Quintessence (Taeyang album)
2026 studio album by Taeyang
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quintessence is the fourth studio album by the South Korean singer Taeyang.[2] It was released on May 18, 2026, through The Black Label. The album marks his first work in three years since the extended play (EP), Down to Earth (2023), and first full-length in nine years since White Night (2017). It includes guest appearances by Tarzzan and Jo Woo-chan of AllDay Project, and The Kid Laroi.[3]
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| Quintessence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 18, 2026 | |||
| Length | 27:36 | |||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Label | The Black Label | |||
| Producer | Taeyang[1] | |||
| Taeyang chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Quintessence | ||||
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Background
Quintessence constitutes Taeyang's return to full‑length album production nine years after White Night (2017) and first work following the extended play Down to Earth (2023). The project had been in continuous development for roughly a year leading up to its release on May 18, 2026.[4] The Black Label formally announced the album on April 21, 2026.[5] Its conceptual framework originated in an early A&R meeting in which Taeyang was tasked with defining the project's thematic direction; his subsequent focus on ideas of "essence", "true nature", and artistic fundamentals led him to the term quintessence, which shaped the album's organizing principle and title.[4]
Composition
Theme and lyrics
Quintessence consists of songs depicting the singer's "true essence". It is a record of self-distillation, and was described to be an attempt to find what is most essentially himself after two decades in the spotlight. It focuses on what feels most like him while still being something new.[6]
It includes messages and consistent themes of time, life and death, and the desire for something to last forever.[4] Depicted in the album's lead single, "Live Fast Die Slow", the fastest-tempo song he has ever released, shows an expression of his determination to live on his own terms regardless of how quickly the world around him changes.[6]
Release and promotion
Track listing
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bad" |
|
| 2:30 |
| 2. | "Live Fast Die Slow" |
| 3:00 | |
| 3. | "Would You" (featuring Tarzzan and Woochan) |
|
| 3:15 |
| 4. | "Movie" |
|
| 1:51 |
| 5. | "Open Up" (featuring the Kid Laroi) |
|
| 2:43 |
| 6. | "Love Like This" | Paul Blanco |
| 2:57 |
| 7. | "Yes" |
| Blanco | 2:30 |
| 8. | "Now" |
|
| 2:48 |
| 9. | "G.O.A.T" |
|
| 2:50 |
| 10. | "4U" |
|
| 3:06 |
Charts
Weekly charts
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Monthly charts
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Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | May 18, 2026 | CD | The Black Label |
| Various |