Real name: Kim Yeonjeong SM entertainment's composer, writer, producer
Born in 1976, October 22
Let me introduce Kenzie, a composer and producer. Many people misunderstand her as a Japanese male or a foreigner, so I hope many people know that she is a Korean woman. She is a very rare female producer in the K-pop scene, but despite her career, she is not widely known. I wanted to write this to spread Kenzie's genius more widely.
First, there are two origins for the name Kenzie:
1. When she was studying at Berklee College of Music, she adopted the name Kenzie, excluding the "Mac" from her middle name, Mackenzie, as her current pseudonym.
2. It is said that she adopted her friend's name who died of leukemia when she was young, to honor her friend's memory.
It's still unclear which is true.
Kenzie actually created a song while thinking of this friend, and that song is
Into The New World
"Thinking of you makes me stronger
Help me not to cry
Let's share this moment together
When we meet again"
While studying at Berklee College of Music, Kenzie won the lyricist/composer category of a music contest in the U.S. This caught the attention of Lee Sooman, who was observing the scene, and she was cast. Influenced by H.O.T and 5ive, she joined SM Entertainment.
Before her debut as a composer, she was active in bands and also played keyboard and trumpet. She started her full-fledged career in 2002 and has since produced over 200 songs for SM artists. She is considered a key figure who shaped SM into what it is today, alongside Yoo Youngjin and Teddy Riley.
[...]
She personally claims to be the pickiest in SM. Her style is highly unique, slightly distant from mainstream, which complements SM idol groups well. Her songwriting skills are highly praised, with some saying that no one can match her sense in idol musicology.
[...]
She is known for her wide spectrum in both lyric writing and composing. For example, songs she has written lyrics for include Park Hyoshin's "Snow Flower," Kyuhyun's "At Gwanghwamun," EXO's "Wolf," and "Beautiful," and The Grace's "One More Chance." Her range is truly extensive. ("Snow Flower" is an adapted song, but the lyrics were subtly changed during the translation process into Korean.)
[...]
Kenzie often appears as a back vocal in songs she produces. For example, in EXO's "Wolf," there's a part where she sings "Ah, I love you," and in NCT DREAM's "Chewing Gum," the main artificial voice that appears in the background is hers. She has also sung for cartoon OSTs.
She has around 474 registered under her but it would be too long to list them all, so I will introduce the ones who are known to the fans but who are hidden masterpiece
BoA: My Name, Milky Way, Garden in the Air, Milky Way, Hurricane Venus
TVXQ: One, Balloons, Rainbow
SNSD: Into The New World, Way To Go, Go!, Express 999, Europa, Chocolate love, All Night, FAN, Diamond
SUJU: No Other, SPY, Devil, Lo Siento, The Girl Is Mine, Opera, Our Love
SHINee: Real, Why So Serious?, Y Si Fuera Ella, Stranger, Jojo, Green Rain, Love Sick, Our Page, Evil, All Day All Night
F(x): LA chA, TA, Pinocchio, Hot Summer, Jet, Red Light, Signal, MILK, Papi, Chash Me Out
EXO: Obsession, Wolf, Overdose, Sing For You, Monster, For Life, Baby, First Snow, What U Do? Forever, 24/7, TRANSFORMER
Red Velvet: Red Flavor, Peek-A-Boo, Power Up, Psycho, RBB, Somethin Kinda Crazy, Huff n Puff, Cool Hot Sweet Love, Lucky Girl, Attaboy, Sassy Me, Carpool, In & Out
NCT 127: Limitless, White Night
NCT DREAM: Chewing Gum, We Young, We Go Up, Dunk Shot
Super M: I Can't Stand The Rain, Let's Go Everywhere
Solo/Projects:
Taeyeon: Four SEasons, Spark, I Got Love, Sweet Love, All Night Long, Love You Like Crazy, Lonely Night, Closer
Seohyeon: Don'g Say No
Taemin: WANT, ECLIPSE, Sexuality, Wicked
Key: One of Those Nights
Kyuhyun: At Gwanghwamun, A Million Pieces
EXO-CBX: Rhythm After Summer, Playdate
(?): Shall We? ove Words
Baekhyun: Betcha
Zhang Liyin: Timeless
TVXQ + SUJU: Show Me Your Love
Seo HYunjin: Give Me A Little Try
+ Songs that Kenzie produced recently:
original post: here
1. So she was a woman? She's so cool
2. Mother
3. Genius
4. She's so my type
5. I really thought it was a Japanese man...
6. Kenzie really writes good songs...
7. TVXQ's One was honestly a masterpiece... Kenzie's spectrum is so wide
8. So Wolf's "Ah I love you" voice was Kenzie's??
9. Wow she must be so rich
10. Oh so she's a woman, I thought she was a man
