth. Goddamn. If Junsu makes anything R&B sound really good then Jooyoung doubles that. Strong soloists are a dying breed but thankfully Starship has this handsome man (along with a few others). Have you seen Jooyoung cover Sistar's "Shake It" with K.Will? I gotchu.

Gilme
Picking a female rapper was tough. You have strong competition from voices like Yubin and D.ana, and the perennial greats like LE and Yezi. But at the end of the day, Gilme's voice in her rapping is the one that "wows" me the most and that's why I've picked her out of any other female rapper. Doesn't matter if her appearance is brief ("Don't Stop") or more extensive, I just sit back and appreciate every time she raps. Hopefully she'll be more active in the future.