Kang Daniel Talks About His Journey With Vulnerability And The Healing It Brings
Kang Daniel had an interview with Rolling Stone India where he talked about his new album, The Story, reflecting on the process behind the concept, what music genres he wanted to explore, and the artists he worked with. He also spoke on the significance his last album, Yellow, had worldwide.
Many people have expressed their gratitude for Kang Daniel because of the comfort and consolation they found in his lyrics and music. While the singer has yet to fully process the significant impact his vulnerability and music have had, he is thankful that his emotions and story are accepted and loved and for the encouragement that he is not alone.
Understanding the trials and tribulations of other people was an insight that the reaction to Yellow granted him – no other experience could have done that.
— Rolling Stone India
Though the exact reason why Yellow received such an overwhelming response is hard to pinpoint, Kang Daniel believed it might be because many people find it hard to be vulnerable, especially to those closest to them. His bravery in being open about his struggles encouraged those who were also hurting deep inside.
It’s difficult to open up to your friends, your family, so I did that through the medium of music. I think that people had been waiting for someone to open up and I think that the timing was right. And because people had been waiting, and it was the right timing, it was well received.
— Kang Daniel
People struggle with vulnerability for many reasons. They may not want to appear weak or worry that their burdens will weigh heavily on the people they care about if they open up. Perhaps they are desperately trying to think “big picture,” that their struggles are nothing in the long run, so they minimize their problems to a fraction of what they are.
While pain and healing are apparent when it comes to physical injury, since you can see the wound, it’s harder to recognize the seriousness of emotional trauma. That’s why it’s so important to talk about it and bring it out into the open.
But if it’s something inside, and if you’re hurt emotionally, you really can’t fathom how much you’re hurt, whether you’re healing or whether you’ve gotten over it. And so, sometimes you just try to forget about it. I think that trying to forget and trying to ignore it is the worst thing that you can do.
— Kang Daniel
Kang Daniel used music as an outlet for his emotions to help him be honest with himself about what he was going through. And though the singer acknowledged that there are times when music and art are a much-needed escape from reality, using music or social media to drown out your struggles without confronting them is dangerous because it can lead to denial or disassociation.
So, you have to step away from your smartphone and your computer from time to time and go to your mom, cuddle up next to her and really talk about your feelings, or have the courage to just talk about your innermost feelings.
— Kang Daniel
Kang Daniel’s decision to be vulnerable through such a public platform was an invitation to healing both for himself and his listeners. With Yellow, he hoped that people would be reassured and inspired to talk about their emotions, and with The Story, he hopes that listeners will connect with the many different stories of the album. It is indeed a great act of courage to open up about what you’re going through, so if you need a little reassurance, you can draw strength from the stories of those around you.
Kang Daniel
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