A long-awaited return to SM Station, Ten has finally released his third single, “Paint Me Naked,” showcasing his free spirit and a cheerful vibe. The NCT, WayV, and SuperM member took over SM Station once again with the track and a music video released August 10 at 6 PM KST. 

 

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A New Look To Ten

With “Paint Me Naked,” Ten takes us on a journey of discovering youthful love, and living life on your own terms. Completely in English, the song is a pop-rock track produced by SQUAR of PixelWave and boasts a catchy melody that will get listeners on their feet in no time. With lyrics like “like a picture, I can see our love running wild” and “nothing else matters, only us right now,” Ten expresses the message of a love bound by no limits or expectations. 

Genre-wise, Ten’s latest single branches away from his previous solo projects. “Paint Me Naked” is a much more optimistic and light-hearted song, the pop-rock style a new addition to Ten’s discography. “Dream In A Dream” is a dreamy synth-based song with strong East Asian musical influences, while “New Heroes” is an energetic electronic dance song with a message of never giving up on what you believe in. At #5 on the iTunes worldwide chart and #4 on QQ’s popularity chart, the success of “Paint Me Naked” demonstrates Ten’s versatility, and his ability to create in any genre. With every release, Ten reveals more of himself for the world to see, as someone that knows himself and can confidently state who they are. 

Metaphorically, Ten’s solo songs have progressed and told the story of his metamorphosis from budding idol to an artist who is fully confident in his skill. He has transformed into his authentic self, unwilling to fit into any boxes.

 

Paint Me Naked: A Visual Treat

Whether it was Ten dancing in a museum, in the middle of trucks, or even on the street, the music video for “Paint Me Naked” is filled with colors and eye-catching visuals of Ten in various places that convey the song’s message of freedom and love. Every shot makes a statement that relates to the song itself. In the museum scenes, Ten is seen splattering paint on the paintings and artwork while singing the lyrics “don’t care about what people say.” This is very reminiscent of the message he is trying to convey with “Paint Me Naked” too.

Fans were absolutely floored by the music video, sharing their excitement on Twitter. 

https://twitter.com/Iightburn/status/1425035856772059161?s=20

https://twitter.com/jaepeach3s/status/1425040605726404613?s=20

 

 

Ten Lee: The Artist

Ten’s artistry is no secret, as his Instagram is filled with him sharing his digital artwork, choreography, and even his writing with fans. In the past week, as Ten’s concept photos were being released, he reposted them with additional doodles drawn on them, expressing his personal creativity.

Fans have appreciated his artistry during this project, too, pointing out aspects of the track that they found exciting and inspiring.

https://twitter.com/Iightburn/status/1425036749277962240?s=20

https://twitter.com/midnightneos/status/1425031280899416065?s=20

 

Fans Take On #PaintWithTen 

Inspired by the idol’s own creative nature, his fans, 10vely, took to social media to share their own art, giving the teasers and stills from the MV, their own personal twist. Some creations had already caught Ten’s eye just days after the announcement of the release, and he took to Bubble to thank fans, and express how happy it made him to see them being creative.

As more content was dropped leading up to the single’s release, it sparked more creativity from fans, who took the opportunity to use #PaintWithTen to promote the single and their artwork.

https://twitter.com/yunotens/status/1422933028762882053?s=19

https://twitter.com/ntenly_/status/1423183630449401857?s=19

 

The idol is set to perform on the music show M COUNTDOWN on August 12, on “Music Bank” on August 13, and “Inkigayo” on August 15. Without a doubt, Ten has grown significantly as an artist that can shine in a group and as a soloist, and we can’t wait to see what he does next. 

If you’d like to see more of Ten, make sure to follow his Instagram and listen to “Paint Me Naked” on your favorite platform.

Looking for what else the NCT members are up to? Check out our coverage on the new NCT U unit, featuring Doyoung and Haechan!

Thumbnail courtesy of SM Entertainment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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