By guest bloggers Haley A. & Kelly C.
There is something undeniable about the stage presence of a K-pop veteran. On October 25th, in a San Francisco venue filled with an assortment of SONE’s (Girls’ Generation fans), general K-pop fans, and a few first timers, Tiffany Young magnetically drew the hearts of the crowd to her no matter what their interest level or background. Even while leaving the concert, one of the door monitors had remarked to passing fans that he would have to check out this musician whom he had heard from outside the building all night. Such was the kind of interest and excitement surrounding this performer of 12 years, Tiffany Young.
It has been about two years since Tiffany’s contract with mega K-pop company SM Entertainment wrapped up and she headed to her home country, the U.S., to embark on a new quest. Despite her leaving the Korean company to sign up with American entertainment company Transparent Arts, she has only strengthened her identity as a Girls’ Generation member and as a solo artist in the U.S. Earlier she won Best Solo Breakout 2019 at iHeart Radio Music Awards, released her EP “Lips on Lips,” and announced her first official tour. There has certainly been a lot of buzz and anticipation among the fandom in this era of new development.
That excitement and energy could be sensed by anyone inside Regency Ballroom, the first stop of Tiffany’s tour. With their pink lights held high, fans got hyped up, listening to Girls’ Generation songs reverberate throughout the venue. Finally Tiffany took the stage to meet a roaring crowd, flecked with jewels on her eyes, donning wide fishnet stockings and a frilled, shining dress fit for the most glamorous of divas. In the captivating and luxurious style that has become one of the hallmarks of this era, Tiffany kicked off the night with her latest release, ‘RFYL’. As hoped by many long-time fans, the playlist included both songs from her Korean repertoire as well as her more recent, all-English tracks. To the delight of the audience, Tiffany also peppered a few American pop songs into her playlist, including Miley Cyrus’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ and Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop the Music.’ But perhaps the song that drew the most screams from the crowd was ‘Run Devil Run’ by Girls’ Generation.
Besides a visually stimulating and musically gratifying set list, Tiffany connected with her fans in perhaps the most meaningful way: a heart-to-heart talk with the crowd. She shared how there is no feeling like the love and support the fans give her, and she wanted to be a source of encouragement and support for them as well. “Just call my name,” she uttered into the mic — an offer which was quickly answered with an excited chorus of “Tiffany! Tiffany! Tiffany!” Her honest moment with the crowd briefly segued into a discussion of the importance of mental health — something which has become a very relevant topic in light of music news from recent years. Her comment drew snaps of agreement and lots of supportive cheers from the audience.
Transitioning back to the show, Tiffany continued to perform several of her hits before presenting her final song of the night, ‘Magnetic Moon’. This song was especially critical, as Tiffany actually halted the music in the midst of the song when a minor difficulty with her mic persisted. She assured the fans that the first stop of her tour deserved a “proper performance of ‘Magnetic Moon’” — a redo which the crowd accepted readily. The spirit in the venue continued to swell as voices from the first and second floors sang along to the chorus of her iconic song in unison, “pulling me to you, it’s pulling me to you.”
Besides her veteran status and well trained talents, Tiffany’s charm goes well beyond technical prowess and beauty. Her interaction with her American fans on the first night of her tour proves that she is not only an artist deserving of critical acclaim but also an idol worthy of her fans’ continued admiration and respect. Indeed, there is no feeling equivalent to that of being in the same room, sharing the love, excitement, and years of unforgettable music with Tiffany Young.
