I love bilingualism in music. How I see it – it provides an insight into an artist’s relationship with their first language and mother tongue. Not to say I decide between what version is better, but comparing them shows how much each version influences each other.

Currently based in Boston, Korean-Indian singer Himang’s latest single “Young” comes in a 2-pack of both Korean and English – which also doubles as his first release in the former’s language.

An R&B track that was inspired by DEAN, Ariana Grande and Lee Hi, “Young” is slow but hard-hitting ballad that’s reminiscent of the biggest k-ballad songs out there. Propelled by an emotional performance, Himang’s exploration of being able to freely speak your mind at a young age strongly resonates with me.

The differences between the different versions aren’t that big but I would like to note that listening to the Korean version before moving on to the English one made me appreciate the overall song even more.

Not being able to speak a lick of Korean, all I could do when listening to the Korean version was to soak in the passion that Himang brings out in his vocals – where I formed an ‘auditory investment’ if that makes sense. Then, the English version pulls me in even more when I’m given context to his plight on the track, creating this 2-song experience that I honestly couldn’t have gotten if I listened to either one on its own.

So, go run Himang’s music up! Plus I’m hoping that I’ll get to hear more of his Korean ventures in the future.