After I heard Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ/Tohoshinki) member Jaejoong sing a solo rock song for the first time, this constant question kept popping up: Why doesn’t Jaejoong sing more rock music? I suppose a more precise question would be why isn’t he allowed to sing more rock songs? His voice is right for it.
Everything about his own personal style screams ROCKER. That is, when he isn’t intentionally downplaying the image to better match his bandmate brothers in TVXQ.
All of them have their own vocal style: Junsu has a beautiful voice for RnB and ballads; Yunho would do great in Adult Contemporary (A.C.), Yoochun is hard to place but could fit in Pop or A.C.; while Changmin has a strong rock voice particularly in his upper register.
Jaejoong’s voice is beautiful regardless of whether he’s singing a soft ballad or a song like ‘Maze’, which sounds like it should be the opening theme of an anime.
The live version is posted on Imeem. Note that this is probably after he’s been performing other songs live with his group members for an hour already.
Listen below (keep listening its definitely a rock song):
https://www.dongbanger.com/music/jaejoong_maze.mp3
Mind you, I don’t know what he’s actually singing about because I can’t speak Japanese… yet. *fight-o*
Jaejoong does love that upper register, doesn’t he? His vocals are like honey when he’s reaching his highs as he’s singing some of his more heartbreaking ballads.
Along with rock there is also a strong Trot (pronounced as “teuroteu”) influence in his style. For those who don’t know, Trot is an older Korean style of singing which is full of slow vibrato/vibration in the voice when holding notes (read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trot_(music) ).
It may be quite easy for someone who doesn’t know him to completely overlook that voice while looking at that face.
And, yes, it is an absolutely gorgeous face. If I were that crazy witch in the Disney cartoon ‘Snow White’, and I asked the magic mirror who is the fairest of them all, I wouldn’t be surprised if the answer was Jaejoong. Seriously.
This guy is downright beautiful. He has a magic face. His style can be that of a total bad-boy (with those tattoos and piercings), or androgenous if he wanted to go there.
But don’t let his magic face make you forget what a great voice he has, or how hilariously cute he can be. Check out this funny video with him singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in 3 different singing styles (including Trot):
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If you go back and listen to Jaejoong’s parts in the song HUG (DBSK’s early mega hit song), you can definitely hear the change and progress in his skills.
Jaejoong, as does his fellow members, has shown a great deal of potential. My meaning is that they seem to put a great deal of effort into challenging themselves and each other to become better and stronger.
With that increased strength comes an increased sense of what forms of music seem to fit him like a glove. For me, it’s rock. Don’t get me wrong. I think they should all sing all forms of music, like they’ve been doing.
I just want to hear MORE rock songs especially from Jaejoong. He’s got a great voice!