It was 6 October 2012 and a night to celebrate the music of composer Cho Ha Moon. It was also G.O’s second to last performance on Immortal Song 2. I had been posting G.O’s IMS2 performances pretty regularly. When I realized that I was coming to the end of his run with two remaining episodes to cherish here, I paused and on almost four years to the day of this broadcast, I return to the IMS2 stage and invite you to lose yourselves with me in the tender ballad 왜 나만 [Why Only Me].
You all know how I feel about G.O and how beautiful I believe he is both inside and out. But honestly, he is never more beautiful (to me) than when he is lost in song…on any stage (concert, musical theater or otherwise). Music creates an inner glow that radiates from him.
The dramatic opening notes from the piano set the mood of both stage and song. G.O quietly contemplating the journey, preparing for the surrender. Like I have already said several hundred million times, I believe strongly beyond any doubt that G.O chooses songs to sing that resonate with him. He chose to sing Cho Ha Moon’s 왜 나만 [Why Only Me] that evening, and did so with a quiet yet powerful restraint. This gentle buoyant tango intoxicates. The intoxication slowly fills the deep wells of G.O’s beautiful and seductive eyes.
One of the many reasons I love every single one of G.O’s IMS2 performances is because he performed backed by a live band/orchestra. Lush!!! A voice like his should always be backed in such a way. The organic feel of a live band/orchestra breathes a different kind of life into a song and performance. Each member of the band or orchestra is bringing a special energy to the music via the instrument he or she plays which becomes the frame and foundation by which a vocalist can build his song within.
When it all comes together, the performance is breathtaking.
In these ballads of heartbreak, G.O brings a special poignancy to the performance. As he finishes, I always want to hug him afterwards and tell him, everything is going to be just fine….even if I would be saying that to him through the agony of my own tears.
~♥~
I absolutely agree, there’s something about G.O. and ballads… the way emotion pours out of every pore of his body. And I too always feel the urge to give him a hug. I’m not sure what exactly causes it… perhaps we just sense he has an amazing and beautiful heart.
I think he can sing anything you set in front of him. Any style, genre, the works. But ballads. I still believe he was born to sing ballads.