SHINee’s Key Exudes Celestial Aura in ‘Gasoline’

Singer-songwriter and SHINee member Key has reinstated his status as a powerhouse of concepts with his latest comeback “Gasoline.” Leading the singer’s sophomore album of the same title, the single was first performed last week during SM Entertainment’s family concert, SMTown Live 2022: SMCU Express, in Tokyo. 

Co-written by the singer along with Kenzie, Keyon ‘KC’ Moore, Moonshine and Ninos Hanna, ”Gasoline” is a powerful hip-hop dance track that captures Key’s ambition and courage. The single rustles up a celebratory atmosphere with Key singing, “Fire my gasoline/ In the end, I always deliver/ Now, I know, know/ It’s a go, go.” As the song progresses, the artist makes it abundantly clear that his ambitions are not driven by accolades or trophies and are instead fueled by sheer passion and dedication to his craft: “Ever risked it all? Nanana/ This very moment, flirting with death/ It’s not about the trophy, I’m just driving on my own/ Yells and fouls all around/ But it’s all the same when it goes up in flames.”

In a press conference held earlier today, Key revealed he was nervous while penning down the lyrics for the title track, but SM’s in-house producer, Kenzie, helped him break free from all apprehensions. Key also shared some inside details about the alternative title that was shortlisted for the track: “Kenzie suggested the song title ‘A-list’ but I really wasn’t feeling it. So I asked for a vote on the name ‘Gasoline’; 27 out of 30 SM staff voted against it but I went with my decision.”

Detached from the retro universe Key built for his first album Bad Love, “Gasoline” sees the singer create an alter-ego with celestial characteristics. As the sole monarch of his planet, Key leaves no corner of his artistry unexplored as he plays with an array of set designs, costumes and make-up looks to highlight his alter-ego’s nobility and power. The music video outlines Key’s rise to power as he successfully builds his kingdom with a legion of devoted followers, with the singer executing powerful choreographed routines to complement the track’s booming soundscape. As the music video concludes, Key drinks in the power of the sun as a ring of fire slowly forms around him. While the metaphor is not explicitly spelled out, it seems like Key’s alter-ego is a direct reflection of the explosive energy and power the sun embodies.

“‘Gasoline’ took a long time to create,” Key said about the concept behind the music video during the press conference. “Unlike the retro theme in Bad Love, my idea was to create an image of a God that doesn’t exist in reality. I immersed myself in the work process for two days with the motivation of trying out something that previously [has not been] seen in SM. There was definitely feedback that the song concept was too intense and aggressive, but finally, the idea was approved.” While it’s true that the music video’s concept is rooted in fictional storylines, Key clarified that neither is he building a multiverse nor is “Gasoline’s” concept included in SM Entertainment’s ambitious and complex Kwangya universe.

Gasoline, the album, comes roughly 11 months after the release of the singer’s first EP, Bad Love. Led by the lead single “Gasoline,” the 11-track album houses the collaborative track “Villian” with NCT’s rapper, Jeno. Other tracks include “Bound,” “Burn,” “Guilty Pleasure,” “G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time),” “I Can’t Sleep,” “Ain’t Gonna Dance,” “Another Life,” “Daylight” and “Proud.” In addition to the lead single, Key has also penned down the lyrics for “G.O.A.T,” “I Can’t Sleep” and “Proud.”