Watch Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon’s Honest Portrayal of Love in ‘Can’t Control Myself’

Renowned singer-songwriter Taeyeon explores the reality of love in her latest release “Can’t Control Myself.” The single will create waves of anticipation about the vocalist’s upcoming album set to release this year.

Co-written by Taeyeon, “Can’t Control Myself” blends pop-punk sounds with hints of mellow ballad notes, curating a refreshing soundscape to match the singer’s vocal capabilities. It opens with breathy guitar riffs layered over Taeyeon’s emotive vocalizations: “Like a grown-up/ Who grew tall but is still a child/ Your insincere words/ Made me choose feelings/ That I can’t handle.” The chorus of the track takes a quintessential pop-punk diversion with the inclusion of punchy guitar riffs and rich bass sounds as the vocalist sings “In front of you/ Everything becomes out of control/ It feels like everything is going to explode/ Cause I can’t control myself.” 

The songwriting displays a shrewd understanding of love, which effectively conveys the complexities of finding yourself in a doomed relationship. It begins with the protagonist acknowledging how her childlike innocence distorted her perception, making her believe “insincere words.” While she’s very well aware of the toxic mess she’s caught up in, we get a glimpse of how being caught in a cycle of emotional trauma and manipulation can push you away from reality. It’s almost as if she’s accepted that love has a dark, abusive ulterior form: “I feel miserable, feelings are running out/ It just keeps spinning like a loose ring/ It doesn’t matter, I suppose this is how love is.” 

The music video takes a theatrical approach, with Taeyeon and her real-life love interest playing the role of the lovers. While the audience cannot seem to get enough of the blooming chemistry between the duo, off-screen the relationship they share tells a different story. With Taeyeon often breaking down in tears and having full-blown emotional breakdowns in front of the audience and cameras, it is clear that the one-sided nature of the relationship has pushed her to her breaking point. 

“Can’t Control Myself” follows Taeyeon’s July 2021 single “Weekend.” With the vocalist all set to release her studio album sometime this year and her inclusion in SM Entertainment’s female super-group GOT: The Beat, this year seems to be a busy one for the vocalist.