Tail (song)
{{Short description|2021 single by Sunmi}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{for|the Powderfinger song|Parables for Wooden Ears}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Tail
| type = single
| artist = Sunmi
| B-side = What the Flower
| cover = Sunmi - Tail.png
| caption =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2021|02|23}}
| recorded = 2020–2021
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:10
| language =
| label = Abyss Company
| composer =
- Lee Sun-mi
- Frants
| lyricist = Lee Sun-mi
| producer = Frants
| prev_title = Oh Yeah
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title = You Can't Sit with Us
| next_year = 2021
| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|Aui0ZKIaXVc|"Tail"}}|header=Music video|type=single}}
}}
"Tail" ({{Korean|hangul=꼬리|rr=Kkori}}; stylized in all caps) is a song by South Korean singer and songwriter Sunmi. It was released as a standalone single on February 23, 2021, through Abyss Company. "Tail" was made available for digital download and streaming, and includes the B-side track "What the Flower". Both recordings were written by Sunmi, with additional production credits handled by Frants on "Tail" and Hong Song-jin on the B-side. The song is also notable for its distinctive choregraphy.{{Citation|title=TAIL - Single by SUNMI|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/tail-single/1553796168|language=en-us|access-date=2021-02-26}}
Musically, "Tail" is a dance and city pop song which conveys her instinctive feelings regarding love, similar to how "animals use their tail to express their emotions". Commercially, "Tail" peaked at number 22 on the Gaon Digital Chart.
Background and release
On February 2, 2021, Sunmi's agency Makeus Entertainment (now named Abyss Company), stated that Sunmi is preparing to comeback at the end of February with a new release.{{Cite web|title=선미 측 "2월 말 목표로 컴백 준비 중"(공식)|url=https://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=609&aid=0000395657|access-date=2021-02-26|website=entertain.naver.com|language=ko}} On February 10, the singer announced the date of the release via Instagram.{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Sunmi|date=February 10, 2021|title=[COMEBACK TEASER]|url=https://twitter.com/official_sunmi_/status/1359162642401644544|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Twitter}} On February 15, the tracklist of the single was released.{{Cite web|title=23일 컴백 선미, 새 앨범 타이틀곡은 '꼬리'..트랙리스트 이미지 공개|url=http://www.breaknews.com/786132|access-date=2021-02-26|website=breaknews.com|date=February 15, 2021 |language=ko}} Concept photos and videos for both songs were released on February 17 and 18,{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Sunmi|date=February 17, 2021|title=[CONCEPT PHOTO] - 꽃같네(What The Flower) CONCEPT PHOTO|url=https://twitter.com/official_sunmi_/status/1361691818056949776|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Twitter}}{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Sunmi|date=February 18, 2021|title=[CONCEPT VIDEO] - 꼬리(TAIL) CONCEPT VIDEO|url=https://twitter.com/official_sunmi_/status/1362054203481366533|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Twitter}}{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Sunmi|date=February 18, 2021|title=[CONCEPT PHOTO] - 꼬리(TAIL) CONCEPT PHOTO|url=https://twitter.com/official_sunmi_/status/1362054238163984389|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Twitter}} as well as a track spoiler video the following day.{{Cite web|title=꼬리' 컴백 선미, 콘셉트 포토 공개..도도한 캣우먼 변신 '시선강탈'|url=http://www.breaknews.com/787017꼬리|access-date=2021-02-26|website=breaknews.com|language=ko}} The music video teaser for "Tail" was released on February 22, 2021.{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Sunmi|date=February 22, 2021|title=[MUSIC VIDEO TEASER]|url=https://twitter.com/official_sunmi_/status/1363503751198310401|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Twitter}} The single released digitally on February 23 along with the music video for the title track.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-24|title=선미, 신곡 '꼬리(TAIL)'로 캣우먼 완벽 변신|url=http://www.topdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=94892|access-date=2021-02-26|website=톱데일리|language=ko}}
Music and lyrics
Turning 30 this year in Korean age, the new single marked a milestone for Sunmi.{{cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210223001091|title=Sunmi returns with a bold swing of 'Tail'|last=Ji-won|first=Choi|date=February 23, 2021|access-date=March 6, 2021|work=The Korea Herald}} "It’s my first move taken in my 30s and I feel like I’ve taken a very daring step forward," she said. The disco lead single, "Tail" is a dance and city pop song about a "super sensitive cat woman villainess who wants love with all her heart, expressing her deepest instinctive feelings". Sunmi added: "Animals use their tail to express their emotions". The song features a unique sense of rhythm and a catchy melody. "What the Flower" is a soul-infused B-side track with her lush vocals moving nimbly across sparkling guitar work and warm piano.{{cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/reviews/track/sunmi-tail-review-2891206|title=Sunmi's 'TAIL' is a flirty affair that hints at a fully realised artistic identity|last=Ramili|first=Sofiana|date=March 1, 2021|access-date=March 6, 2021|work=NME}}
Critical reception
{{Single ratings
| rev1 = IZM
| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.izm.co.kr/contentRead.asp?idx=30550&bigcateidx=8&subcateidx=10&view_tp=1|accessdate=March 6, 2021|website=IZM|author=Stern|title=Tail|language=Korean}}
| rev2 = NME
}}
Sofiana Ramli of NME wrote that "the pair of songs work well together, presenting new facades to a beloved veteran performer". Writing for IZM, Stern stated that "Tail" is a "song that reveals Sunmi's concerns, who don't want to fall into mannerism".
The A-side song "Tail" won best song in the official 2021 Miyane fan club awards. In addition, the B Side "What the Flower" won the best B-side award for the same year.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Digital download, streaming
| extra_column = Arrangement
| title1 = Tail
| note1 = {{lang|ko|꼬리}}
| lyrics1 = Lee Sun-mi
| music1 = {{hlist|Lee Sunmi|Frants}}
| extra1 = Frants
| length1 = 3:10
| title2 = What the Flower
| note2 = {{lang|ko|꽃같네}}
| lyrics2 = Lee Sunmi
| music2 = {{hlist|Lee Sunmi|Hong So-jin}}
| extra2 = Hong
| length2 = 3:25
| total_length = 6:35
}}
Credits
Credits adapted from Melon.{{cite web |title=꼬리 (TAIL) - 선미 |url=https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=10568886 |publisher=Melon |access-date=13 October 2021 |language=ko}}
- Lee Sun-mi{{spaced ndash}}vocals, lyrics, composition, arrangement
- Frants{{spaced ndash}}composition, arrangement (1)
- Hong So-jin{{spaced ndash}}composition, arrangement (2)
Charts
{{col begin}}
{{col 2}}
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for "Tail" ! scope="col" | Chart (2021) ! scope="col" | Peak |
| scope="row"| South Korea (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=10&hitYear=2021&termGbn=week|title=Tail|date=March 11, 2021}}
| 22 |
|---|
| scope="row"| South Korea (K-pop 100){{cite magazine|title=Billboard Korea K-Pop 100|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/sunmi/chart-history/kpo/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=March 5, 2021}}
| 20 |
| scope="row" | US World Digital Songs (Billboard){{Cite magazine|title=Sunmi|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/sunmi/chart-history/wdt/|access-date=March 3, 2021|magazine=Billboard}}
| 13 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for "What the Flower" ! scope="col" | Chart (2021) ! scope="col" | Peak |
| scope="row" | US World Digital Songs (Billboard)
| 18 |
|---|
{{col 2}}
= Monthly chart =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Monthly chart performance for "Tail" ! scope="col" | Chart (2021) ! scope="col" | Peak |
| scope="row" | South Korea (Circle){{cite web|url=https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=03&hitYear=2021&termGbn=month&yearTime=3|title=2021년 3월 Digital Chart|website=Circle Chart|access-date=January 13, 2023}}
| 35 |
|---|
= Year-end chart =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Tail" ! scope="col" | Chart (2021) ! scope="col" | Position |
| scope="row" | South Korea (Circle){{cite web|url=https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=2021&hitYear=2021&termGbn=year&yearTime=3|title=Digital Chart 2021|website=Circle Chart|access-date=January 13, 2023}}
| 191 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release dates and formats for "Tail" |
| scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |Various
| February 23, 2021 |{{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} |Abyss Company | align="center"| {{Citation|title=SUNMI - TAIL|date=February 23, 2021 |url=https://tidal.com/browse/album/173680048|language=en-US|access-date=2021-02-26}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sunmi}}
{{Authority control}}
{{2020s-song-stub}}